Commonwealth Games Unveils Its New Aussie Mascot

Commonwealth Games Unveils Its New Aussie Mascot

The 2018 Commonwealth Games to be held on the Gold Coast has its official Aussie mascot, and it’s a blue koala.

Borobi the blue koala takes his name from an indigenous word for koala, and loves hanging ten in the surf and chasing adrenalin-pumping adventures.

Borobi arrived on the Gold Coast on Monday by helicopter where Aussie surf champ Mark Occhilupo greeted him on Burleigh Heads beach.

The koala has the lucrative job of selling millions of dollars in merchandise for Australia, with Borobi expected to appear on everything from flags and hats to stubby holders and t-shirts. He even has his own Twitter account and video on YouTube.

Borobi was inspired by a drawing from Brisbane school teacher Merrilyn Krohn who won the mascot design competition, with his bright blue colouring meant to portray the colour of the ocean.

“An idea came to mind as soon as I heard about the competition,” Krohn told AAP. “I add drawings into my teaching. It’s part of connecting with the children and having a laugh with them.”

Borobi joins the hall of fame alongside two other memorable Aussie mascots from previous hosting duties, including Matilda at the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games and Karak, a south-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo in Melbourne in 2006.

Today marks exactly two years to the Games’ opening ceremony, with the $320 million construction program on track and on budget, according to the Queensland government.




Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]