20th Summer Deaflympics

Per LUDO AEQUALITAS…Equality through sport

In the summer of 2005, more than three and a half thousand (3500+) athletes and officials from sixty-three (63) nations came together for only the second Deaflympics to be staged in the southern hemisphere. The EPG team were tasked by the Melbourne 2005 Deaflympics Organising Committee (M2005) to review, develop and implement the logistics program for all temporary constructed venues for the event in the regional City of Ballarat.

Our team provided event overlay & infrastructure, event logistics and project management services to M2005 for the road cycling, marathon & orienteering events. The road cycling events were held on the streets of the City of Ballarat and the nationally recognised and challenging 10.2km Bunniyong circuit. The marathon was held on the roads surrounding Lake Wendouree and orienteering venues involved temporary builds in forest areas and local sporting grounds. Due to the temporary nature of the venues comprehensive operational planning was paramount for the success of the event as all venues involved mobilising and decommissioning infrastructure and workforce on the same day.

Our team was responsible for setting up a temporary logistics hub at each site utilising a sponsor vehicle, trailer and truck that acted as remote storage for the duration of the games as well as managing the event logistics crew that was made up of both a paid and volunteer workforce. 

As part of the venue management team we managed activities that included the implementation of road closures with local councils, the installation of equipment, wayfinding signage, sponsor and field of play signage, provision of temporary structures and power to sites at the setup and closure of event ceremonies activities.

An integral part of this event for our team was to be able to integrate with the M2005 Venue Management Team and adapt to an environment where communication with the key stakeholder, the deaf community, was given priority.