Save the date: April 24 is the day that expressions of interest to buy first round tickets opens.

The countdown is on for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Here are the key dates planners need to consider:

March 13, 2017: Queen puts her Games message inside the Baton and the first runner in the relay heads out of Buckingham Palace. It will visit 70 Commonwealth countries before arriving in Australia late in 2017 (the domestic route and timings have not yet been revealed).
April 4, 2017: One Year to Go celebrations including activations and photo opportunities on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
April 24, 2017: Expressions of interest open for first round allocations of Games tickets (prices have been released – see details below. Allocation of some tickets i.e. opening ceremony, swimming finals and some athletics events will be by ballot).
May 21-28: First GC2018 test event – Sudirman Cup international badminton team event at new Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.
June 10-23: Test event – Australian Lawn Bowls Championships (various clubs across the GC including GC2018 bowls headquarters Broadbeach).
July 1-2: Test event – GC Airport Marathon (course is likely to be very close to that to be used in the Games, taking in more scenic venues than previous marathon courses on the Coast).
December 25, 2017: Queen’s Baton arrives in Australia (first port of call yet to be announced).
January 2, 2018: 100 Days to go.
April 4-15, 2018: GC2018.

80 per cent of tickets will be $80 or less and all tickets include public transport to and from the venues. Click here for more information.

Several Games events will be free and the public is encouraged to line the streets and cheer. These include the men’s and women’s marathon, the road race walk, the road cycling events and sections of the triathlon. Courses are yet to be finalised but the Esplanade and foreshores at Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin are expected to feature while the cycling will be held in Currumbin and Currumbin Valley (see map above).

Four new venues are being built and 12 existing venues will be upgraded for GC2018.

Venues already opened and being used include Southport Aquatic Centre, Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, Broadbeach Bowls Club, Anna Meares Velodrome at Chandler, Rifle Range at Belmont.

Other venues being used (but not in Games configuration yet) include Carrara Stadium, GC Convention Centre and Oxenford Studios (their sound stage, the biggest in the southern hemisphere will be converted into arenas for boxing, squash and table tennis.