More than AUD$6.4 million was spent on the Queen's Baton Relay for Gold Coast 2018, it has been reported ©Gold Coast 2018

The Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay for Gold Coast 2018 cost AUD$6.4 million (£3.5 million/$4.7 million/€4.1 million), it has been reported.

Figures obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin, under a right to information request show the cost of logistics for the 388-day relay revealed that AUD$388,000 (£217,000/$288,000/€246,000) was spent at the launch of the Queen's Baton at Buckingham Palace in March 2017. 

The figures do not include staff wages, police and security. 

The Baton travelled 230,000 kilometre journey through Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean before its arrival at the Opening Ceremony of Gold Coast 2018 on April 4. 

The figures revealed that AUD$2.1 million (£1.2 million/$1.6 million/€1.3 million) was spent on the international leg of the journey, including almost AUD$1 million (£561,000/$742,000/€634,000) for flights and accommodation, AUD$164,000 (£92,000/$122,000/€104,000) for photography and AUD$17,000 (£9,500/$12,500/€11,000) worth of advertising.

The 100-day domestic trip of the Relay cost AUD$4.3 million (£2.4 million/$3.2 million/€2.7 million), including more than AUD$1.5 million (£841,000/$1.1 million/€950,000) for flights and accommodation, $1 million £561,000/$742,000/€634,000) for staging, $215,000 (£120,000/$159,000/€136,000) for uniforms and $23,000 (£13,000/$17,000/€14,000) worth of "consumables".

The Baton was carried by 3,800 baton bearers in Australia alone.

The launch of the Queen's Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace in London cost AUD$388,000, it has been revealed ©Gold Coast 2018
The launch of the Queen's Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace in London cost AUD$388,000, it has been revealed ©Gold Coast 2018

According to the official Queen's Baton Relay website, selected baton bearers were "responsible for any accommodation, food and transportation costs to and from the location where they have been selected to carry the Baton".

Gold Coast 2018 chief executive Mark Peters claimed sponsorship helped "offset" some of the costs but the exact amount of support remained "commercial in confidence".

"QSuper sponsored the domestic leg of the Queen's Baton Relay while Longines and Tourism Australia sponsored the international leg," Peters told the Gold Coast Bulletin. 

"These sponsorship arrangements are commercial-in-confidence."

Peters claimed the Baton relay provided an opportunity to showcase Gold Coast and Queensland.

"This is valuable exposure for Queensland which we know will drive thousands more visitors to our great state in years to come," he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.