BRISBANE, March 31, 2010 - Australia will have a crack at hosting its fifth Commonwealth Games.

The Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) announced today that Australia would bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, Queensland.

ACGA President, Sam Coffa, joined Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, and Gold Coast Lord Mayor, Ron Clarke, a former long distance Commonwealth and Olympic Games medallist, to make the announcement in Brisbane. Clarke lit the flame at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.

All three parties signed the formal bid lodgement paper which has been forwarded to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in London. The only other candidate at this stage is Abuja, Nigeria.

“We are very excited about putting forward this bid to our fellow Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) from 70 Commonwealth nations,” said Mr. Coffa.

The ACGA has endorsed a plan from the Queensland Government in partnership with the Gold Coast City Council which will provide for a “regional city” sized games model.

Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games four times – Sydney 1938, Perth 1962, Brisbane 1982, and Melbourne 2006. The next Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi from October 3-14, 2010.

The 2018 Games location will be decided in November 2011.