The relay's route will be announced at 11am, but Games organisers are keeping details closely guarded.

The Courier understands Ballarat will be one of the places the baton will visit on its way to the opening ceremony at the MCG.

The Queen's Baton will arrive in Australia on January 24, in time for Australia Day, just weeks ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

Members of the public may also have the chance to carry the baton.

Commonwealth Games organisers are hoping the relay will generate excitement among the public in a similar way to the Olympic Torch's visit before the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Thousands lined the streets to see the torch, and the torch-bearers, when it visited in July 2000.

About 1000 people even braved cold weather to farewell the Olympic Torch when it left Ballarat.

Gold medal winning trap shooter Russell Mark also delighted onlookers when he invited four-time Olympian Steve Moneghetti to light the cauldron with him at Lake Wendouree.

Ballarat already has strong links with the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, with tickets to the basketball events already snapped up.

Ballarat and district athletes, such as Olympic swimmer Shayne Reese, will be competing for a place in the national Commonwealth Games team.

The Queen's Baton is currently on its African leg and will arrive in Nigeria today, having just left Ghana.

The baton will visit all 71 competing nations on its journey, which will take in about 180,000 kilometres.

The Games will start on Wednesday, March 15, next year, and continue over 12 days.