Olympic Flame Leaves Plains of Olympia Girls dressed in ancient Grecian costume surround the Holy Altar on the Plains of Olympia as the first priestess hands over the sacred Olympic flame to the first runner , a youth from the Modern City of Olympia , sets off for Athens . After him Greek athletes will carry the sacred torch in relays to the Marble Stadium in Athens where the first modern Olympics was held in 1896. From there the flame will be taken to Athens Airport to be picked up by an Australian Airliner, which will take it in a miners lamp to Darwin. There an Australian Airforce Canberra will transport the torch to Cairns Queensland , and then relays of runners will carry it to the Olympic stadium in Melbourne where it will burn throughout the games. 2nd Novemeber 1956