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 November 1956