August 25-26 marked 20 years since the Sydney Olympic Torch passed through Port Macquarie-Hastings

It has been two decades since the 2000 Sydney Olympic torch relay passed through the region on its way to the stadium where the flame would burn for the duration of the event.

Thousands of people lined the streets to watch on and cheer as local athletes, volunteers, community leaders and school students passed the flame one by one on its journey to Sydney.

Hastings Sports Awards recipient Rochelle Chivers, 12, one of the youngest torchbearers in the country was joined by community leaders including former managing director of the Port Macquarie News, Keith Uptin.

It was Mr Uptin's second stint making history having carried the torch in the 1956 Olympic torch relay.

Port Macquarie Historical Society volunteer curator Debbie Sommers said the museum houses a number of items from the 1956 Olympics through to the present day in its displays.

"We have items in the collection such as pennants, flags and posters," Ms Sommers said.

"I think the Olympics have quite a bit of significant to everyone and they have always been quite a spectacle. Until more recently they were always a really big deal, for example the 1956 Olympics were the first time the games came to the southern hemisphere.

"For any athlete one of the highest aspirations would be to get to the games. But the torch relays were always an opportunity for local communities to engage with the Olympic movement and support their local athletes.

"Not everyone gets to go to an Olympic Games as a spectator or as an athlete and of course these little souvenirs that remain help to tell the enduring stories of when the games came in."

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, sign up here.If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.