Excerpt from the statement of significance
This torch is perhaps the most compelling object of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. It signifies the precise moment when the Games officially opened, and when the world focussed its attentions upon Sydney and Australian culture as a whole.
This Olympic torch was used by Cathy (Catherine) Freeman on 15 September 2000 to ignite the Olympic cauldron during the Opening Ceremony. It was designed by Sydney company, Blue Sky Design, and manufactured by GA & L Harrington in anodised and textured aluminium. Its tiered rim emulates the sail-like roofline of the Sydney Opera House, its curving body reflects the shape of a boomerang and its blue aluminium surface symbolises the waters of Sydney Harbour. 
As the Sydney Olympic Torch Relay drew to a close in the stadium, speculation surrounding the lighting of the Olympic cauldron rapidly intensified. Emerging from the darkness in a white, flameproof bodysuit, Cathy (Catherine) Freeman, Indigenous champion of track and field, ascended a staircase and stood within a reflective pool. Here, above the audience, she immersed the flame in the liquid surrounding her feet and ignited the Olympic cauldron.
The selection of Freeman to light the Olympic cauldron seemed highly appropriate to most Australians—she excelled in her sport, protested against injustices to Aboriginal people, and spoke proudly of her Aboriginal heritage. These qualities stirred a nation that was debating reconciliation with its Indigenous people. Freeman’s prominence at the opening ceremony encapsulated the Olympic ideals of promoting sport and celebrating the history and culture of the host country.
