She shares the games athlete’s village mayor role with Mark Stockwell and this week the duo have busy welcoming international sporting heroes to the sunshine state.

Born in Gunnedah the 2004 Athens Olympics gold medalist, moved from the country town at the age of seven and has called Queensland home for the past 30 years.

She returned to Gunnedah in January where she was one of the baton bearers for the Commonwealth Games Relay.

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“Even though I’ve been living up here on the Gold Coast for 30 years, it’s always good to head home and catch up with family – it’s always a good time,” she said.

“To be co-mayor has been such an honour. We are the first faces the athletes, officials and delegates see when they arrive in the village.

“We have a welcome ceremony, raise their country’s flag, sing their national anthem and give them a gift.”

Ms Carrigan said the atmosphere at the Gold Coast was buzzing this week with more athletes and coaches arriving each day.

“I’ve got to say I would have loved to have been competing here,” she said.

“But I have well and truly been involved in so many ways and it has been so special.

“I helped design the road cycling course, been co-mayor of the village and I’ve also been involved right back to the starting process. It’s been an absolutely amazing journey.”