Organisers of the Olympic Games torch relay will attempt to create a "peace mile" along Anzac Parade next Thursday as a haven for spectators to avoid anti-China protests.
They are calling on the two large groups converging on Canberra for the historic event to show respect for areas near the Australian War Memorial, when the relay passes on the eve of Anzac Day.
Canberra Young Legatees and elderly torchbearers, including relay veteran Julius Patching, will take the torch along part of the quiet zone, where families will be encouraged to gather.
Thousands of elderly and frail spectators are also expected to watch the runners from the tiered seating erected at the memorial for Anzac Day services on Friday.
In another development, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope will announce today that Canberra will stage its first ever "three peaks" fireworks display to mark the arrival of the Olympic flame on Australian soil.
The spectacular show will erupt from Red Hill, Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie on Wednesday at 6pm and is expected to draw thousands of people to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.
"The Chinese are credited with the invention of fireworks over 2000 years ago, and they remain an integral aspect of celebrations across the world, so it is appropriate that they will be a feature of the fantastic entertainment coinciding with the arrival of Beijing Olympic torch relay," Mr Stanhope said.
"With the fireworks being ignited from our three highest peaks, all Canberrans should be able to enjoy the display from wherever they are in our city, including Woden, Belconnen and the inner north and south."
In another fireworks first for Canberra, a pre-dawn display shortly after 6am on Thursday will kick off the free community torch relay breakfast at Reconciliation Place.
After chaotic scenes in other national capitals, the Olympic flame arrives in Canberra on Wednesday.
Police are expecting 6000 people from the Chinese communities in Sydney and Melbourne to converge on Canberra to cheer on the only Australian appearance of the flame, along with 1500 pro-Tibet demonstrators.
Both sides say they plan to hold peaceful demonstrations and police will attempt to keep the two groups apart. It is understood that police have spoken to leaders of both groups and told them demonstrations in the "Peace Mile" would be disrespectful to veterans on what is a national day of commemoration of the Anzac spirit.
"We are calling for respect for Anzac Parade and we believe it will be a good place for families with young children to view the relay," a key organiser told The Canberra Times.
"Also, we are encouraging the elderly and frail to use the tiered seating at the War Memorial, where they will be entertained by a 500-voice choir and the Royal Military College Duntroon band."
Concerns over security mean the torch is expected to travel only on wide streets which will be lined with barricades.
The revised route will be published in The Canberra Times on Monday.
Police have been given tough powers to search people suspected of carrying "prohibited items" which could be used as weapons, including fire extinguishers, balls, eggs, balloons filled with paint and buckets of water.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has said Australians who want to show their disapproval of China's human rights record should turn their backs as the relay passes.
The torch relay program begins at Reconciliation Place at 8.30am on Thursday with the first runner, Tania Major, due to leave at 8.45.
She will have the honour of lighting the torch after an indigenous smoking ceremony, a free community breakfast and songs from the community choir.
After her run, she will hand over to former Olympic champion and South Australian Governor, Marjorie Jackson-Nelson.
The 79th runner is Ron Clarke who lit the cauldron at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
The final runner is Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe, who will take the flame into Commonwealth Park and light a cauldron on Stage 88 to the accompaniment of massed Chinese drummers.
The cauldron will be extinguished at noon, followed by a community celebration and a concert featuring Shannon Noll.
After the cauldron is extinguished, the lantern containing the flame will be taken directly to the airport for departure later that evening, en route to Nagano in Japan.
In overseas capitals, Chinese "flame attendants" have surrounded each runner, inside a cordon of local police.
The London 2012 Olympics chief, Sebastian Coe, has described the torch guards as "thugs".
Confusion about their role in Canberra continued yesterday, with Mr Rudd saying the Chinese officials would travel on a bus.
However, as reported yesterday, six Chinese "flame attendants" will travel with the relay convoy and at least one will jog with the Australian runners.
In teams of three, they will help light each new torch, extinguish the old one and escort runners to the support bus.
ACT relay taskforce chairman Ted Quinlan repeated that the Chinese officials would have no role in security or crowd control.
"When, and if, push comes to shove, these people are required by our arrangement to stay out of any fracas and, in fact, to retreat to the support bus behind them," he said.
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