Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games was represented by Australian Commonwealth Games Association the (ACGA), and abbreviated AUS. Athletes from Australia were given automatic qualification in all sports due to the host status. Australia first competed at the then-titled British Empire Games in 1930, and is one of only six countries to have sent athletes to every Commonwealth Games. Australia entered the Melbourne Games as a strong favourite to win the medal tally after having won 207 medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester compared to England's 165 and Canada's 116. Its strongest sports are swimming and cycling. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Australia was at the top of the medal tally with 221 medals: 84 Gold, 69 Silver and 68 Bronze. Jane Saville bore Australia's flag at the opening ceremony, while Leisel Jones bore the flag during the closing ceremony. Medallists | width="78%" align="left" valign="top" | * – Indicates the athlete competed in preliminaries but not the final relay. | width="22%" align="left" valign="top" | Athletics Men Track Field Decathlon Women Track Field Heptathlon Badminton Men's Women's Mixed Basketball Men's tournament |} | valign="top"| Head coach Assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain Club field describes club at the time of the competition |} Group play Semifinal Gold medal match Women's tournament |} | valign="top"| Head coach Assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain Club field describes club at the time of the competition |} Group play Semifinal Gold medal match Boxing Cycling Road Men Women Track Team sprint Sprint Pursuit Keirin Time trial Points race Scratch race Mountain bike Diving Men Women Field hockey Men's tournament Jamie Dwyer Liam de Young Michael McCann Robert Hammond Nathan Eglington Mark Knowles Luke Doerner Grant Schubert Bevan George Stephen Lambert Aaron Hopkins Matthew Wells Travis Brooks Brent Livermore Dean Butler Stephen Mowlam Group play Semifinal Gold medal match Women's tournament Toni Cronk Suzie Faulkner Karen Smith Kim Walker Rebecca Sanders Kate Hollywood Emily Halliday Madonna Blyth Wendy Beattie Nicole Arrold Kobie McGurk Rachel Imison Angie Skirving Melanie Twitt Sarah Taylor Nikki Hudson Group play Semifinal Gold medal match Gymnastics Artistic Men Team Individual finals Women Team Individual finals Rhythmic Team Individual finals Lawn bowls Men Women Netball Preliminary round Semifinal Gold medal match Rugby sevens Preliminary rounds Quarterfinal Semifinal Bronze medal match Shooting Men Women Open Squash Men Singles Doubles Women Singles Doubles Mixed Doubles Swimming Men Women Synchronised swimming Luda Plotnikova (Vic)