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Memories of Her Majesty: When Queen Elizabeth II came to Australia

Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia 16 times through her 70 year reign.

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Her visits took place in 1954, 1963, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2011.

She was the first reigning monarch to visit the country - a trip which took place in 1954.

On that first trip the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the ACT, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, taking in 57 towns along the way.

They arrived on SS Gothic, steaming into Sydney Harbour and stayed for 58 days.

On each trip she took in a variety of places across this wide brown land - from city to country town.

She took in all aspects of Australian culture and life, from sheep farms to natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef, and grand events including the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

These are just some of the memories of her trips through the main streets, and waterways, of our regions:

Lovely in lavender, Queen sailed through Canberra 

Queen Elizabeth II made her 14th visit to Canberra in October 2011 and rumours were already swirling that it would be her final trip to Australia.

There have been many famous images of the Queen in the national capital but Canberra Times photographer Graham Tidy's 2011 shot of Her Majesty travelling across Lake Burley Griffin on a navy barge, from Government House to Floriade in Commonwealth Park, with Prince Philip by her side, was a moment we hadn't seen before.

It was a stunning spring day and the royal couple's short journey across the lake added to the sense of pageantry as people lined the lake shores for what turned out to be the Queen's final visit to the national capital.

Read more here.

'Dainty figure with a captivating smile' in Newcastle

An estimated 300,000 people saw Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip for their visit to Newcastle in NSW's Hunter region in 1954.

The 1954 tour of Australia took place just over six months after the Queen's coronation and lasted two months.

The royal couple's Newcastle visit began when they stepped off the train at Newcastle Railway Station and took in No.1 Sportsground, the showground and the steelworks.

"Familiar with her lovely features from studying hundreds of photographs, Press pictures and films, they expressed an oft-repeated saying: 'She is more beautiful than her pictures show,'" the Newcastle Herald gushed in its page-one report on February 10.

Spectators cram to catch a glimpse in Wollongong

Kicking off on February 3, in Wollongong, in NSW's Illawarra region south of Sydney, was one of the early stops on the 1954 tour.

On February 11, the Queen and Prince Philip arrived in the city, travelling down Crown Street and into town along streets choked with people keen to catch a glimpse of the royals.

This photo of the Queen accompanied by Wollongong RSL sub-branch president F Marsh gives an idea of just how many people came out.

The pair are walking down Church Street past what is now City Diggers. The spectators have left the footpath for the Queen, crowding onto the roadside as she passes.

Read the full story here.

'Proud of her beauty and graciousness' in Wagga Wagga

A special Sunday souvenir edition of The Daily Advertiser published after Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Wagga Wagga on February 13, 1954, declared it "Wagga's Greatest Day".

The front-page editorial described how the Queen "rode in triumph through the streets of Wagga" on what was a blistering summer day.

"For 145 thrill-packed minutes, the centre of the Riverina became the heart of the mighty British Commonwealth," the editorial said.

Tens of thousands of people travelled from across the NSW Riverina and lined the streets to see Her Majesty, then aged 27, and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as they were paraded through the city.

"The lovely young Queen and her handsome Duke came, saw and conquered," The Daily Advertiser said.

Majesty moored on the Murray River

While the city of Albury rolled out the red carpet for the Queen's visit in 1988, not everything went her way.

Great emphasis had been put on the Queen's inspection of the PS Cumberoona, an $850,000 project for Australia's bicentenary.

But the monarch's planned cruise on the mighty Murray River on the NSW-Victorian border was not to be.

Former Border Mail journalist Howard Jones, who co-ordinated the paper's coverage of the royal visit, said a lack of water stymied a trip.

"The river wasn't high enough to sail the boat and the authorities said, in not as many words, that they couldn't put more water in just for the Queen," Jones recalled.

Bendigo delighted: 'She was everything we'd heard or read about'

When Queen Elizabeth II first visited Central Victoria in March 1954 she and Prince Philip made swift visits in one day to Benalla, Shepparton, Echuca, Bendigo, Rochester, Castlemaine and Maryborough.

The royal couple arrived in Bendigo by train and spent a short but eventful 80 minutes in the city.

They were taken by Land Rover observation car through the streets and were cheered by large crowds.

The Bendigo Advertiser described it as "the proudest, supremest moment this city has known".

"Like a spark to tinder, the first glimpse of the Queen set every heart aflame," the front-page coverage exalted. "And as she proceeded on her way through our homely streets, lined with multitudes from Bendigo and the North, a tumultuous greeting followed her, cascading along in advance, reverberating down the side streets."

Sharing a cuppa with 'everyone's nanna' in Ballarat

No photos and no media reports were allowed, which left The Courier with only a golden invitation and special memories of a private meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in 2000.

Former Courier editor Angela Carey fondly reflected on how momentous that cup of tea and prawn toast was more than two decades later.

The invitation had arrived via a "surreal" phone call and Ms Carey said nothing was going to stop her taking up the offer.

"She was as you would expect her to be - just like everyone's nanna," Ms Carey said.

"She was the expert at making small talk and we had the Olympics coming up in Sydney.

"All the talk at the time was how much the Queen was enjoying her visit to Australia.

"This was coming off the horrible 1990s decade for the Royal Family."

Royal blue salute in Victorian pages of history

THE front and back pages of The Standard celebrated the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to south west Victoria in 1970 by adding a splash of royal blue to the pages - a rarity in the days of black and white papers.

The royal couple made a trip to Portland - a visit that reportedly drew crowds of up to 30,000 people.

For more than 15 minutes children cheered and waved flags as the Queen and Prince Philip passed along the procession route.

The Standard , based 100km east of Portland, reported the fans couldn't contain their excitement and broke through safety barriers as the royal car made its way from the airport, which was packed with 10,000 school children.

"As the royal car entered the park there was a tremendous wave of cheering and flag waving," The Standard reported.

Later, as the couple were being farewelled, the Duke described the scene as deafening.

Bouquets and smiles for beloved monarch in Launceston

The Queen's visit to Launceston in northern Tasmania on April 27, 1988, filled the streets with excited locals eager to catch a glimpse of the only monarch they had ever known, and who many had never expected to see in person.

Crowds flocked to Civic Square on that autumn afternoon - the perfect time for the royal visit in North Tasmania before winter sets in properly - in the centre of Launceston's CBD.

Lining the square was a thick throng of people, some waving flags, others standing on top of any object nearby to get a better view.

For three of the town's youngest members, it would mark a memorable day captured by The Examiner.

Eight-year-old Danielle Coulson, flanked reassuringly by her friends, nine-year-olds Sherryl O'Malley and Megan Saunders, broke from the crowd to offer the Queen a small bunch of flowers.

Arise Burnie, new title for old town

When Queen Elizabeth II visited North-West Tasmania on April 26, 1988, she came bearing a gift.

In a ceremony noted by The Advocate to have been a brief, three-minute affair, the Queen proclaimed the new City of Burnie.

"It gives me great pleasure to mark this occasion, Mr Mayor, to hand to you this proclamation declaring city status on Burnie," the Queen said to the then mayor, Rex Collins.

Realising, as was reported, "Burnie's long-held aspirations for city status", it was no doubt a moment of great pride for those who believed Burnie was more than a mere town.

That the region's largest centre - Devonport - was named a city by the then Prince Charles many years before may have helped encourage those aspirations, though it is difficult to say.

While the Queen and Prince Philip were said to have conversed with dozens of guests before the official luncheon, there was disappointment noted over the visit being on a tighter schedule than when they previously stopped by in 1954, with no time for a "meet the people".

No cold shoulder for Orange fridge workers 

Queen Elizabeth II's 1970 visit to Orange, in NSW's Central West, wasn't without a hint of controversy.

Her Majesty visited the city's Email fridge factory, a manufacturing plant that would go on to become Australia's last refrigerator factory before closing its doors in 2016.

At the time, many thought the location was nothing more than a "dirty old factory" and the Queen would not be impressed with such an offering, certainly not in comparison to other parts of the city.

However, the Central Western Daily later revealed the Queen personally requested to visit a decentralised manufacturing facility in a regional location.

She toured inside and outside the facility, as captured by our photographers, and people from right across the region flocked to Orange to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty and Prince Philip passing by.

Royal stop draws Bathurst's biggest crowd

It was a momentous summer's day in Bathurst in NSW's Central West when Queen Elizabeth II visited the city on February 12, 1954.

The Western Times told how thousands of people gathered in the city's CBD to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh, with the crowd size later estimated to be between 80,000 to 90,000 people.

"It was the greatest crowd this city has ever known," the headline proclaimed.

So popular were the royal couple, that people began to arrive in Bathurst late Thursday night, and by midnight almost 4000 people were waiting.

"Scores of people, wrapped in blankets, slept on King's Parade in front of the dais where the civic reception was later held," the paper reported.

From dawn onwards many more thousands came into the city by both rail and road. The main highways were packed with slow-moving traffic and a series of special trains brought in another 10,000 people, mainly school children, to welcome the Queen.

A smile of delight in Dubbo

A natural smile of delight can be seen on the Queen's face, as she meets with School of Distance Education teacher John Carter in Dubbo in NSW's Central West in 1992.

It's a smile that thousands of Dubbo residents were privileged to see in person as Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh toured the city during a whirlwind visit.

A hot February's day saw residents lining the streets and major attractions in the town, as the Queen and Duke visited a number of places, including Taronga Western Plains Zoo, the Civic Centre and the School of Distance Education.

Children were a focus during the visit.

At the time regional director Mr Warren Pollard said the Department of Education was thrilled Dubbo's school children played such an integral role in the visit.

"Children have been involved as much as possible, to make it memorable for them," he told the Daily Liberal .

For God, Queen and country music in Tamworth

It was a day for the history books when more than 15,000 people gathered to greet the royal couple when they visited Tamworth, in NSW's northeast, on March 11, 1977.

The visit to Australia's country music capital was part of the silver jubilee tour down under.

Crowds cheered when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip touched down at the airport and again at Tamworth High when they visited the school.

They lined Peel Street to see the couple pass by on their way to officially open Ray Walsh House - the Peel-Cunningham County Council building, now home to Tamworth Regional Council.

In one cheeky moment a corgi was even lined up to meet Her Majesty. We wonder who the little girl is with her favourite pet and where she is now? Did she get to meet the Queen and compare corgi stories.

Kim Chappell

As Senior Producer - Digital for ACM's regional titles I assist newsrooms in digital best practice. Before this role, I was the digital journalist with ACM's national team and prior to that, the digital specialist with ACM's Agricultural division. I started as a general rounds journalist with The Land in 2006, moving up to hold the title of chief of staff before switching to digital reporting in 2015.

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CFA reflects on a Royal visit to Ballarat

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As the world takes a moment to honour Queen Elizabeth II, CFA reflects on Her Majesty’s ongoing support of Victoria’s emergency services.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Ballarat as part of their Royal visit to Australia in March 2000, where they spent the afternoon viewing an emergency services display at Ballarat Botanical Gardens.

Soon after it was confirmed that Ballarat would be included in the Royal visit, then Region 15 Operations Officer Neville Britton recalls answering the phone at Ballarat City Fire Station to a well-spoken British accent and almost telling the caller “where to go”.

“When the caller said he wanted to set up a meeting with The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and local emergency service members, I honestly thought it was the firefighters on duty playing a practical joke on me,” he said.

Neville soon discovered the legitimacy of the call and learned The Queen had explicitly requested to meet with Victorian emergency service members and personally thank them, in the wake of a particularly bad fire season.

Plans for an emergency service display worthy of Royal viewing were swiftly put in place, with all emergency service agencies consulted and every detail meticulously planned, down to ten second intervals.

The final plan for the Royal visit was a multi-agency simulated rescue exercise, to be held in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.

The demonstrations included rappelling of firefighters from a helicopter and fighting of a simulated bush fire in inaccessible terrain, a simulated mine rescue from a collapsed mine shaft and an air evacuation of an injured person from the mineshaft rescue.

A representative from each emergency service agency sat between The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during their agency’s respective phase of the demonstration, describing the processes and techniques used by their personnel.

Following the carefully executed display, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh met with members of local emergency service agencies, including those who took part in the earlier demonstrations.

Those present on the day have fond memories of meeting the royal couple.

Current Ballarat City Fire Brigade Captain Nicole McGrath recalls the Duke asking what she did for a living and when she informed him she “only worked at a pub”, he smirked cheekily and said it was “an extremely important job” .

Alwyn "Snowy" Parker, a long-time CFA volunteer, recalls with pride how Smythesdale Fire Brigade brought their tanker to the Botanical Gardens for the Royal visit.

“There was strict protocol around meeting with Her Majesty, we weren’t allowed to speak or put our hand out until Her Majesty did,” he said.

This wasn’t the first, nor last time Her Majesty expressed her support of CFA and Victorian emergency services.

Her Majesty sent a letter to James Gobbo, then Governor of Victoria, following the Linton tragedy two years prior, in which she offered her condolences to the families of the deceased firefighters as well as to their colleagues and fellow CFA volunteers.

Former Premier John Brumby reportedly stated that Her Majesty requested for his daily briefings regarding the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires to continue in the months following, to keep her informed of bushfire recovery efforts.

Queen Elizabeth sent another heartfelt letter to CFA following the 2009 bushfire season expressing her sympathy, after which the Royal Family made a considerable donation to the Victorian Bushfires Appeal Fund, reinforcing her genuine concern and continued support of Victorian emergency services.

Related news

Women of plenty rescue, international firefighters' day – saturday 4 may, victorian fire season draws to a close.

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[a poster to welcome the queen to ballarat is nailed to one of the buildings at sovereign hill, friday 24th march 2000] / matthew sleeth, sleeth, matthew, 1972-, national library of australia, related resources, more like this.

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Queen Elizabeth II visits Ballarat in 1954: from the archives

Ballarat's tumultuous, gay, and yet unique welcome to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, and the Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday carried with it untold warmth and recognition from a crowd of more than 150,000 for the visit of the first ruling monarch to this Garden City.

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It was spontaneous reception, which gathered momentum as crowds, up to 12 deep in parts, demonstrated their loyalty and enthusiasm

The welcome had two ear-splitting crescendos - when the Royal Party slowly moved past 20,000 school children on their special stand, and at the Botanic Gardens where 40,000 yelled their approval of Her Majesty's acceptance of an on-the-spot invitation to inspect the famed Begonia glass house.

The Gardens setting was highly commended by all associated with the tour, and overseas pressmen, travelling with the Royal party, said it was the most picturesque and natural they had seen since the tour started in Fiji.

The newspapermen added that it was a direct contrast to the many city and town halls and other buildings, where the Queen had been received.

The Mayor, Cr F.J. Cutts, who warmly welcomed the Royal couple at the railway station, took it upon himself to invite the Queen to inspect the glasshouse, while the official party was on the dais at the gardens.

The inspection was something that had often been hinted at during the months of planning, but had been frowned on by those responsible for the timing of the progress.

That was why such a wonderful "sample" exhibition of begonias was arranged in a special stand near the dais, and also why, after viewing the blooms there, Her Majesty delightfully said, "I'd love to," when Cr Cutts invited her inspection.

It needed no words by Her Majesty, although she did comment to the Mayor, to describe the breath-taking beauty she found within the conservatory for as she left the building she lingered, taking one last look at the begonias, bathed in the warm rays of the sun.

Early arrivals at the railway station were the Mayor and Mayoress, Mrs Cutts, and Town Clerk, Mr H.R. Maddern, and Mrs Maddern. They arrived before 9am, and while the mayor, in his robes of office, chatted informally with Royal tour and railway officials, the Town Clerk and other officials checked final details for the Queen's arrival.

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Red carpets were laid along the platform and out to the front of the station, where the Royal car, black and shining, was waiting.

THe Premier, Mr Cain, arrived by car and a few minutes before 10am the welcoming party assembled on the platform.

THis included the Premier, who made the introductions, the Mayor and the Mayoress, Town Clerk and Mrs Maddern, Mr R. Joshua MP and Mrs Joshua; the leader of the State Liberal and Country Party, Mr H.E. Bolte, and Mrs Bolte; Mr J.J. Jones MLC and Mrs Jones; Mr H.C. Ludbrook MLC; Mr R.T. White MLA, and commanding the Ballarat RAAF station, Wing Comm. A.A.B. Slight, and Mrs Slight' and the officer commanding the 8/7 Infantry Battalion, Lieut Col S.M. Mcdonald, and Mrs McDonald, and the stationmaster, Mr H.N. Sanderson.

PRESENTATION AT STATION

Accompanied by the Mayor, the Queen walked to the station foyer, where city councillors and their wives were assembled. As Her Majesty turned to face them, all the ladies curtsied.

The Mayor then introduced the councillors and ladies, and also the City Engineer, Mr G. Murrowood, and Mrs Murrowood.

The Royal party, accompanied by members of the Royal Household and the Chief Commissioner of Police, Mr A.M. Duncan, then moved to the Royal cars, while the Mayoral party and councillors left the station by the overhead bridge and sped to the Botanic Gardens by a special route, so as to be there when the Royal party arrived.

In the Royal Progress, led by a pilot car, and with the Royal car next, the Queen had a guard of mounted Victorian police troopers, while the Police Commissioner, who followed several cars behind, had an escort of police motorcyclists.

The Royal couple received their first burst of cheering in the city as the Royal car slowly moved from the station. Railway employees, who had swarmed on to the platform, when the train first arrived, had by this time taken up vantage positions in the upstairs section of the building, and looking down on the scene below, gave a loud, and almost continuous cheer.

The only point to point rush to greet the Queen and Duke occurred just after the Royal car entered Lydiard Street from the station area.

Many who lined the barriers near the Market Street intersection surged forward after the Queen had passed to the Lydiard-Sturt street intersection to gain a "second look".

It was at this intersection that the crowd was at its thickest , except for the school stands and Botanic Gardens.

Greeting for the Royal couple along the Royal Progress route were loud and long. Throughout those with "barrier positions" ahead of the Royal car leant over, craning their heads and necks, and then the cry would go up, "Here she comes!".

Another outburst of cheers and flag-waving would follow, and vibrate among the thousands farther along.

When the school children's great moment arrived and the Royal car reached the start of the stands, each school seemed to take in a huge breath and let it out with a gigantic cheer, one after the other, all the way along the route, until the air rang with a glorious welcome.

Their ecstatic greeting was endorsed by the thousands along the three-mile route.

Older people were no less sincere. Many awe-stricken at first by the momentous occasion found their voices and sent her away with a ringing, "God speed".

The girl Queen, so young and lovely despite her staggering responsibilities, went straight to the hearts of the people, her radiant smile and waving small, white-gloved hand forever imprinted on their memories.

A stirring moment came when the Queen upset the carefully timed plans, and walked to the begonia house at the Gardens and inspected the blooms.

The roar of appreciation which followed Her Majesty's unscheduled gesture hung in the air for minutes, and deepened as she slowly walked back to the Royal car.

Warning of the Royal approach to the Gardens was given through loud speakers recording the cheers of the throng as the Queen's car passed along the route.

IN no time, the escort of motorcycle police and mounted troopers came into view, and presently the Royal car - open to give the people the best possible view - slid to the kerb in front of the dais.

Stepping lightly from the car the smiling Queen was met by the Mayor. She looked about her with intent interest as she moved towards the dais followed by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Mayoress, Lady Pamela Mountbatten, lady-in-waiting, Commander Richard Colville, the Queen's Press Secretary, the Town Clerk and Mrs Madden.

Before advancing to the dais there was a solemn silence as all stood motionless when the City of Ballarat Band played the National Anthem and the Royal Standard was broken.

The Mayor gave a brief speech of welcome before handing the Queen an address from the council and citizens of Ballarat.

REPLY IN LIGHT, FIRM VOICE

The Queen read her address in reply in a light, firm voice.

The crowds applause followed. She was then escorted to a beautifully arranged begonia display erected on the north side of the platform.

The Queen bent slightly and gently smiled at seven-year-old Helen Beaumont, daughter of the gardens curator, Mr T Beaumont, who handed to Her Majesty a basket of glorious begonias.

Mr and Mrs Beaumont were then presented to the Queen.

As the Queen was admiring the blooms the Mayor asked her if she would like to see the main begonia display.

"I'd love to," the Queen said eagerly, and turned to walk to the glasshouse.

Chatting to Cr Cutts as she walked, the Queen admired the beautiful gardens setting and described the trees as "wonderful," the people accompanied their approach with cheers.

Walking through the conservatory, Her Majesty highly praised the beautiful blooms, selecting as her favourites the dark crimson flowers.

Her Majesty spoke also of the great display made by the school children on their stands.

She said the stands were the best she had seen, and she had noted also that the children were all comfortably accommodated.

Before entering her car to the farewell cheers of the throng the QUeen turned to smile radiantly and repeatedly waved her hand to the enthusiastic gathering.

And here came one of Her Majesty's characteristic acts of simple grace.

About to step in the car, she paused and bent to pick up a small, homely posy of flowers, tied with a red, white, and blue ribbon, from the floor.

For an instant she gazed at it, then gently and carefully placed it back on the floor out of range of her feet.

The Mayor and Mayoress and Town Clerk and Mrs Maddern joined the Royal Progress for the return to the station, and again the cheering crowd's reception was as spontaneous and noisy as the drive to the gardens.

Just after the Royal car turned north to Lydiard Street, members of the 8/7 Battalion which had formed a guard of honour along both sides, turned, and with arms at the slope, marched alongside the remainder of the cars.

After bidding farewell to the Mayoral party and the stationmaster, the Royal couple stepped aboard onto the observation platform at the rear of the train.

By this time the platform crowd had increased with city councillors, tour officials, and railways employees, and as the QUeen turned towards them, they broke into "Auld Lang Syne".

The Duke put his hands together, as if giving a small clap, and the Mayoress tried to get the group to sing "Will ye no Come Back Again".

When this failed, a deep baritone voice from the rear struck up, "A city built on gold... it gave its wealth untold", and the whole assemblage burst into the city's own song, "B-A-L-L-A-R-A-T".

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