Around 10.30am on Wednesday 3 February, Queen Elizabeth II landed ashore in the Royal Barge at Farm Cove, Sydney to be greeted by the Governor-General, Sir William Slim, Her Majesty’s Official Representative in Australia. Elizabeth was the first reigning Sovereign to pay a visit to this far-flung kingdom which had such strong ties to the United Kingdom, for Australia’s population was largely composed of people who were descended from British stock or were recent settlers from that country. Her Majesty’s subjects were certainly ready to give the demure 27-year-old Queen a rousing welcome. Over 100,000 lined the shores around Sydney Harbour to witness the royal arrival. They almost immediately fell under her charm, as Her Majesty addressed her Australian subjects, observing that ‘I am proud indeed to be at the head of a nation that has achieved so much.’ When the Royal party departed Farm Cove to make a tour of the streets of central Sydney by car, it is estimated that 1 million people out of a city population of 1.86 million lined the route of the “Royal Progress”, with crowds as many as twenty deep at times. A particularly moving moment took place in Martin Place, where the Queen stopped at the Cenotaph to lay a wreath to commemorate Australians who had answered the call from the “Old Country” (as Britain was still referred to) and given their lives, whether this be at Gallipoli or during two subsequent world wars. An editorial in an Australian paper summed-up the events succinctly: “This day is one of the most momentous in our history.”
The Queen was scheduled to spend ten days in the State of New South Wales (NSW). Most of the time she and the Duke of Edinburgh were based at Government House in Sydney. From there the royals ventured out to carry out an eclectic mix of engagements throughout the State, some by plane due to the huge distances involved. The first engagement, however, only involved a car ride up the hill when, on 4 February, the Queen opened the Third Session of the thirty-seventh Parliament of New South Wales. From the royal throne in the Legislative Council Chamber she addressed both Houses, stating “This is the first occasion on which the Sovereign has been able to open a session of an Australian parliament. It is most fitting that this should take place in the Mother Parliament of Australia which had its birth over one hundred and thirty years ago..” In the evening Her Majesty donned an evening gown of golden tulle embroidered with sprays of wattle (Australia’s national flower) to attend a State Banquet given by the State of New South Wales in the ballroom of a local department store. Next day, Her Majesty and the Duke were greeted by 100,000 military veterans at a gathering at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, the Queen stopping to observe the tasteful Pool of Remembrance. The royal duo subsequently were feted by 120,000 schoolchildren at three large gatherings arranged at different locations throughout the city, including the Sydney Oval, Centennial Park and the Showground. That evening was the Lord Mayor’s Ball but the Queen seemed to be tired and only remained for an hour. A crowd of 120,000 waited outside the Town Hall to see her and an estimated 2,000 had to be treated after collapsing in the pushing throngs. On the Saturday, the royal couple watched a display of life saving at Bondi Beach and travelled out to Randwick race course for an afternoon at the races, to the Queen’s obvious delight. The day ended with a gala concert at the Tivoli Theatre. However, there was no rest on the Sunday as the royal party attended morning service at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Fortunately, Monday 8 February was free of engagements.
On 9 February, the royal tour moved out of Sydney when the royals made a three-hour afternoon visit to Newcastle on the East coast of NSW. They travelled the 100 miles by train (the royal duo spending most of the journey on the rear observation platform). On arrival, they visited the City Hall for a formal welcome, met veterans and war widows at No 1. Sports Ground and were later greeted by 35,000 schoolchildren at the Showground. A choir of 500 provided a rousing rendition of the National Anthem; while others formed a tableau marking out the message: “Welcome to Our Gracious Queen”. The Queen and the Duke then toured the Broken Hill Steel Foundry at Stockton and talked to some of the workers, before flying north, some 360 miles, to Lismore to spend the night in a local hotel. In the morning, Her Majesty drove in the rain to an engagement at the town’s Oakes Oval.
Having visited the West Coast, the focus shifted to the Central West of NSW: At Dubbo, in the Orana region of the state, which was reached by air, the itinerary for the two-hour afternoon royal visit included attendance at the Dubbo Agricultural Show (which had been moved from its usual May date to coincide with the royal visit) when the royal party were treated to a display of woodchopping and a sheep shearing contest at the Showground. Yet, for small towns such as this, the burden of a royal visit was bittersweet as the costs involved were decidedly onerous. Indeed, £3650 was spent on this visit (not including decorations and civic expenses) but fortunately contributions towards defraying these costs were made by around twenty neighbouring municipalities. Over the next few days the Queen and her husband paid visits to Wollongong, Bathurst and Lithgow, returning from the latter via Katoomba to view the splendour of the Blue Mountains before descending to Sydney by train. Then it was time to take to the air to fly to Wagga, on 13 February, where the town was holding a Saturday gala day or “bushland carnival” during which the royal party viewed a boomerang throwing display.
The day ended with the Queen’s arrival in Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). She attended morning service on the Sunday at St John’s Church and later went privately (with the Duke at the wheel) for an afternoon drive through the Murrumbidgee Valley to visit a “show station”. However, Monday, 16 February was a busy day of engagements including an investiture at Yarralumla, the Queen’s residence in the capital, followed by the State Opening of the Federal Parliament which took place in the Senate Chamber of Parliament House, Her Majesty wearing her coronation dress and the star and ribbon of Order of the Garter for this momentous occasion, complimented by the sparkling Russian Kokoshnik tiara, a silver wedding gift to the late Queen Alexandra. Her Majesty and the Duke then took to a dais outside Parliament to review a march past by the 6,000 men of the Australian armed forces, some of whom were cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon. All of the Service Chiefs joined Her Majesty on the platform. That night Her Majesty attended a State Banquet at Parliament House with the finest of foods flown in from around Australia; lobsters from South Australia, oysters from northern New South Wales, Mildura Murray cod from Victoria, strawberries from Tasmania, and suckling pigs from the capital territory itself. The Queen also fitted in visits to Duntroon to present the Colour bearing her cipher to the Corps of Staff Cadets, presided over a Royal Garden Party for 3,000 at Yarralumla, laid a wreath at the Australian National War Memorial and unveiled a 220-foot high Australian National Memorial to the United States, many of whose military personnel had come to Australia’s aid in wartime. A 38-foot eagle surmounted the aluminium shaft of the monument.
The royal visitors departed Canberra on 18 February and travelled by air to Sydney where the Queen and Duke presided over yet another Royal Garden Party (this time for 8000 guests) at Government House. At 5.30pm the royal party departed Government House to embark the SS Gothic (the vessel used during the Queen’s Commonwealth tour) at West Circular Quay. This “Royal Yacht” was to transport them to Hobart in Tasmania which was reached on 20 February. Two ships of the Royal Australian Navy, H.M.A.S. Australia and H.M.A.S. Anzac provided a royal escort.
On the first day of the visit to Tasmania Her Majesty and the Duke were greeted by a small flotilla of local sailing craft and crowds at Battery Point as they sailed down the River Derwent to their ship’s berth at Prince’s Wharf. After settling-in at Government House, the royal couple undertook a series of engagements which included a Children’s Rally at the North Hobart Oval, a visit to the Repatriation General Hospital for Servicemen, followed by a commemorative tree-planting at Anglesea Barracks. Her Majesty then unveiled a Sesquicentenary Memorial at Victoria Dock watched over by a crowd of 10,000. This monument commemorates the founding of Hobart in February 1804 by Lieut.-Colonel David Collins of the Royal Marines. In the evening, the royal duo were the guests of honour at a State Reception at the City Hall. The following morning, the royal party attended the Sunday service at St David’s Cathedral, the rest of the day being left free to allow for some rest and recuperation. 22 February, however, brought forth a busy schedule: the Queen opened Parliament, held an investiture which lasted some thirty minutes, attended the third Royal Garden Party of the royal tour at Government House and presided over a State Ball at City Hall. For this occasion, Her Majesty wore a gown of lilac organdie offset by a sapphire and diamond necklace, a diamond bow brooch and Queen Alexandra’s tiara.
On 23 February, the royalties undertook a tour of much of the north of the island, flying by air to Wynyard in North Tasmania and driving through the towns of Burnie, Ulverstone and Devonport to Cressy, where the royal party spent the night on a sheep farm belonging to a Mrs O’ Connor. All along the route children were waiting to greet the royal cavalcade with bunches of flowers, flag-waving and the singing of patriotic songs. The following morning, the Queen and the Duke paid a visit to Launceston, the second largest town of the island, where they attended a civic reception and were feted by a crowd said to number 75,000.
On 24 February the royal party flew from Launceston to Melbourne to begin the tour of the State of Victoria. It was estimated that 750,000 people lined the 11-mile route from the Essendon Aerodrome to Victoria’s Parliament House, where Her Majesty met officials of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, before travelling on to the Town Hall to be greeted by the Lord Mayor. Then it was off to Government House, the largest and most magnificent royal residence in Australia, where the royal party would make their base for this portion of the tour. The following afternoon the Queen returned to Parliament House to open the Second Session of the thirty-ninth Parliament of Victoria in the Legislative Council Chamber. This event was followed by a gathering of 70,000 military veterans at Melbourne Cricket Ground during which those gathered serenaded Her Majesty with a rousing rendition of “Waltzing Matilda”. The day ended with a State Ball hosted by the Governor, Sir Dallas Brooks, in the enormous ballroom (10-feet longer than that at Buckingham Palace) at Government House.
On 26 February, the royal party flew briefly into South Australia for a visit to Mount Gambier where the Queen and Duke were introduced to a twelve-foot-long carpet snake. Then the royal plane landed at Kanawalla to allow the royal visitors to make a two-hour visit to Hamilton, where a crowd of 13,000 gathered to give Her Majesty a right royal welcome. The Queen and the Duke made a circuit of the Melville Oval in a specially adapted open Land Rover to greet local children. They returned to Melbourne that evening by air. The following day was mostly given up to a race meeting at Flemington Racecourse at which The Queen Elizabeth Stakes was run. The race was won by a horse, Cromis, soon to be dubbed “Australia’s best horse”, the sire of whom, Helois, had been bred and raced by the Queen’s late father, King George VI. After a brief visit to a Davis Cup tennis event at Kooyong, a State Banquet took place in the imposing Exhibition Centre, at which the Queen was presented with a rose bowl made of gold from Victoria by the State Premier. And so the tour progressed with the familiar attendance at a Sunday church service at St Paul’s Cathedral; this was immediately followed by a visit to the impressive Shrine of Remembrance to allow the Queen to dedicate new additions which had recently been made to the memorial.
Thereafter the Melbourne days passed amid a flurry of events including a theatre visit, a Women’s Lunch at St Kilda Town Hall, a State Ball and a Royal Garden Party (the fourth of the tour). On 3 March the royal party spent the day in the Gippsland area of Victoria, flying first into the town of Sale and then proceeding by rail back to Melbourne via Traralgon, Yallourn and Warragul. The day (which included a visit to a giant open-cast coal mine) was long and the royal train, which slowed down frequently where groups of onlookers had gathered, did not arrive back until well after 7pm at Flinders Station. The Queen, however, was up bright and early next day to hold an investiture at Government House and a make a return visit to the Cricket Ground to meet local schoolchildren. Also present were 54 members of the Welsh Corgi Club of Victoria who proudly introduced their dogs to Her Majesty, who was a well-known owner and devotee of this breed. After a visit to the Repatriation Hospital, the Queen and Duke embarked a Royal train for an extensive tour over two days (5-6 March) of country areas of Victoria. Towns visited included Benalla, Shepparton, Tatura, Echuca, Rochester, Bendingo, Maryborough, Ballarat and Geelong. However, a localised polio outbreak caused last-minute changes in the schedule, such that the royal party was unable to leave the train at Castlemaine, at the urging of health officials. Locals had to be satisfied by a view of the Queen passing through and waving from an observation platform. Yet, this did not deter a 101-year-old lady being presented to Her Majesty at another stop en route. Saturday evening and all-day Sunday were spent in the Lake O’Shannassy mountain resort near Warburton. The Queen and Duke’s only foray was to attend the Sunday service at the local Presbyterian Church of St Andrews. On Monday 8 March, the royal entourage entrained to travel back to Melbourne to attend a State Reception for 8,000 guests at the Exhibition Centre. Twenty-two choirs joined together to sing a variety of tunes, while a dance band soon had many taking to the floor (when they were not partaking of the magnificent buffet). It was the final engagement in the State of Victoria.
The following morning the royal party boarded a specially adapted (half the seats had been removed to make a sort of flying royal drawing room) Constellation aircraft operated by Qantas at Essendon Aerodrome to fly up in to Brisbane in Queensland. The royal entourage touched down at Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane to be greeted by the Premier of Queensland, Mr V.C. Gair at the start of nine-day tour of the State. En route to Government House, the Queen and the Duke attended a Civic Reception at the Exhibition Ground and laid a wreath at the circular Shrine of Remembrance in the city centre. Later, there was a State Reception in the former Legislative Council Chamber, the Upper House having been abolished in 1922. The temperature in Brisbane was much warmer, the humidity more intense, than in the South. After a night’s rest at Government House, the Queen and Duke were back on duty to attend a weekday service of morning prayer at St. John’s Cathedral. Then it was onwards to Parliament House where Her Majesty held an investiture. This event was followed by a Parliamentary luncheon. The afternoon schedule was interrupted when a four-year-old girl managed to climb up to the Royal Dias, during a children’s event at the Exhibition Ground, and threw her arms around the Queen who, although taken by surprise, smiled graciously. The child was quickly removed by a royal detective and returned to the care of her mortified mother. The Queen’s personal detective, Chief Inspector T. J. Clark and his colleagues were concerned enough by the incident to undertake a review of royal security to ensure that this did not happen again. Other events in Brisbane included a Civic Ball at City Hall on the evening of 10 March. Intriguingly, in the corner of the ballroom, eight koala bears clung precariously to what was described as a “simulated gum tree.” The royal couple seemed transfixed by this spectacle. The following day there was a royal awayday by air northwards to Bundaberg (where the Queen sensibly made use of a parasol to ward off the rays of the midday sun) and thence southwards by air to Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, where a group of indigenous people from the Northern Territory (which the Queen was unable to visit due to time constraints) performed intricate dances. The press noted that some people had travelled for hours by truck or bus or car from the outback to get a glimpse of Her Majesty that day. A group of bystanders informed a press reporter that they had waited eight hours under a camphor laurel with green ants biting their legs!
On 12 March, the royal party departed Government House and flew in the Qantas Constellation to Garbutt Airport, Townsville. Again, north Queenslanders had travelled for hundreds of miles to catch a personal glimpse of their Queen, many of whom lined Flinders Street. One of the largest events was a civic gathering of 7,000 at the Townsville Sports Reserve where 4500 children formed a tableau stating “Welcome To Townsville”; while others formed the Australian Coat of Arms. The Queen and the Duke toured the Reserve in an open Land Rover as temperatures soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They were also introduced to a holder of the Victoria Cross (Lt. Colonel Murray) and watched a dancing display by Palm Islanders. The royal duo took a chance to view the town’s Olympic size swimming pool as they journeyed along the Strand which runs adjacent to the seafront. Standing off-shore was the SS Gothic, which was waiting to transport the royal party by sea to Cairns, some 200 miles to the north.
When the Royal party steamed into Cairns, the northern-most point of the Royal tour, on 13 March, they transferred to H.M.A.S Anzac which brought the them into the wharf. In addition to locals, they were greeted with a Guard of Honour, according to the press formed by “Torres Straits [Islands] Chiefs.” Also nearby were “members of former head-hunting tribes from New Guinea.” Unfortunately, there was a mishap when two of the stands, holding some five hundred persons, collapsed during the Civic Reception at Parramatta Park. Her Majesty was “distressed” to witness this scene, but apart from some minor cuts and abrasions, and a possible fractured ankle requiring a hospital visit, no major injuries occurred. The Queen was subsequently given a model sailing ketch to take home as a gift to Prince Charles as she toured an exhibition of “native crafts” which were reported to be worth between £15,000 and £20,000. The Queen and the Duke later visited the cruiser, H.M.A.S. Australia which, along with the Anzac, was to escort the SS Gothic southwards to the town of Mackay, where the Mayor had controversially chosen his own granddaughter (who did not live in the town) to present the royal bouquet. Thereafter, the royal party flew some two hundred miles south to Rockhampton to be treated to what local media described as “an imposing afternoon tea,” with several cakes baked in the shape of royal crowns, studded with sweets (to simulate jewels) and sandwiches cut in the shape of maps of Queensland and Australia. In the evening, the Queen and the Duke flew down to Brisbane-a distance of four hundred miles-in the sure knowledge that the following day had been left free of engagements. This break was necessary as the heat, humidity combined with the busy schedule had taken their toll on the resilient monarch, who was subsequently pictured wiping her forehead during a march past of 17,000 ex-servicemen at the Exhibition Ground, on the last full day of engagements in the State capital. Yet, by that evening, Her Majesty dazzled at a Governor’s Reception in the grounds of Government House.
On 18 March the royal party departed Brisbane by air for Adelaide and the beginning of the tour of South Australia. En route, they made a scheduled stop for a “150 minute visit” to the inland, geographically-isolated, mining city of Broken Hill, NSW where the Queen and her entourage were piped off the plane as they landed at 2pm. It was estimated that the crowd of 40,000 included many outbackers from the surrounding area. Her Majesty and the Duke made use of a more humble Humber Super Snipe for the Royal Progress to the civic reception at North Park. During a subsequent visit to the Flying Doctor base, the Queen inspected an ambulance plane and made a brief speech which was carried by Flying Doctor Network radio throughout the outback.
The royal entourage later flew in to Adelaide’s Parafield Airport which was reached in the evening, thirty minutes behind schedule. They were greeted by the Governor, Sir Robert George and his wife, Lady George. All along the ten-mile route to Government House, crowds strained for a glimpse of the royal visitors. The following day, there was an official Royal Progress by limousine through the city. The streets were filled with around 300,000 cheering, flag-waving onlookers, whilst others leaned out of balconies or windows which were decorated with streamers and banners in patriotic colours of red, white and blue. At the Town Hall the Lord Mayor, Mr Rymill, presided over the ceremony of welcome for the royals. The Queen made a brief speech, but seemed somewhat distracted by a piece of grit in her eye. This was later moved with the deft use of a handkerchief. The royal party then progressed to the State War Memorial to lay a wreath. Meanwhile diligent Girl Guides could be found lining the route at Victoria Square to give some semblance of order. In the afternoon, the Queen and her husband drove out from Government House to the Morphetville Racecourse to view the running of the Queen Elizabeth Cup. This event was organised by the South Australian Jockey Club. However, the 3,000 racegoers seemed to prefer looking directly at Her Majesty, rather than in the direction of the action on the turf. Thereafter, the royal duo travelled to the Adelaide Oval to watch a specially organised Country v City cricket match. Otherwise, it has to be said that many of the arrangements almost replicated what had occurred in the other State capitals and included, on 23 March, the Queen opening South Australia’s State Parliament, followed by her and the Duke’s attendance at a gathering of schoolchildren at Wayville Oval. In the evening, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were present at a State Banquet at Parliament House. Nonetheless, the organisers of this leg also ensured that the Queen and the Duke undertook several day trips from Adelaide to various South Australian towns including, on 20 March, Whyalla (where indigenous dancers performed a corroboree) and Port Lincoln. This was followed by a trip westwards to Renmark and Wildura on 25 March. The latter town was actually situated over the state line in Victoria, but like Renmark, it was situated on the Murray River, and the Queen had made an express wish to view the Murray Valley Irrigation Project. She also found time to visit a local vineyard. Somehow, an investiture, a Woman’s Lunch, a Lord Mayor’s Garden Party (held at Elder Park) and an evening visit to a Royal Music Festival at Wayville Oval were slotted into the schedule on 24 March. At the Music Festival, the Queen sported a magnificent green-fire Andamooka opal pendant set in diamonds-the opal weighing a massive 203 carats. This pendant necklace-along with a matching pair of drop earrings-was a gift from the government of South Australia.
On 22 March, the Duke of Edinburgh made a three-hundred-mile journey by air, to enjoy a five-hour visit to the Woomera “secret” rocket range. For lunch he was served kangaroo tail soup! The Queen, by contrast, enjoyed a quiet day at Government House, doubtless attending to correspondence. However, she had an unexpected visit from the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, who flew in from Tasmania (where he had been vacationing), seeking a royal audience to discuss the serious polio outbreak in Western Australia (some of the press had stated that this final leg of the royal tour might be cancelled). After discussions with Her Majesty and royal officials, Mr Menzies issued a statement which clarified that the tour to Western Australia would continue, with adaptations (the Queen and the royal party would live aboard the Gothic, indoor functions would mostly be cancelled or held outdoors, and the shaking of hands would not be permitted).
On 26 March, the final leg of the Royal Tour of Australia began when the Queen and the Duke flew via Kalgoorlie and Boulder to Perth, the State Capital of Western Australia. It was 6.25pm when the royal party arrived at Perth Airport. Following a brief welcome from the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner and a crowd of 2,000 onlookers, the royal party drove around seventeen miles to Fremantle to board the SS Gothic, their base during this leg of the visit. The wellbeing of the royal party, due to the current polio outbreak in Western Australia, was paramount. As a precaution, the local press noted that “no local stores” had been taken aboard the Gothic. Rather food and water had been brought in from “eastern states”. When the royal party were resting between engagements at Government House in Perth, food was to be prepared and transported there by road from the Gothic in a refrigerated ice-cream van with a police escort. Then the “royal staff”, as opposed to local staff, were to handle and serve it to the royal couple. Cutlery and linen were also brought from the Gothic for use at Government House. Another precaution to be taken was that any officials greeting Her Majesty and His Royal Highness were required to remain at a distance of six feet.
With such safeguards in place, the Queen and Duke carried on with their official programme starting at 10am on 27 March, a Saturday, with a car journey up the crowd-lined Canning Highway from Fremantle to Perth’s Government House where a meeting of the Executive Council was held. Subsequently, the Queen and the Duke toured the streets of Perth city centre, stopping en route at the War Memorial in King’s Park to lay a wreath. After a public welcome ceremony at the Esplanade-involving sixteen bands and 6,000 war veterans-the royal party returned to Government House to meet tour officials. Later, the Queen held an investiture and attended an outdoor Parliamentary Reception at Parliament House, before returning to the Gothic for the night. Sunday was free of engagements so a welcome rest was possible, the only “interruption” being a Sunday church service conducted aboard the Gothic by the Archbishop of Perth, Dr Moline. However, on Monday, the pace quickened with a visit to the University of Western Australia, a march past by 10,000 youth belonging to clubs affiliated with the National Fitness Council, a Royal Garden Party at Government House (with carefully “roped laneways” to keep crowds at length), followed by an evening at a trotting meeting at Gloucester Park. There were also the usual awaydays (to Busselton and Albany in the south by air on 30 March, as well as by road eastwards to Northam and York the following day).
At the close of the tour, 1 April, the Queen and the Duke held a gathering to bid farewell to tour officials at Government House. In the afternoon, they also attended a Civic Reception at Fremantle Oval. 100,000 people had earlier lined the verges of the Stirling Highway all the way from Perth down to Fremantle. Meanwhile, Federal officials, including the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Evatt had arrived in Fremantle to bid their Sovereign a fond farewell. They were joined by the Governor-General, who was the last person to accompany Her Majesty and the Duke to the bottom of the gangplank of the “Royal Yacht”. His Excellency then gave the royal couple a stiff military salute, surely fitting for a retired Field Marshal. The press noted that the Queen was wearing a magnificent diamond wattle brooch in her lapel (valued, according to press sources, at £25,000) which was the the State Gift from the Government and People of Australia. The Queen’s farewell message, broadcast as she departed Fremantle, in the evening, to the cheers of 40,000 onlookers (many of whom sang the words of “Auld Lang Syne”) included these touching words, “With the sounds of departure still ringing in our ears I want to say to you, my Australian people, how sad we are to be leaving the shores of your wonderful land”. As the Gothic departed the port, vessels at neighbouring wharfs sounded their sirens in a farewell salute. Guns boomed in a Royal Salute as the royal vessel moved through the harbour entrance to the open sea. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stoically remained on deck till the shores of Australia disappeared into the horizon.
It was estimated that around 75% of the population of Australia had at least caught a glimpse of their monarch during the tour, a feat which would be unparalleled in the future. The Queen had travelled 10,000 miles by air in Australia, as well as 2,000 miles by road, much of it in Daimler limousines including a DE 36 Landaulette. The balance of the tour was undertaken by train or by sea in the SS Gothic.
The Queen would return as many as 15 times to Australia, but nothing could ever recapture the wonderful events of that first royal tour of 1954.
RoyaltyRobert Blogger and Writer 