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Making history: New Queen's first visit to Mackay A public holiday was declared so thousands could welcome the newly crowned Queen to Mackay. Don't miss out on the headlines from Mackay. Followed categories will be added to My News. Follow IN 1954 Mackay's streets and buildings were festooned with archways, flags and lights set up to brighten the city for the special occasion of the visit to Mackay of the reigning monarchs, her royal majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip. The visit attracted approximately 30,000 people to the Mackay showgrounds on March 15, 1954, with many more lining the tour route. Prior to the Mackay visit, the royal couple sailed through the Great Barrier Reef, on board The Gothic, before transferring to the HMAS Anzac. Royal Cruises sent a message to The Gothic to welcome the royal couple while cruising nearby. The message was "Welcome on your visit to Mackay waters”. A reply to Roylen Cruises read "Thank you very much. Sorry it is so short”. The royal couple, on the Anzac, arrived at the Mackay Harbour breast wharf at 10.30 am to a welcome by the chairman of the Pioneer Shire Council, Herbert Woodyard, his fellow councillors and shire clerk along with the chairman of the Mackay Harbour Board, board members and their wives. The couple then went for a tour of Mackay Harbour, North Mackay and Cremorne, heading along Harbour Road and Barnes Creek Road before progressing across the Forgan Bridge into Sydney Street. The royal entourage proceeded along Victoria Street, to the Mackay showgrounds. Many royal admirers stood along the route to see the royal couple. Some 20 cars from Mackay and the surrounding district were used for the 1954 Mackay visit. Cars from the local taxi firm 'Robbies Taxis' were also used for the royal progress which included members of the royal household and Navy personnel. Two cars were flown into Mackay from Cairns for use by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. Eight police motorcycles were used as an escort for the special royal visitors. Entertainment was provided at the showgrounds by Mackay Girl Guides, Mackay Junior Choral Society and West Mackay Convent School students. Brownies, Girl Guides and Rangers from Bowen, Proserpine and Sarina also entertained. A reported 7000 students attended the Mackay showgrounds event. Space for those attending was provided in the show ring, around the ring and in the now recently demolished grandstand. A public address system, 26 speakers and 12 special radios tuned into then Mackay radio station Radio 4QA (now ABC Tropical North) were installed at the showgrounds to allow those to listen in to the proceedings. A special royal dais was also constructed at the showgrounds for the visit. Her Royal Highness was presented with a bouquet of Mackay-grown orchids by Daphne Newman, the granddaughter of Jack Binnington. The orchids had been carefully nurtured by the Queen's Park curator, Mr Bell. At 12.05 pm, the royal couple left the showgrounds and headed for the Mackay Airport, then to Casey Avenue, where the Mackay Pipe Band performed. There were 3000-plus people at the farewell to the royal couple, who were leaving for Rockhampton on a TAA Royal Convair. It was the first visit by the couple to Mackay since the crowning of her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953. Source: www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/making-hist...

A significant proportion of the Australian population saw the Royal couple during the tour. It was an extraordinarily popular event. The Queensland itinerary featured Brisbane on 9-10 and 16-18 March, and the regional cities Bundaberg and Toowoomba on 11 March, Townsville on 12 March, Cairns on 13 March, and Mackay and Rockhampton on 15 March. The Queen traveled 2600 km by plane, and the Townsville–Cairns–Mackay legs on the Royal yacht. Despite the distance, the Queen’s trip never took her inland from the Queensland coast further than Toowoomba, but many Queenslanders traveled inland to see their Queen. Elizabeth II commented that ‘what has impressed me the most was the long distances people traveled to see me. From Brisbane, the couple visited Bundaberg, Toowoomba, and, briefly, Oakey on 11 March. This journey included a 640 km flight and a 100 km car trip. People all over the state traveled to the major regional centers to catch sight of the Queen. In Toowoomba, schoolchildren rode milk trucks, and adults traveled in trucks and buses to see the Royal couple for only a fleeting moment. The federal government's Royal Visit commemorative book published just after the tour described one of the highlights of Toowoomba as the royal couple witnessing 'the grotesque, age-old ceremonial of the corroboree performed by full-blood Aborigines who have traveled from the Northern Territory for the occasion.' Source: www.qhatlas.com.au/content/queen-queensland-1954

The logistics of a Royal Visit are necessarily complicated and a great deal of time was spent on the program, security, and transport arrangements. Everything was planned down to the minute. Traffic arrangements for the 1954 Royal Visit to Queensland were the sole responsibility of and were arranged by, the Commissioner of Police. At 2.30 p.m. the Royal Progress will leave Eagle Farm Airport on a signal from the State Director at 6 m.i.h. for Exhibition Grounds (Route 1, Map 1) via Lamington Avenue, (2.36) Nudgee Road, (2.40) Kingsford Smith Drive, (2.57) Breakfast Creek Road, (3.03) Ann Street, (3.11) Brunswick Street, (3.16) Lower Gregory Terrace where Cars 1 and 2 will accelerate to provide an interval of 75 yards between Car 2 and the Royal Car. A Mounted Escort will take up a position in the lead of and to the rear of the Royal Car. Cars 4 to 15 inclusive will reduce speed to enable the rear of the Mounted Escort to take up a position. The Motor Cycle Escort will detach itself from the Progress and rejoin the Progress at the corner of Roma and Makerston Streets. The Queen and her entourage of 38, landed in Brisbane at 2.15 pm on March 9, 1954. The Royal Progress took the Royal couple from the Airport to the Exhibition Ground; the Shrine of Remembrance and then onto Government House. The Queensland Police Motorcycle units were top and tail of the procession until it reached Lower Gregory Terrace, at which the Police Mounted unit slotted into a lead and followed the royal car through the streets of downtown Brisbane. The Motorcycle Unit picked up the tour at Roma Street and lead it out to Government House. Source: mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/2021/09/14/from-the-vault-quee...