Reigning from 6 February 1952, until her death on 8 September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II visited Canberra on 14 of her 16 trips to Australia, becoming the first reigning sovereign to visit when she toured in 1954. Thursday 22 September has been designated a one-off national public holiday in Australia to mourn Her Majesty’s passing.
1954: On her inaugural visit, the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited 57 towns and cities in just 58 days. On her first trip to Canberra, which would become her most visited Australian city, the Queen opened a session of parliament at what is now known as Old Parliament House. Here she is being escorted by then Prime Minister Robert Menzies to a state banquet.
1963: Her Majesty and Prince Philip returned in 1963, with the primary purpose of leading Canberra’s 50th jubilee celebrations. She is pictured once again with Sir Robert Menzies, on whom she bestowed a knighthood during her visit, and Sir John Cockroft (right), then Chancellor of the Australian National University.
1970: The Royal Family returned to the Capital where the Queen officially opened the National Carillon, a gift to the Australian people from the British Government. Aspen Island, where it stands, was renamed Queen Elizabeth II Island in June 2022 in honour of her platinum jubilee.
1974: Between 1961 and 1993, sessions of Parliament were postponed only four times, twice to allow for openings by the Queen during her visits to Canberra in 1974, and three years later in 1977.
1977: An extended royal tour of Australia was made as part of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Old Parliament House was central to the royal tour when the Queen was visiting, seen here delivering a speech at a government reception.
1980: Queen Elizabeth II opened the new High Court Building in Canberra, where she planted the first few royal trees in the forecourt.
1982: Two years later, the Queen would return to open the National Gallery of Australia. On a warm Sunday, she was photographed while on public walkabout in Canberra, surrounded by enamoured locals.
- Hey, kid, what did you offer the Queen in Canberra in 1982? (12 September)
1986: At a ceremony at Government House, Her Majesty signed the proclamation that brought into effect the Australia Act 1986, which ended Australian appeals to the Privy Council and the power of the UK Parliament to legislate for Australia.
1988: During Australia’s bicentenary celebrations, the Queen opened Australian Parliament House on Monday 9 May. Here she smiles after inspecting a statue of herself located at APH, alongside then Prime Minister Bob Hawke.
1992 – A longer tour was planned for her sole visit during the 1990s, including a two-day visit to Canberra during which she opened Bonython Primary School. Here she is pictured looking through a book on Banksia plants, presented to her by then Prime Minister Paul Keating.
2000 – The Queen would not return to Australia until the new millennium, after the failed 1999 Australian republic referendum and the death of Princess Diana. During her extended tour that year, Her Majesty visited the Australian War Memorial accompanied by war hero Major General Brian ‘Digger’ James.
2002: Her Majesty spent the night at Government House in Yarralumla before arriving at the 2002 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Queensland, alongside then Prime Minister John Howard.
2006: The Queen followed official meetings at Government House with the presentation of commemorative coins by the Royal Australian Mint, a tree planting ceremony, and an official dinner at Parliament House to commemorate her 80th birthday. Here she is shown shaking hands with emergency services personnel who helped battle the 2003 Canberra bushfires.
2011: On what would be her final visit, the Queen stepped off the plane to be greeted by Australia’s first female Governor-General Quentin Bryce, first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and then ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher. Her Majesty said, “Ever since I first came here in 1954, I have watched Australia grow and develop at an extraordinary rate. This country has made dramatic progress… above all in self-confidence.”
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