I am pleased to announce that The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will
visit a number of rural and regional centres as well as Sydney, Canberra,
Melbourne, Hobart and Perth during their forthcoming visit to Australia.
The Royal couple will arrive in Australia on Friday 17 March 2000. Their
visit will commence with a ceremonial welcome at the Opera House, Sydney
on Monday 20 March and conclude in Perth on Saturday 1 April 2000.
Their programme has been arranged so that The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh
can meet people in remote areas of Australia as well as in the cities,
and to enable them to see the many and varied contributions that people
from all walks of life make to the nation.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Bourke, Ballarat, Launceston,
Busselton, Alice Springs and Wagga Wagga (The Duke of Edinburgh only).
The programme will include a tour of the Sydney Olympic site, a demonstration
by volunteer bush firefighters, visits to an aboriginal community radio
station and the Immigration Museum, a meeting with INTERFET Commander
Major General Peter Cosgrove, a talk with students on the School of the
Air and the chance to see first hand the work of Australian medical researchers.
Further details of their programme will be released separately by the
governments of the States and Territories to be visited as they have overall
responsibility for the activities occurring within their States.
23 February, 2000