PRIME MINISTER1 Friday 11 March 19-83
VISIT BY THE PRINCE AN. D PRINCESS OF WALES
The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to visit areas ravaged by
bushfires in Victoria and South Australia to expressz their sympathy to
those most affected. I have accordingly agreed that the visit to the
A71ustralian Capital Territory should be shortened to take place on
Thursday 24 March and the morning of Friday 25 March to facilitate these
Schanged. arrangements. I welcome the proposed special visits as do the
Premiers of Victoria and South Australia.
The visit to a bushfire area in Victoria will take place on the afternoon
of Friday 25 March and to a South Australian area on the morning of
Saturday 26 March.. Details will be announced by the Premiers of those
States.
The Ro': al Visit will start with the arrival of Their Royal Highnesses
in Alice Springs on Sunday 20 March and end in Melbourne on Sunday
17 April on their departure for New Zealand.
The program will enable Their Royal Highnesses to see and be seen by
many thousands of Australians and it will also enable the Royal couple
to visit a broad cross-section of the country in outback and tropical
Australia, rural centres and industrial cities and State canitals and
the national capital. Emphasis has been placed on engagements in~ volving~
young people and school children and on informal walks among members
of -the public.
As foreshadowed, Prince William will stay at the home base at Woomrargama
station near Albumn throughout the visit. Their Royal Highnesses will
return there for rest in privacy between the official visits to the
State and Territorries.
The official program includes the Northern Territory ( 20-22 March),
the Australian Capital Territory ( 24-25 March), New South Wlales
( 28-29 March) Tasmania ( 30-31 March) South Australia ( 5-6 April),
Western Australia ( 6-8 April), Queensland ( 11-12 April) and Victoria
( 14-15 April).
Visit to Canberra
On the morning of Thursday 24 March the Canberra program will include:
* Ceremonial arrival at RAAF Base Fairbairn
* Civic welcome and informal walk at Civic Square
Visit to the new Parliament House site
2.
Their Royal Highnesses will attend a luncheon at The Lodge and in
the evening a dinner which will be held at Government House.
On the morning of Friday 25 March the program will include:
Visit tc the Woden Special School
Visit to the Erindale College and Community Centre
Garden Party given by the Prime Minister in the Senate
Gardens for young people representing Canberra community
organisations.
The Royal couple will then visit the Australian War Memorial and leave
RAAF Base Fairbairn early in the afternoon for Melbourne.