4j,, AUSTRALIA~
PRIME MINISTER Press Statemrent No. 540
11 Atrjust 1975
VISIT BY THE PRINCESS MARGARET
Details of the program for the visit in October by
Thie Princess Margaret, to-the Australian C, 4pital Territory,
Victoria and New South Wa-les have nnw been approved.
It will be recalled that on 29 May 1975 I released a
statement issued by Kensington Palace announcing that Princess
Margaret had accepted the Australian Government's invitation
to visit Australia to attend engagements in Sydney connected
with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the formation of the
Women's Royal Australian Army Corps.
Princess Margaret will visit Canberra from 22 October
to 24 October, Melbourne from 24 October to 28 October with
a one-day visit to the Latrobe Valley on 27 October, Sydney
from 28 October with the last official engagement on 31 October.
Princess Margaret has taken a close personal interest
in the preparation of the program.
It reflects some of her special interests and
responsibilities as a Princess of Australia, as Colonel-in-Chief
of the WRAAC, as an officer of a number of organisations, and as
a person in her own right.
As I have said previously, Princess Margaret, among her
many interests in Australia, is President of the Girl Guides
Association, of the Doctor Barnardo's Homes, and of the
Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship. Her Royal Highness
is also Grand President of the St John Ambulance Association and
Brigade. Princess Margaret will be able to pursue her interest
in the arts during her visit to Australia.
The program includes attendance at a concert, and at
a performance by the Australian Ballet, and visits to art
galleries and historic National Trust buildings housing
important artifacts and works of art.
The public will have opportunities to see Her Royal
Highness on a number of occasions at each of the cities to be visited. ./ 2
-2-
In Canberra, Princess Margaret will lay a wreath at
the Australian War Memorial and study Canberra's development
from Mount Ainslie lookout and at the National Capital
Development Commission's display at Regatta Point.
Her Royal Highness will visit the Woden Shopping Plaza
and Berwick House, Dr Barnardo's Home for Children, as well
as attending receptions, dinners and luncheons.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.
FOR PRESS:
BACKGROUND NOTE: ROYAL VISIT OCTOBER 1975
The Prime Minister has announced the Australian
itinerary for the visit to Australia by Her Royal Highness
The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, in October 1975.
He has also given an outline of the engagements in Canberra.
The program of engagements in Victoria and New
South Wales will be released simultaneously at 1700 hours
EST Monday 11 August by the Premiers of Victoria and New South
Wales. The full program of engagements is attached. It
is made available for the convenience of news media
tepresentatives in Canberra.
Office of Government Ceremonial and Hospitality,
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
CANBERRA A. C. T. 2600
August 1975
FOR PRESS RADIO AND TELEVISION
NEWS SERVICES
ROYAL VISIT OCTOBER 1975
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS MARGARET,
COUNTESS OF SNOWDON, G. C. V. O.
PROGRAM FOR AUSTRALIA
Ofi('' c( o' Government Ceremonial and Hospitality,
D]-l, ar-1tnent of the Pr: ime Minister and Cabinet,
CAN IL; IkRA A. C. T. 2600
AIugust, 1975
WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER 1975 CANBERRA
Arrivesat RAAF Base Fairbairn
Stays at Government House
At Government House
Afternoon Evening
THURSDAY 23 OCTOBER Visits Mt Ainslie Lookout
Lays wreath at Australian War Memorial
Visits Planning Exhibition at Regatta Point
At Government House receives informally
representatives of Press, Radio and Television
Dinner at Government House
1975 CANBERRA
Morning
Lunch Afternoon Evening No official engagements
As guest of Commonwealth High Commissioners
and wives
Visits Woden Shopping Plaza, Phillip and
Dr Barnardo's Home for Children at
Berwick House, Curtin
At Government House receives representatives
of voluntary organisations with which
associated
Dinner at The Lodge
Attends Reception at Parliament House
Morning Lunch
FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER 1975 CANBERRA AND MELBOURNE
Morning
Lunch
Afternoon Evening Leaves RAAF Base Fairbairn for Melbourne
Guard of Honour inspection
Artillery Salute 21 guns
Informal arrival at Melbourne Airport
Stays at Government House
At Government House
Visits St. John's Home for Boys and Girls
at Canterbury and the National Gallery
of Victoria
At Melbourne Town Hall meets Lord Mayor and
Councillors and wives
At Government House receives informally
representatives of Press, Radio and Television
Dinner at Government House
Attends State Reception in the Ballroom at
Government House
SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER1975 MELBOURNE
Visits the Royal Botanic Gardens and plants
a tree
Attends Girl Guides Rally at Hawthorn
At Government House
Afternoon Evening Attends Racemeeting at Moonee Valley Racecourse
Cox Plate and Moonee Valley Gold Cup)
At Government House receives senior officers
of the Order of St. John of' Jerusalem;
attends St. John Ambulance Parade and
presents Long Service Medal Awards
Attends performance by the Australian Ballet
at the Palais Theatre as a guest of the
Government of Victoria
Morning
Lunch
SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER 1975 MELBOURNE
Attends Divine Service at St Paul's Cathedral
Afternoon and
Evening No official engagements
MONDAY 27 OCTOBER 1975 VISIT TO LATRQBE.\ V. ALY
Leaves by train for Moe
At Moe receives Civic Welcome and visits
Coach Road Lookout and Yallourn " W"
Power Station
As guest of State Electricity Commission
AfternoonVisits Gippsland Folk Museum
Leaves by train for Warragul
At Warragul receives Civic Welcome and
plants a tree in Civic Park
Returns to Melbourne by train
EveningDinner at Government House
Attends reception as guest of the Victoria
League for Commonwealth Friendship at
the Old Customs House
Morning
Morning Lunch
TUESDAY 28 OCTOBER 1975 MELBOURNE AN]) SYDNEY
Morning Lunch
Afternoon Evening Leaves Melbourne Airport for Sydney
Informal arrival at Flight Facilities'
Terminal, Sydney Airport
Stays at Government House
At Government House
Visits Art Gallery of New South Wales
At Sydney Town Hall meets Lord Mayor,
Aldermen and their wives
At Royal Naval House meets members of the
Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship
At Government House receives informally
representatives of Press, Radio and Television
Dinner at Government House
WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 1975 SYDNEY
Pre-lunch
Lunch Afternoon Visits the Sydney Opera House travelling
from Government House via the historic
Rocks area
At Opera House
Visits Taronga Park
At Bondi sees demonstration of surf life
saving equipment and techniques
At Government House receives representatives
of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps
Attends Piano Recital by Rudolph Serkin in
the Concert Hall
Evening
TUESDAY 28 OCTOBER1975 MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY
THUSD3A0 OCTBER1975 : VISIT TO PARRAMATTA
Lunch Afternoon
Evening At Old Government House, Parramatta
Visits Experiment Farm Cottage, Parramatta
Visits the Roy McCaughey Barnardo Centre
at Auburn
Visits the Girl Guides State Training Centre
at North Turramurra
Attends Dinner on board m. v. JOHN CADMAN
as guest of the Government of New South
Wales
FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER 1975 SYDNEY
At Victoria Barracks attends a Parade as part
of the twenty fifth anniversary celebrations
of the foundation of the Women's Royal
Australian Army Corps
At Victoria Barracks
AfternoonReturns to Government House
No official engagements
Morning Lunch
THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER1975 VISTT TO PARRIMI~ TI
Thereafter
SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 1975 No official engagements
SUND) AY 2 NOVEMBER 1975 No official engagements
MONDAY 3 NOVEMBER 1975
MorningLeaves Sydney ( Kingsford-Smith) Airport
for overseas