The Queen in Australia

Since her very first visit to Australia in 1954 to her last in 2011, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has captivated crowds across our nation.

Elizabeth II was the first reigning monarch to set foot on our shores and the visit was beautifully captured in the documentary The Queen in Australia. The film was designed to show that, despite post-war changes to Australia’s political, social and demographic landscapes, the nation was proud to belong to the Commonwealth and its citizens held a deep affection for their monarch.

The film shows sequences of the young Queen opening Parliament in Canberra, attending the races at Royal Randwick and enjoying a surf lifesaving carnival at Bondi Beach. Queen Elizabeth also made time to speak to isolated families via the Royal Flying Doctor Service radio.

The Queen returned to Australia another 15 times since that tour and her ability to win over the Australian people is as strong as ever. At the NFSA we have a wealth of material documenting the monarch's official tours and this collection includes just some of the many highlights.