First published in The Age on April 2, 1954
QUEEN BEGINS LONG JOURNEY HOME
Moving Farewells as Gothic Sails Into Setting Sun
The Queen’s visit to Australia ended a few seconds after 5.20 p.m. today, when the Royal yacht Gothic steamed slowly out of Fremantle Harbor to the accompaniment of cheers from 40,000 people and the sound of the sirens of every ship in port.
The Queen and Prince Philip on the royal train at Central Station, Sydney.Credit:State Records NSW
It was a brilliant and stirring finale to one of the greatest events in Australia’s history.
Four minutes earlier the Queen had left Australian soil, and walked up Gothic’s gangway looking as happy, refreshed and composed as on the bright morning of February 3 when this stately ship had brought her to Sydney.
Behind Her Majesty were 57 days packed with more than 250 formal engagements in a tour of Australia that had been a brilliant success.
As Gothic was slowly making its way out of the Swan River into the Indian Ocean the Queen left the top deck to make her farewell broadcast to Australia and its people.
“With the sounds of departure still ringing in our ears I want to say to you, my Australian people, how sad we are to be leaving the shores of your wonderful land,” she said.
As Gothic slowly edged its way from the wharf to the channel of the Swan River, 40,000 cheering West Australians sang Auld Lang Syne and waved farewell.
It was a moving scene and hundreds of women brushed tears from their eyes.
Crowds gather beside the Yarra River in Melbourne to catch a glimpse of the Queen.Credit:Argus Collection
The ship’s company, in their spotless white uniforms, stood stiffly to attention as the Queen and the Duke took in the farewell scene – a scene all would remember.
The Queen arrived 10 minutes late – she had been delayed on the 27-mile Royal Progress through Perth suburbs, where thousands lined the streets.
When the Queen arrived at the wharf she was met by the Governor-General (Sir William Slim) and Lady Slim.
Flinders Naval Depot band, which had been flown over from Melbourne especially for the send-off, struck up the National Anthem.
The Queen and the Duke then inspected the naval guard of honor and the color party proudly displaying the Queen’s Colour.
Nation’s Leaders Gathered
The inspection over, the Queen made her last farewells as the Governor-General and Lady Slim walked slowly with her and the Duke along the red carpet to the ship.
Queen Elizabeth II chats with Sir Chester Manifold, V.R.C. chairman, at Flemington Racecourse.Credit:Argus Collection
In the small groups of those who said goodbye were the Governor of West Australia, the Prime Minister, the Federal Treasurer, the Leader of the Opposition, the West Australian Lieutenant-Governor, the Minister in Charge of the Royal Visit, the Director of the Royal Visit and the Premier of Western Australia.
Neither the Queen nor the Duke shook hand with those to whom they spoke, but members of the Royal Household “forgot their instructions” and shook hands with each of those gathered to say farewell.
A final chat with Sir William Slim and Lady Slim and then the Queen and the Duke walked slowly up the gangway of Gothic as a 250-voice girls’ choir sang I Love the Sunshine of Your Smile.
And the Queen turned and smiled as if to show them how true were the words of their song.
Then she and the Duke made their way to the top deck, where their reappearance caused wild cheering to break out again.
The girls’ choir sang Waltzing Matilda, and There’ll Always be an England.
The gangway was removed, the mooring lines were cast off and Gothic was in the stream, her tugs slowly moving her into the channel.
On the top deck the Queen and the Duke walked first to port and then to starboard, cheering thousands greeting them on one side and gaily dressed yachts on the other.
Will Ye No Come Back Again
As the tall, white ship slowly drew away from the wharf the band played and the girls’ choir sang Will Ye No Come Back Again.
As the tugs cast off every ship and boat in the harbor starting hooting and the Royal Australian Air Force escort of Neptunes and Mustangs roared overhead in box formation, turning to take course between the two moles, both crowded with cheering people.
Gothic moved at five knots straight into the sun, with a flotilla of ferries and every kind of small harbor craft surrounding her.
As she cleared the north mole and set course for Ceylon, Gothic passed between two lines of smaller ocean-going craft.
To her port were 53 vessels of the Fremantle fishing fleet, fully dressed.
To her starboard was a line of powered pleasure cruisers and yachts, all fresh with paint and manned by crews in spotless white.
As the Royal yacht set her north-westerly course and lifted to the ocean swell, a salute of 21 guns was fired from the north mole.
With the warships Ceylon, Vengeance, Anzac, Bataan and Fremantle all in line ahead, the fishing boats and pleasure craft took up their position in line astern.
As the cordite smoke from the Royal salute drifted away, Gothic stood out against the setting sun, a white ship in a blue sea, her wake spreading, the Royal Standard and the Flag of the Lord High Admiral still streaming from her mastheads.
The small craft fell away, daunted by a heavy swell, and the Royal Marine Band on the foredeck struck up Auld Lang Syne.
It was not until three minutes to six that the Queen sat in her statement room to broadcast her final message to the people of Australia.
The crowds still waiting on Fremantle wharf in the mellow sunset light shared with rest of Australia her final words:
“And now I say goodbye – God be with you – until next time I can visit Australia.”
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