General News
19 September, 2022
Glimpses of the Queen
THE passing of Queen Elizabeth has brought recollections of local school students waiting for their glimpse of the monarch when she visited regional Victoria in 1970. The Queen passed away overnight Thursday (Australian time) aged 96 and her 1970...
THE passing of Queen Elizabeth has brought recollections of local school students waiting for their glimpse of the monarch when she visited regional Victoria in 1970.
The Queen passed away overnight Thursday (Australian time) aged 96 and her 1970 visit was one of 16 to Australia in more than 70 years on the throne.
Brian Gladman and Glenn Catto were primary school students when the Queen visited Swan Hill’s new pioneer settlement in March that year.
Brian, of Serpentine, remembers the family driving to Swan Hill and his younger sister being told to stand behind the line at the town’s racecourse in the moments before the Queen’s cavalcade was to pass.
Glenn and the other 14 students at Rheola Primary School also made the trip to Swan Hill.
He recalled that teacher Geoff Ellis and parents drove students, some parents having been at Bendigo’s now-Queen Elizabeth Oval 16 years earlier for the Queen’s first Australian tour.
Glenn said students from across the Loddon, including other schools now closed like Mitiamo, were part of the crowd at Swan Hill, some travelling by train.
On Friday, Loddon Mayor Dan Straub was among local, state and federal representatives to offer condolences on the Queen’s passing. The statement said: “The Mayor, Councillors and staff of Loddon Shire Council, offer our condolences to all those mourning the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In June 2022 we celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years as Australia’s head of state. Her presence spanned across generations, continents, languages and major world events.
“Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered fondly for her affection of our country, her grace and kindness.
“May she rest in peace. Vale Queen Elizabeth.”
Boort school children gathered in June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a tree planting, repeating town celebrations on her coronation in 1953.
Among the crowd were Paul Haw and Kevin Sutton who had been at the 1953 tree planting as school students.
Ripon MP Louise Staley des-cribed the Queen’s passing as “the end of the great second Elizabethan age”.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Her Majesty’s death. Prior to her ascension to the throne she said ‘whether my life be long or short I will dedicate it to the service of the Commonwealth’. The Queen served Australia and the Commonwealth with dignity and commitment for over 70 years,” Ms Staley said.