Norfolk Island 1974 Royal Visit

Norfolk Island lies around 1,600 kilometres north-east of Sydney, in the South Pacific Ocean. Located on a submarine ridge, its nearest neighbours are New Caledonia, 875 kilometres to the north, and New Zealand, 770 kilometres south.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made three visits to Australia in the 1970s, one of which was in early 1974 and during which she visited Norfolk Island. She had flown to New Zealand to close the Commonwealth Games on 2 February (opened by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh), and following a brief tour of that country, the royal yacht HMY Britannia sailed to Australia, visiting Norfolk Island en route. The Queen was accompanied by their royal highnesses Prince Philip and Princess Anne, as well as Princess Anne’s husband, Mark Phillips.

This was the Queen’s first visit to Norfolk Island (the Duke’s third) and it was the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook arriving at the island on HMS Resolution, naming it Norfolk Island, after Mary Howard, Duchess of Norfolk. The visit took place on 11 February 1974. The royal entourage arrived in the wake of Cyclone Pam, the after-effects of which made the launch trip from the yacht, anchored in Sydney Bay, to the Kingston jetty less than ideal. Representing the Australian Government, the minister for the Australian Capital Territory, Gordon Bryant, and his wife, among local dignitaries received the royal party on its arrival.

The visit to Norfolk was short at just 12 hours, and it was embraced by cheering islanders, who turned out in great numbers (approx. 2,000) to greet the visiting royals, who arrived around 10.30am. During the visit, the Queen met locals, including descendants of the Pitcairn settlers, in Government House gardens; unveiled a plaque on the unprepossessing site of Queen Elizabeth Lookout (named in her honour at the same time); visited several historical sites, including the Melanesian Mission chapel and the golf clubhouse; lunched al fresco under towering Norfolk Pines; and dined at Government House before an open-air concert. By 10.40pm, the entourage boarded the boat that ferried them back to the royal yacht, anchored conspicuously in Sydney Bay and escorted by the Royal Australian Navy ship, Torrens.