Queen Elizabeth II Royal Visit to Sydney, 1 of 8
DateFebruary 1954
Object numberANMS0502[039]
NamePhotograph
DimensionsOverall: 71 x 115 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Dennis McLoughry
DescriptionQueen Elizabeth II Royal visit to Sydney. February 1954. Photo depicts the ship GOTHIC docked with army/ airforce ship alongside.
One in a series of eight photographs showing Sydney decorated for the royal visit. All photographs untitled.HistoryIn 1953, the Shaw Savill Line ship GOTHIC was chosen by the Admiralty to be refitted for the 1954 Queen's visit to Australia as part of her coronation world tour. Despite now acting as a royal yacht, the Shaw Savill Line would provide and the crew and, apparently under direction of the Queen, the GOTHIC would continue to use her cargo capacity to the full and departed London with 6,300 tons of general cargo.
The GOTHIC embarked the Queen and Duke at Jamaica and voyaged to the West Indies, Suva, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Island, Colombo and Aden. In Aden, before departing the GOTHIC the Queen bestowed honours, including a knighthood, upon members of the crew.
SignificanceOn 3 February 1954, the royal barge pulled into Farm Cove, Sydney and when the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II stepped ashore, she became the first reigning British monarch to visit Australia.
