ABOVE: The Queen visited Casino in 1954. Photo: Casino & District Historical Society
When Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited Australia in February 1954 they planted two bunya pines in Casino.
After the Royal visit, Carrington Park in Casino was renamed Queen Elizabeth Park, and the Coraki section of the Casino-Woodburn Road was changed to Queen Elizabeth Drive to recognise the Royals’ journey to the Evans Head RAAF base for their flight out.
For residents who would like to honour the Queen on Thursday, September 22 public holiday, an event will be held at the two bunya pines standing tall in Queen Elizabeth Park.
Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said the original flagpole had been restored to its former glory and will be used during Thursday’s event.
“Around 15,000 people braved the rain to welcome the Queen and Prince Philip to Casino, many having camped in the streets overnight,” Mr Mustow said.
Queen Elizabeth II was the first and only reigning British monarch to visit Australia.
Since her first visit in 1954, the Queen visited Australia another 15 times.
Thursday’s service will start near the bunya pines on the riverbank at 10.45am.
There will the laying of floral tributes, a minute’s silence and a flag-raising ceremony.
There are condolence books at Richmond Valley Council’s customer service centres in Casino and Evans Head.
The books can be signed in Casino from 8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday, and in Evans Head from 8.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday and 9am-noon Saturday.
These books will be collected and sent by Federal MP Kevin Hogan to Buckingham Palace and archived by the Commonwealth.
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