ABOVE: The Queen on her visit to Casino in 1954. Photo: Casino & District Historical Society
Susanna Freymark
Australia woke to the news that Queen Elizabeth had died in the early hours of the morning.
Memories and tributes to the Queen filled posts on social media.
Woodburn resident Joyce Cole said she remembered sleeping with her mother on the street in Sydney in 1954 to catch a glimpse of the reigning monarch’s visit.
“It was packed with so many people and was a wonderful moment,” Joyce said.
The Casino History Museum has a display to commemorate the Queen’s visit to Casino in 1954.
The mustard coloured chair she sat on during her visit is there.
Queen Elizabeth died aged 96. Her reign spanned 15 Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss.
On February 10, 1954, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited Lismore before flying out to the Evans Head aerodrome in the afternoon.
Their aircraft landed at Evans Head. They travelled by car through Woodburn and Coraki to Casino.
School students gathered at Carrington Park in Casino to see the Queen.
At McKees Hill a monument to the Queen was erected over the road.
Federal MP Kevin Hogan has a condolence book at his office for those who would like to sign it. He is at Suite 2, 6 Carson Street Goonellabah.
Condolences can also be given online.
“Your condolence will be sent to Buckingham Palace and archived by the Commonwealth of Australia,” Mr Hogan said.
“It may in future be displayed at its national institutions, such as the National Library of Australia.”
Richmond Valley Council shared the official portrait of the Queen by Australian artist William Dargie in 1954.
It became a defining image and hung in community halls, schools and RSLs across Australia.
Evans Head Living Museum shared some of the Queen’s history.
“Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 following the death of her father King George.
“She visited Australia for the first time on in February 1954 aboard the Gothic and came to Evans Head on February 10 because the plane in which she was flying from Williamtown was unable to land at Casino because of poor weather.
“The weather was a precursor to the 1954 floods.
“It was an unscheduled stop as Evans Head was not included in the itinerary but had an all-weather airport constructed during WWII which pilots knew you could get to when weather conditions were bad.
“The visit by the Queen and Prince Phillip to Evans Head was not widely reported in the press at the time although there is colour film footage of people waiting at the Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome.
“The Queen stayed overnight at the Gollan Hotel in Lismore. The length of time given to official duties while in Lismore was 1 hour 15 minutes costing Lismore ratepayers about $100,000.
“The Queen made 16 visits to Australia during her long reign as Australia’s Head of State but there was no further visit to Evans Head.”
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