Brisbane Tourism News: Queen Elizabeth's Four-Hour Visit to Brisbane Leaves Lasting Impression

SHE spent just over four hours in the state that bears her name but the Queen's visit left a lasting impression on a recovering Brisbane.

More than 45,000 people crowded into South Bank to welcome Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh to Queensland for maybe the last time.

Despite soaring temperatures, the crowd swelled - as many as 30-people deep in some sections - waiting for a glimpse of the Queen.

After a trip down the Brisbane River, she later comforted flood and cyclone victims and thanked volunteers who helped the state through its summer of disasters.

Ben Conway, 8, was one of the lucky ones to meet the monarch. The last time he wore his Queen's Guard's outfit, it was among his school mates at a Rochedale State School cultural day.

Yesterday, the little boy from Daisy Hill got to don the ceremonial uniform of the palace foot guards again.

But this time he got to meet the Queen.

Ben was among a handful of excited children plucked from a crowd of more than 45,000 at South Bank to meet Her Majesty.

The 85-year-old monarch and the eight-year-old Queensland boy may not have exchanged many words, but they shared smiles and a photograph instead.

Asked about whether he was nervous, Ben declared "not at all", insisting "I had fun".

It was Ben's mother, Barbara, who was more overawed by the occasion.

The family emigrated from England a decade ago to settle in southeast Queensland.

Mrs Conway, 44, said she made the outfit for Ben to wear to a cultural day where students wore costumes from another country.

Brisbane Tourism News: Queen Elizabeth's Four-Hour Visit to Brisbane Leaves Lasting Impression

Queen Arrives for 16th Australia Visit

Canberra student James Rhodes received a nod from the Queen - but the 11-year-old may have cost himself the chance of a personal word with Her Majesty.

James was one of more than 200 children who lined Canberra's RAAF Fairbairn airfield on Wednesday to greet Queen Elizabeth II as she touched down in a British Airways 777 for her 16th visit to Australia, along with the Duke of Edinburgh.

Two students from every local school were asked to be part of the official welcoming party.

As they waited, James - unwilling to hold on to the bunch of flowers he'd brought for the Queen any longer - passed them to his Charles Conder Primary schoolmate, Emily Prior.

Emily was summarily handpicked to meet Her Majesty for a quick chat.

"He was the one that brought the flowers, but he didn't want to hold them," the excited 11-year-old told AAP.

"He's such a gentleman."

She told the story to the Queen, who thanked them and said that she was pleased to be in Australia.

James was hard-pressed to say if he was entirely happy he'd palmed the flowers off, but was still pleased he'd come within arm's reach of Australia's monarch.

Asked what Her Majesty meant to him, he said: "She's a nice old lady that's the same age as my grandmother, so be really nice to her!"

The Queen and Prince Philip have arrived in Australia for a 10-day visit, which will take in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth and day trips to Brisbane and Melbourne.

The tour kicked off smoothly on Wednesday afternoon, with the pair greeted not only by schoolchildren and the obligatory pack of photographers, but also several hundred bystanders who lined the fence of the airbase, about 400m away.

There was a small scheduling hitch when the plane landed 20 minutes ahead of its 6pm arrival time, with the big Boeing forced to wait on the tarmac for at least 15 minutes until the arrival of Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

When the Queen emerged, she looked fetching in a blue/green coat and matching hat (plus black accessories - tote, heels and gloves), despite what is usually a 20 hour-plus flight from England.

She and Prince Phillip then descended the stairs to greet the VIPs - receiving a curtsy from Ms Bryce, but just a handshake and slight bow from Prime Minister Julia Gillard and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher.

They listened to the standard 21-gun salute and both the British and Australian national anthems before the Queen met the official welcoming party.

She received more flowers - this time from Margaret Cunningham, who presented a similar bunch to the Queen when she first visited Australia in 1954.

The Queen then met the waiting children and their parents.

An "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" and three cheers for the Queen later, it was into a shiny black Range Rover and off to Government House, which will be the official royal residence in Canberra.

The royal duo have a big itinerary planned, which starts in earnest on Thursday with a visit to the capital's famed flower show, Floriade.

Crowds are expected to gather on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin from 10.30am (AEDT) to catch a glimpse of the couple as they make their way by barge.

More official meetings are planned for Friday, while church and a special banquet for invited guests at Government House are expected to feature on Sunday.

They will travel to Brisbane on Monday, back to Canberra on Tuesday and onto Melbourne on Wednesday before attending the opening ceremy of CHOGM in Perth on Friday week.

The royal couple will leave Australia on Saturday, October 28

By Crystal Ja

(Source: news.ninemsn.com.au)