To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years of service of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, the City of Mount Gambier and children from Reidy Park Primary School planted trees at the Elizabeth Knight Reserve on 5 September 2022.
Students from Reidy Park Primary School joined the City of Mount Gambier to plant 16 native trees, Eucalyptus Leucoxylon, to provide an attractive tree canopy with a space for people to enjoy the peacefulness of the area. This tree species is a South Australian Blue gum native to our area and aligns with the natural beauty and design of the Crater Lakes precinct.
The Australian Government funded the tree-planting program and complemented other initiatives across the Commonwealth to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee.
Three days later, on 8 September, Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully after 70 years of service to the Commonwealth.
The City of Mount Gambier is celebrating the Queen's life in many ways and invites the community to join us in her commemoration.
- A Book of Condolence to honour the life of the Queen can be signed at the reception at the Civic Centre.
- The Mount Gambier Library is hosting its Immersive Story Telling of the 1954 Royal Visit in the Library Foyer with 360-degree camera footage, photographs from the Les Hill Historic Collection and oral history recordings from community members.
- The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre and the Lady Nelson Brig at the Mount Gambier Visitor Centre are lit in purple at night to commemorate the passing of the Queen.
- The Day The Queen Came to Town, a mini-episode of Mount Gambier Library's popular podcast Don't Overdue It, crafted from interviews in 2019 with locals that were at the 1954 Royal Tour. Download it here.
The Queen will forever be a part of the city's history and heritage, and we will continue to share any formal arrangements to celebrate her incredible life and service.
