Originally published November 1, 1934
ROYALTY arrived for the first time in Mildura with the visit of Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester.
His visit to Australia was primarily to help celebrate Melbourne’s centenary, however the son of the sovereign George V would play a greater role in the late 1940s as Governor-General of Australia.
A special Royal Edition of Sunraysia Daily was published to coincide with the Duke’s visit.
His train arrived at the Mildura Railway Station at 2pm and he was welcomed by Mildura Mayor Cr E. T. Henderson, and Shire President Cr R. R. Skeat.
A fleet of cars then took the Duke and his entourage to the Recreation Reserve in Eleventh Street, where 8000 had gathered, including masses of schoolchildren brought in from Morkalla, Ouyen, Wemen, Hattah and parts of New South Wales.
The Duke’s reply to his welcome was recorded:
“I thank you for the assurances of loyalty to the King and for the warm greeting which you give me on behalf of the City and Shire, respectively, of Mildura.
“I have been much interested in the accounts which you have given me of the history of your settlement and of the remarkable development of your dried fruits industry.
“It gives me especial pleasure to visit Mildura, since I know that it is the home of many ex-servicemen who have so well served the country and the Empire.
“While visiting your district I am looking forward to seeing proof of our agricultural skill and signs of still greater prosperity in the future.”
Schoolchildren sang “Land of Hope and Glory” and “Advance Australia Fair” and the Wolf Cubs gave a Grand Howl.
The Duke was introduced to Captain C. H. Gould, district president of the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia, who then introduced him to a number of returned soldiers.
Prince Henry made a point of speaking to as many present as possible, as Sunraysia Daily reported:
“The Duke’s sympathy was revealed in the manner in which he made a special point of speaking to little Helen Bowring, whose infirmity attracted his interest while he was inspecting the Brownies.”
Later in the day he was taken to the citrus property of R. O. Symons in Merbein, driven through Kenny Park, served afternoon tea at the Merbein branch of the Mildura Co-op, then shown over M. J. Turner’s block on Mena Road.
He was finally driven to Red Cliffs where he met many of the returned servicemen who had taken up land in the area. His train left Red Cliffs at 5.30pm.
Many speeches were given, but one of the most loved by the schoolchildren was the Duke of Gloucester’s announcement that the following Friday would be a holiday.
