In April 1970 - the 200th anniversary of Captain Cook landing on the east coast of the continent - Australia had another distinguished visitor from Britain.
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It was none other than Queen Elizabeth II accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh.
In Brisbane the Queen sailed up the Brisbane River to Newstead House and there was an equally grand residence when she came to North West Queensland.
In Mount Isa the royal couple were guests of Mount Isa Mines and stayed at Case Grande.
MIMAG put out a pictorial souvenir of the Queen's visit which begins by the Queen and Prince Philip being welcomed by MIM managing director James Foots and his wife "at precisely 4.35pm Wednesday, April 14."
Within a few hours they were whisked to Kalkadoon Park to attend "North West 70".
As well as a mini rodeo they saw floats ranging from hard rock mining to apprentice training.
They stayed in town until the following afternoon "charming everyone they met with their casual informality and sincere interest", as MIMAG put it.
That morning the Queen was given an inspection of the surface installations.
"Clad in a pale blue dustcoat, head scarf and safety spectacles the Queen took an intense interest in all that she saw," MIMAG said.
"The Duke seemed quite at home beneath a hard hat and kept up a rapid fire of questions in between darting away to chat with smiling employees."
Prince Philip also took an underground tour at his own request in the company of mine manager Ken Finlay and assistant manager Bob Floyd and watched an ST-5 working, a Jumbo drilling, and ore dumping at a Granby Tipple.
Later the couple visited the MIM flats where they had a cuppa with underground diesel fitter George Egorov, wife Valentina and daughter Natalie.
The Duke had a beer before they went out to be cheered by hundreds en route to Alexandra Park.
There more than 6000 schoolchildren set up a deafening as the Royal couple moved about them in an open vehicle.
The Queen presented trophies to winning swimming teams then bade farewell and they left for Mount Isa Airport.
"Fifteen minutes later," MIMAG said, "in the shrill whine of twin jets a thin dark smoke trail arched upwards and eastwards from Mount Isa."
The Royal Visit 1970 had ended.
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