Pre 1960, Australia, Western Australia, Perth, Royal Visit, 1952

Elizabeth II was the first reigning monarch of Australia to set foot on Australian soil, coming ashore at Farm Cove, Sydney, on 3 February 1954. In Australia, with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, she undertook a journey through the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, including greeting 70,000 ex-servicemen and women at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and opening the Australian Parliament in Canberra. In all, the Queen travelled 10,000 miles by air, making approximately 33 flights, 2000 miles by road (130 hours in cars in 207 trips), visiting all capitals except Darwin and 70 country towns, many by special "royal trains".

WA was the last State to be visited by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and feverish anticipation built ahead of their arrival. But there was also a different sort of fever - a very serious and dangerous one - that was affecting the populace – Poliomyelitis. Polio is virtually unknown today, but was prevalent in the early 1950s until a vaccine was produced. Polio was feared because of its capacity to infect the nervous system, destroying motor neurons and causing life long paralysis, and in some cases causing death. It affected mainly children. The Queen’s Australian visit occurred in February/March – the summer months known to be a time of maximum activity for the Polio virus.
Nevertheless the 1954 Royal Tour of WA did occur, albeit in a modified form. A ban was imposed on indoor functions, but the Queen could be seen outdoors. The West Australian _reported on March 23, 1954 that "the shaking of hands will be eliminated" and also that "where a child is to present a bouquet the child should walk towards the Queen but should then retain the bouquet or place it in some suitable position".
The planned Parliamentary Dinner was cancelled and instead another function was held in the grounds of Parliament House on 27 March 1954. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were to appear in the gardens for 20 minutes, before been transported by car to the royal yacht ‘Gothic’ which was berthed at Fremantle.