The Princess Royal continued her Australian tour by meeting with the families of two firefighters who died in the country’s devastating Black Summer bushfires.
The days of heavy rain which had been lashing Sydney and the east coast abated to provide Anne, who is Down Under to celebrate her mother’s Platinum Jubilee, with mostly blue skies and sun for day two of her visit.
The Queen’s daughter ditched the more formal attire of the day prior in favour of slacks and a jacket to visit the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) headquarters in Sydney on Sunday with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
Volunteer firefighters Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, had been battling the fires south west of Sydney in December 2019 when a tree caused their fire truck to roll.
Due to each man leaving behind a young child, a fire truck-themed memorial playground had been built in their honour in the region where they lived and died.
On Sunday, the princess travelled to the playground in Buxton, some 62 miles south west of Sydney, to visit the site.
Speaking at the site, Anne acknowledged the difficult few years Australia has faced, noting “the impact that that has on communities, the disruption, the loss that has happened and how you come together”.
She also praised the strength of volunteers and said she hoped the challenges would soon let up.
“It’s no good asking the rain to stop because you quite need the water.
“There is a balance here and I hope the balance returns”.
The NSW RFS shared photographs of the royal’s visit, with the service saying Anne also spoke with the late volunteers’ families and colleagues from Buxton and Horsley Park brigades.
Mr O’Dwyer’ mother, Margaret O’Dwyer, told 10 News First: “She kind of agreed with us that what he was doing was a great thing.”
NSW RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers told the Australian television newscast: “She understood the impacts of fire, Covid and flood and how that’s still unravelling today.”
The young fathers were among 34 people killed during the fires which also pushed many of Australia’s unique species to near extinction – including the koala.
The princess later visited the Sydney suburb of Waverton, boarding the former lighthouse ship MV Cape Don, before hosting a garden party reception for her Australia-based charity and military patronages at Sydney’s Government House.
The day prior, the princess had acknowledged the hardship experienced by Australians and farmers in particular over the previous two years.
“I’ve seen seen how the past two years have been really difficult for the agricultural shows,” Anne said in her Sydney Royal Easter Show opening ceremony speech.
“Agricultural shows provide the opportunity for city children to learn about country life.”
The 71-year-old said her and her husband had been monitoring “the devastation of (the) floods” from afar, adding that Sir Tim’s brother was affected due to living in the northern New South Wales town of Lismore – one of the worst-hit areas.
Anne previously opened the show in 1988.
Anne’s Australian trip on behalf of her mother will conclude with a visit to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals and Royal Australian Corps of Transport on Monday before travelling to Papua New Guinea.
On Monday and Tuesday the royal and her husband will tour the island nation, visiting Caritas Technical Secondary School, St John Ambulance, the Bomana War Cemetery, the Adventure Park Papua New Guinea and the National Museum and Art Gallery.
The princess will also open a Women’s Resource Centre at Vabukori Village and the National Cardiac Diagnostic Centre at Port Moresby General Hospital, respectively, and meet elders and community leaders at Hanuabada Village.
Anne will conclude the two-day tour with a dinner with Prime Minister James Marape and representatives from across the charity sector and business groups.
