The memory of the Queen's keen interest in her people and her ability to look someone straight in the eyes and "see them for who they are" is something Nelleke Gorton remembers vividly.
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"She had that way of looking at you in the eyes where you could tell she was really seeing you rather than looking elsewhere," she said.
Now a Bega Valley local, Ms Gorton was living at Telfer in Western Australia when she heard the Queen was coming to the country for the bicentenary royal tour in 1988.
She and her friend Coral Carter had been fortunate to win a ballot to meet the Queen at the Parliament House in Perth for a garden party.
"We were sent instructions on how to greet and address the Queen and when we got to the Government House there seemed to be thousands of people gathered in front," she said.
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"At first we thought how are we going to meet the Queen?! We looked at each other and thought we better make our way to the gate, when we did we were whisked away by the people in charge."
Ms Gorton recalled the moment where she saw the Queen approaching them and said it had all felt "surreal".
"I just couldn't believe that I was there - one minute I'm in the outback in the desert and the next minute I'm standing all dressed up and ready to meet the Queen," she said.
"I'm sure my face was splitting with the biggest grin at the amazing opportunity."
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Once introduced the Queen had shown a great interest in wanting to hear about what their lives in the outback were like.
"When she asked us how long we were going to be there that's when Coral interjected and said 'I told my husband, I'll be there for two years and then I'm leaving!," she said.
Ms Gorton recalled that the Queen and all those around has laughed at what Coral had said, even if she'd quietly disagreed as she loved life in the outback.
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Ms Gorton who always had a love for baking, said she was surprised that they hadn't served tea or cake at the event.
"I would have imagined there to be tea, cakes and scones but instead they were serving some hors d'oeuvres, which was very nice too."
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Amandine Ahrens
I've grown up in the Bega Valley and I'm a regional daily news reporter on the Far South Coast of NSW. Got a story? Get in touch: 0436 426 843 or email amandine.ahrens@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I've grown up in the Bega Valley and I'm a regional daily news reporter on the Far South Coast of NSW. Got a story? Get in touch: 0436 426 843 or email amandine.ahrens@austcommunitymedia.com.au
