Australians woke up on the morning of Friday 9 September to the devastating news that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away.
The region has ties to the Queen, having hosted her and Prince Phillip.
In 1954, the Queen visited Gippsland in what was a momentous occasion, with thousands flocking to Warragul to catch a glimpse of her at the showgrounds.
People of Pakenham waved to her as the royal train came through and were delighted to receive waves and smiles from the royal couple.
King Charles III also visited a fire-ravaged Cockatoo in 1983.
The royal visit was just weeks after the devastating Ash Wednesday fires swept through Cockatoo, bringing hope to locals as they tried to rebuild their lives.
Former resident Eric Bumpstead was chosen to show the royal couple around and introduce them to members of local brigades.
“I don’t remember what was said now, but they were concerned and interested in what had happened,” Eric said in 2009.
Local residents have shared their connections to the Queen.
CWA Pakenham Branch
“It is with much sadness that the branch acknowledges the passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” the group wrote in a Facebook post.
“She was such a strong, intelligent and hard-working woman something that we all should strive to be.
“We send our deepest condolences to her family.“
Harkaway Primary School
Harkaway Primary School paid tribute to Her Majesty with an assembly on Friday morning.
Wattle and eucalyptus leaves were placed on the school’s original flags, used for the opening of the school in 1876, in a fitting visual tribute.
“Thank you to our loyal Queen Elizabeth for looking over us and other for decades and decades,” school captain Lola Harley-Williams said.
“You are cherished and loved by many.”
Emily Studd, Pakenham
“My daughter Savannah and I met Queen Elizabeth in Melbourne, at Federation Square, in October 2011.
“Savannah was chosen from the crowd as an almost three-year-old to give the Queen a bouquet of flowers we had bought.
“We weren’t expecting to see her, let alone meet her!
“We were escorted to a place on the red carpet to greet the Queen as she left the gallery.
“We were in the first group of people on the carpet.
“When she got to us, she attempted to accept the flowers from Savannah but she had no idea what was going on and wouldn’t let go!
“The Queen very softly said to her, ‘You don’t quite know what to make of all this, do you?’ and off she went.”
Former local history librarian Heather Arnold
Mrs Arnold has a familial connection to the royal visit from the Queen.
Her father Frank Rouse was completing his National Service as a being a Guard of Honour along the Queen’s route (mandatory military service in place in Australia from 1951–1959).
“Dad and his colleagues spent about seven hours standing at their designated spot (in his case on the outskirts of Warragul) and the Royal motorcade passed by in a second,” Mrs Arnold said.
“He can (and does) say that he successfully guarded the Queen!”
About 40,000 people were in Warragul on the day of the Queen’s visit.
