Harbour Fireworks to Celebrate Historic Sydney Visit by Two Queens 

Sydneysiders will be treated to a fireworks display on the Harbour on Thursday night (March 12) to celebrate the historic visit of two Queens – Cunard’s magnificent flagship Queen Mary 2 and her younger sister Queen Victoria.

For the first time, both ships will spend the day together in Sydney, with fireworks set to light up the sky at 9.15pm as Queen Mary 2 leaves Circular Quay and prepares to sail past Queen Victoria which will be anchored at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo.

To celebrate the Royal Rendezvous and its 175th anniversary year, Cunard has also announced it will launch a special photo exhibition on the boardwalk at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, featuring many never before seen images of its world famous fleet.

Captured by Sydney photographer James Morgan, who has photographed Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth around the globe, the OneSevenFive exhibition will provide a rare perspective of life onboard the three Queens. 

Featuring 71 stunning images displayed on boards standing two metres high, the collection’s final two images – from Thursday’s rendezvous – will be installed on Friday morning.  The public exhibition will remain in place on the boardwalk for 175 hours, until Thursday March 19. 

Ann Sherry, CEO of Carnival Australia which represents Cunard in Australia, said the Royal Rendezvous fireworks and the exhibition would be a wonderful celebration of Cunard’s 175th anniversary.

“Cunard’s ships always turn heads whenever they are in Sydney and I think everyone in this city would remember the three very special Royal Rendezvous of other Cunard ships on our Harbour over recent years,” Ms Sherry said.  

“This Thursday will be no different as Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria make history with their first ever joint visit to Sydney.

“With their distinctive black hulls and red funnels, they’ll be a spectacular sight for people to enjoy throughout the day and into the evening when a wonderful fireworks show will provide the prelude to Queen Mary 2 sailing past Queen Victoria in the Harbour.”

Ms Sherry said Cunard hoped Sydneysiders would also enjoy the exhibition capturing the magic of the iconic trio.

“It’s very fitting that it’s launched in Sydney which has provided the backdrop to so many special Cunard moments over the years,” she said.

The 2000-guest Queen Victoria will berth in Sydney around 5.30am on Wednesday March 11, spending the day at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.  Around 3.30am the following morning, the 90,000-tonne ship will move from Circular Quay to Athol Buoy to make way for her “big sister” Queen Mary 2 which will sail through the heads around 3.45am on Thursday morning,

Still the largest ship ever to visit Australia, the 151,400-tonne Queen Mary 2 will berth at the Overseas Passenger Terminal around 4.45am on Thursday, with Sydneysiders set to wake to a two-ship spectacular in their Harbour.

The Sydney visit of the 2600-guest Queen Mary 2 comes two months into her 113-night world voyage while Queen Victoria’s call comes seven weeks into her 103-night cruise around the globe.  

From Sydney, Queen Mary 2 will sail on her second circumnavigation of New Zealand, returning to Sydney on March 25 before continuing on her world voyage. Queen Victoria will sail to New Zealand before heading across the Pacific to America. 

A timeline of the events over March 11-12 and details of past Royal Rendezvous in Sydney are below.

2015 Royal Rendezvous Activities 

n.b ship times approximate

Wednesday March 11

* 4.30am – Queen Victoria sails into Sydney Harbour

* 5.30am – Queen Victoria berths at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay

Thursday March 12

* 3.30am – Queen Victoria sails from the Overseas Passenger Terminal to berth at Athol Buoy

* 3.45am –  Queen Mary 2 enters Sydney Harbour

* 4.45am – Queen Mary 2 berths at the Overseas Passenger Terminal 

* Noon  – OneSevenFive photo exhibition of Cunard’s Three Queens on Sydney Opera House’s Western Boardwalk opens to public 

* 9pm – Queen Mary 2 departs Overseas Passenger Terminal en route to Milford Sound, New Zealand

* 9.15pm – Fireworks as Queen Mary 2 sails past Queen Victoria at Athol Buoy

* 11pm – Queen Victoria sails from Athol Buoy en route to Akaroa, New Zealand

Thursday March 12 – Thursday March 19

* Midday - OneSevenFive Cunard photo exhibition opens to the public on the Opera House Western Boardwalk, running for 175 hours.

Cunard Royal Rendezvous in Sydney

* February 20, 2007 – Sydney was brought to a standstill for the city’s first official Cunard Royal Rendezvous when Queen Mary 2 made her maiden visit to Australia, meeting with QE2 in Sydney Harbour.

* February 24, 2008 – The newly launched Queen Victoria made her first visit to Sydney for a Royal Rendezvous with QE2, which was making her final call to the city before she retired from the Cunard fleet.

* February 22-23, 2011 – Queen Mary 2 and the newly launched Queen Elizabeth visited Sydney for the city’s third Royal Rendezvous.

Information supplied by: Cunard Line.

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