Third time lucky for Betty from Buckingham Drive
SHE has seen Queen Elizabeth II on both of the Monarch’s visits to Dubbo in 1954 and 1992; now Betty Salter hopes to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan when they arrive in the city next week. Mrs Salter will probably go to Victoria Park to see the Royals where they will mingle with locals as part of a threehour community picnic.
That is, if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex don’t pop into her Buckingham Drive home.
“I was hoping that the Prince would come up here,” she laughed.
“If not, I will go and see him.”
Describing the Royal visit as an exciting time, Mrs Salter said her previous brushes with the family included getting the Royal wave from Prince Harry’s grandmother.
“It’s something a bit different,” she said of the October 17 visit.
“I’ve seen the Queen when she came here. The first time it was near the Olympic swimming pool and I was pregnant with my daughter Lee at the time, there was a tremendous crowd.
“My husband Lance and I were parked at the showground and I had left my portable chair in the car. Poor Lance had to walk back to get it!
“She walked past us on the way around, there was such a crowd, so we were happy when she turned and waved.”
For the Queen’s second visit, Mrs Salter and her two neighbours stood alongside the Mitchell Highway as Her Royal Highness arrived from the airport.
“I made a ‘Welcome to Royal family fan Betty Salter outside her home, appropriately located on Dubbo’s Buckingham Drive. PHOTO: DARCEE NIXON
Right: Betty’s photos taken during both of the Queen’s visits to Dubbo.
Dubbo Your Majesty’ sign, she gave me a Royal wave.”
Mrs Salter is hoping for another Royal greeting when Harry and Meghan land next week.
She believes that many others will also want to be part of the visit.
“A lot of people recognise the Royal family as being a part of us or us being part of them.
“I think that the younger people will go along to see Harry rather than to see
Royalty. He’s very outgoing. I will certainly go along.
“I don’t know why they chose Dubbo but it’s very exciting to have them here.”
Mrs Salter said there is a more complacent attitude to the Monarchy these days compared to when she was growing up.
“It was a different atmosphere than now. When I went to school at Delroy, we used to salute the Queen. Lance was in the army, and fought for Queen and country.” COMPELLING new evidence released this week from Bourke demonstrates how the local justice reinvestment initiative, the largest of its kind in Australia, is building safer, stronger communities.
The Maranguka Justice Reinvestment Project called “Growing Our Kids Up – Safe, Smart, Strong” was developed in 2013 and implementation started in 2015.
The project is run by Bourke Tribal Council.
Between 2015 and 2017 there has been a 72 per cent reduction in young people (up to 25 years) proceeded against for driving without a licence; domestic violence reoffending for people aged 26 and over reduced by 48 per cent, and drug offences are down 39 per cent.