A special Sunday souvenir edition of The Daily Advertiser published after Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Wagga Wagga on February 13, 1954, declared it "Wagga's Greatest Day".
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The front-page editorial described how the Queen "rode in triumph through the streets of Wagga" on what was a blistering summer day in the NSW Riverina.
"For 145 thrill-packed minutes, the centre of the Riverina became the heart of the mighty British Commonwealth," the editorial said.
Tens of thousands of people travelled from across the NSW Riverina and lined the streets to see Her Majesty, then aged 27, and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, as they were paraded through the city.
"The lovely young Queen and her handsome Duke came, saw and conquered," The Daily Advertiser said.
"Gracious and smiling with a wave to all and sundry, Her Majesty captured the hearts of people from all walks of life," the editorial said.
"Wagga people and the people from various towns and shires of Riverina were proud indeed yesterday. They were not only proud that their Queen was among them: they were proud of their Queen - proud of her beauty, her regality, her graciousness, and her inspiration.
"For a brief period Wagga became part of British history - and Wagga was exhilarated."
'We just talked about general business'
Norma Higginson, possibly the NSW Riverina's most passionate royalist, marvels at the "wonderful life" of Queen Elizabeth II.
"I am a little bit sad but life must come to an end for us all," Mrs Higginson, of Junee, said.
The monarchy has been part of the 94-year-old's life since her childhood growing up just kilometres from Hillsborough Castle, the royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland.
Even after moving across the world, Mrs Higginson saw royals on multiple occasions.
In 1992, she clutched a bouquet of flowers in the colours of the Union Jack and watched the Queen outside Sydney Town Hall.
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A security guard let her slip under the barrier and present her gift to the Queen.
"We spoke and she was just a very ordinary person, we just talked about general business," she said.
Mrs Higginson also saw the Queen in Dubbo in 1992 and handed a jar of honey to a lady-in-waiting during the 2011 royal visit to Canberra, as she'd heard that the Queen was managing a cold.
Mrs Higginson even shared a brief conversation with the new King in 1974. During a parade, then-Prince Charles asked if a group of students were all her children.
"He's a wonderful country man and I really think he'll make a good King," she said.
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