Royal Australian Navy Freedom of Entry to the City of Sydney March 13, 2009

For the first time in over 20 years, the Royal Australia Navy (RAN) will exercise its right to the Freedom of Entry to the City of Sydney on Saturday 14 March 2009. After a number of ceremonial activities, the parade will commence at 10:00am from The Rocks. The parade of Officers and Sailors will march along George Street, past the Sydney Town Hall, turn right into Liverpool Street and finish adjacent Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour at 11:30am.

The Queen's Colour will be paraded as part of this ceremony and will be the first time it has been paraded by the Royal Australian Navy in Sydney since it was presented by the Governor General in 1989.

It is expected that there will be up to 5000 RAN personnel marching along with Australian Naval Cadets from all over NSW and the ACT. This march will be the largest parade of naval personnel since the World War II Victory in Japan Day Parade in 1945. More than one third of the RAN will be participating and an event of this scale is unlikely to occur again in the near future.

Official Website: http://www.navy.gov.au/Freedom_of_Entry_to_the_City_of_Sydney