Prince in Aus for 3 days

2010-01-19 11:41

Sydney - Prince William was greeted with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony as he arrived in Australia for the start of a three-day tour that will also include a visit to communities devastated by recent deadly wildfires.

The solemn strains of a didgeridoo hummed across Sydney's predominantly Aboriginal suburb of Redfern as an Aboriginal elder fanned a cloud of smoke from a pile of smouldering leaves at the 27-year-old prince, a sacred cleansing ritual.

Cheering crowds

The prince waved to the cheering crowd of around 2 000 well-wishers, before being ushered inside a community centre to meet with indigenous community members.

"We're over the moon that he's come to this part of the city to spend time with us," said Lewis Kelly, from Kempsey, 420km north of Sydney. "I was surprised when I heard it on the grapevine that he was coming here to see the indigenous people, the real Australians."

The second in line to the British throne last visited Australia as a baby in 1983. His trip to Australia follows a three-day visit to New Zealand, where he opened the country's new Supreme Court building in the capital, Wellington.

Earlier, the prince lunched with a slew of officials and Aussie celebrities, including Governor General Quentin Bryce, Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham and singer Delta Goodrem. The meal included local favourites such as lamingtons, coconut-covered sponge cakes.

The prince is scheduled to fly to Melbourne on Thursday, where he will travel to communities destroyed by last year's deadly wildfires. Hundreds of blazes raced across huge parts of south-eastern Victoria state in February 2009, killing 173 people and destroying more than 2 000 homes.

- AP