Caroline Kennedy's schedule for her first week down under has been far from blank.
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The freshly-arrived US ambassador to Australia attended a Last Post ceremony at the Australian War Memorial on Wednesday afternoon, giving a special nod to Coastwatchers and their family members.
The visit held a special meaning for the daughter of former US President John F. Kennedy, whose time served in the Pacific during World War II could well be an historical sliding doors moment.
Nearly two decades before he was elected the US President, Mr Kennedy, then a lieutenant in the US Navy, was rescued by an Australian Coastwatcher and Solomon Islander scouts after a Japanese destroyer sunk his patrol boat.
Eve Ash, the daughter of Coastwatcher veteran Dixie Lee and who attended the ceremony with Ms Kennedy on his behalf, said it was amazing to see the US ambassador pay respects to the veterans eight decades later.
"History is being brought to life by ambassador Caroline Kennedy and the connection to her father, who was saved by Solomon Islanders and an Australian Coastwatcher," she said.
"It's just such an important memory about how closely Australia and the United States were during the war.
Ms Kennedy earlier met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles at Parliament House on Wednesday, focusing on climate change and Indigenous issues.
The ambassador passed on the best wishes of US President Joe Biden and the White House during the introductory meeting with Mr Albanese.
Mr Albanese informed Ms Kennedy about the Uluru statement and the work towards enshrining a Voice to parliament, with the ambassador expressing her interest in Indigenous issues.
Co-operation between the two nations on climate and the Indo-Pacific were also discussed.
Mr Marles welcomed the new ambassador, saying the pair discussed the future of the Australia-US alliance along with a "secure, resilient and prosperous" Indo-Pacific and future areas of co-operation.
Ms Kennedy assumed the critical diplomatic post in Canberra on Monday, with the embassy hosting a welcome to country and Indigenous smoking ceremony.
"This is really one of the most important days of my life to become officially the United States ambassador to Australia, and to be here on this Ngunnawal land," she said.
"To mark this moment with a ceremony that carries so much significance makes me feel a great deal of responsibility, and strengthens my commitment to work to strengthen the bonds between our nations and our people," she said.
"The United States and Australia are the closest of allies, and we are global partners working for peace and stability, health, security and economic prosperity in this region and beyond."
- With AAP
