The Department of Defence has cancelled a planned flypast of up to six Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, moments before they were set to take to the sky over Parliament House.
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The flypast was intended to conclude Thursday's national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II, however Defence said the event had been cancelled due to "poor weather out of RAAF Base Williamtown".
"Up to six Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft from No. 77 Squadron planned to conduct a flypast to honour the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," the department said in a statement.
"However, the current cross winds at RAAF Base Williamtown, make launch or landing unsafe.
"All low-level flying activities are conducted within strict safety and operational guidelines, and flying is subject to change, including short notice cancellation, due to variables such as air traffic control requirements, weather, and operational availability."
Meanwhile, a Resolve poll released on Wednesday found less than half of Australians (46 per cent) would answer yes in a referendum for the country to cut ties with the monarchy and replace it with an Australian head of state. Victoria was the only state in which the majority of respondents would back a republic.
Around 45 per cent of respondents said King Charles III would do well as Australia's head of state, while 75 per cent said Queen Elizabeth II had done well in her reign.
An earlier Essential poll published this week found 43 per cent support for the constitutional change to replace the monarchy with an Australian head of state.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the service is an opportunity for all Australians to pay respect to the head of state they have known, for her 70 years of faithful service.
"As we pay tribute to Her Majesty, I encourage all Australians to reflect on her remarkable life of dedication and service with one minute's silence at 11am," Mr Albanese said.
"Her Majesty had a deep affection with Australia and Australians have remembered her fondly since her passing."
"The Queen lived her life with an air of dignity and grace that will be remembered for centuries to come."
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Australians who do wish to observe the memorial, which is taking place on a one-off national public holiday, will have to do so from a distance. The public will not be able to access Parliament House during the service.
However, the public can watch the service from the lawns in front of Parliament House with screens broadcasting the events taking place in the Great Hall from 11am starting with a minute of silence.
ACT senator Katy Gallagher said there were going to be constraints with an event of this type.
"I certainly feel, as a Canberran, there have been a number of opportunities for the general public to come forward and share in this very historic occasion," Senator Gallagher told Radio National on Wednesday.
First ministers from all state and territory governments have been invited to the exclusive event, along with Governor-General David Hurley, federal opposition leader Peter Dutton, High Court justices and ambassadors in Canberra.
Anthony Callea and the Australian Girls Choir, who sang for the Queen during her 2011 visit to Australia, will perform during the service. Television personality Melissa Doyle will be the master of ceremonies.
The centrepiece of the service will be the so-called wattle painting, the 1954 Sir William Dargie painting of the Queen in the iconic Norman Hartnell gown accented with golden wattle, sweet peas and dahlias, described as the Queen's favourite flowers.
Despite being one of the most recognisable 20th century Australian portraits, painted during her first tour of Australia as a reigning monarch, it was quickly sold overseas and only returned to Australia in 2009 when it was purchased by National Museum of Australia.
The Queen returned to Australia to open the new Parliament House in May 1988.
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Harley Dennett
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
