Today is a day of sadness and mourning for all of our community.

The passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second marks the end of an era. Few have known a world without her, and she has left an incredible legacy of strength and kindness.

The Queen embodied and exhibited a timeless decency and an enduring calm. In her seven decades on the throne, Her Majesty was a rare and reassuring constant amidst rapid change.

My thoughts are with the entire Royal Family at this incredibly sad and difficult time.

She was truly loved by local people and we here on the South Coast all feel her loss deeply.

A condolence book is now available at my Nowra office so that local people can share their heartfelt messages with the Royal Family. A second book will also be available at my Batemans Bay office next week. These messages will be sent to Buckingham Palace and archived by the Commonwealth.

May she rest in eternal peace.