Can royals handle the outback heat?

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visit locals at Boera Village, some 20kms west of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, ahead of their arrival in Australia. Picture: AFP/Ness Kerton Source: AFP

THE Duchess of Cornwall might want to opt for pants for her visit to Longreach today.

Gusty winds and temperatures as high as 39C are expected to greet Prince Charles and Camilla when they touch down in the outback Queensland town at about 4pm.

It's their first Australian stop on a southern hemisphere tour to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

In September, when Prince William and Kate arrived in Brisbane for a flying visit, the young duchess was caught out when a gust of wind sent her flowing dress skywards.

Forecasters are expecting similar gusty conditions in Longreach on Monday, where Prince Charles and Camilla will spend two hours touring local sights including the Stockman's Hall of Fame.

"We're certainly expecting a hot day out there, with gusty winds and a severe fire danger," forecaster Ben Annells said.

"The maximum temperature will be about 39 degrees and that will be in the afternoon, when they are there."

The Duchess of Cornwall is on her first visit to Australia, and Longreach locals are thrilled they'll be the first to welcome her.

Stan Emslie, 82, spent his weekend polishing his tuba in preparation. He's the oldest member in the Longreach Town Band, which will be playing for the royal couple.

"I think it is a marvellous bloody thing for Longreach, that we are the only place in Queensland (the couple will visit)," he said.

There have also been some logistical hurdles to overcome, including the realisation that the local airport's plane stairs weren't going to be high enough for the royal jet.

But a spit and a polish for an old set of 1950s plane stairs, on loan from the Qantas Museum, has overcome that problem.

"They are hydraulic, so they can be lifted to fit any size of the door. We've given them a bit of a facelift, a touch-up," museum spokesman Tony Martin said.

Longreach horse breaker and stockman John Arnold will treat the royal couple to a whip-cracking display when they visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame.

While there, Prince Charles will name a new plane for the Royal Flying Doctor Service at the town's Qantas museum.

The highlight will be a community barbecue for about 300 invited guests.

Local John Palmer who will be at the event, will no doubt be reminiscing about his own royal encounters which date back more than 40 years.

The royal couple will touch down in Longreach from Papua New Guinea, where the prince impressed many with his command of the local lingo. The royal couple are then due to head south for the Melbourne Cup.

They will also visit Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney and Canberra on their tour, before heading to New Zealand where Prince Charles will celebrate his 64th birthday on November 14.