On Friday 7 September 2012, at Government House, Sydney, the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, and Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, hosted the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards Ceremony, at which the Administrator presented awards.

Afterwards, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, returned to Australia following their visit to the London Paralympics, State Visit to Jordan and Official Visit to Oman.

On Thursday 6 September 2012, at Admiralty House, Sydney, the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO presided at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council.

Afterwards, at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Darling Point, the Administrator and Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE, as guests of the Bishop of South Sydney, the Right Reverend Robert Forsyth, attended a service of thanksgiving for the late Rector of St Mark’s, the Reverend Canon Boak Jobbins OAM

The Governor-General and Mr Michael Bryce visited the headquarters of Australian company WorleyParsons Limited, which provides services to Oman’s energy industry.

Meeting with staff and Australian representatives, Ms Bryce and Bryce received a briefing on the company’s operations and links with Australia.

Later, the Governor-General hosted a reception for Australians living in Oman and Omani citizens with links to Australia at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Muscat.

On Wednesday 5 September 2012, at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, as guest of the Chair of the International Congress of Dietetics 2012, Ms Claire Hewat, opened the 16th International Congress of Dietetics.

At Bait Al Barakah Palace, Muscat, the Governor-General and Mr Michael Bryce were received by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

The Governor-General and the Sultan, accompanied by officials, held a meeting highlighting bilateral educational links and business and investment opportunities. The Sultan provided an overview of Middle East developments.

Later, His Majesty hosted a dinner in honour of the Governor-General and Mr Bryce.

The Governor-General and Mr Michael Bryce arrived in the Sultanate of Oman for the first day of an official visit as guests of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.

His Highness Sayyid Assad Tariq Al-Said, the Personal Representative of His Majesty, met Ms Bryce and Mr Bryce on arrival at the Royal Terminal of the Muscat International Airport.

Later, the Governor-General received His Excellency Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs, for a bilateral meeting.

In Muscat, the Governor-General and Mr Michael Bryce were invited to view the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque by Habib Mohammed Al-Riyami, President of the Grand Mosque.

Ms Bryce was taken on a tour of the building, which included the main prayer hall and library.

The Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief, and Mr Michael Bryce joined members of Joint Task Force 633 at a memorial service and Ramp Ceremony for PTE Nathanael Galagher, SPR James Martin, LCPL Mervyn McDonald, LCPL Stjepan Milosevic and PTE Robert Poate at Al Minhad Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

The Ode was read and the Last Post sounded before the caskets of the three soldiers and two commandos killed in Afghanistan last week were marched by bearers past Defence Force personnel and onto a C-17 Globemaster bound for Australia.

On Tuesday 4 September 2012, at Al Minhad Air Base, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, as Commander-in-Chief, and Mr Michael Bryce AM AE, as guests of Commander Joint Task Force 633, Major General Stuart Smith AM, attended the Memorial Service and Ramp Ceremony for Australian soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Mervan McDonald, Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, Private Nathanael Galagher, Sapper James Martin and Private Robert Poate.

On Monday 3 September 2012, at Little Bay, the Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, as Patron, and as guest of the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council, Ms Sandra Bailey, attended the Aboriginal Health College Graduation Ceremon and presented awards.

Afterwards, at the University of Sydney, the Administrator, as guest of the Jewish Chaplain of the University’s Multifaith Chaplaincy Centre, Rabbi Eli Feldman, launched the University’s Interfaith Week.