the fleet entered sydney harbour on 20 august 1908 with a vast and tumultuous welcome in a "spectacle of unparalleled majesty" viewed by more than half a million people. after a week of celebrations, the fleet departed for melbourne 28 august 1908. it was less than two days steaming before the fleet arrived at port phillip, melbourne to a welcome on 29 august 1908 only slightly more subdued than that at sydney. after the scheduled week in melbourne, the fleet departed on 5 september 1908 with the newspapers of the day publishing patriotic poems about the visit. the fleet's arrival a few hours early on 11 september 1908 at albany, western australia (the then small town with the large harbour), caught the residents and many country visitors literally napping. when the word spread there was a rush of people to the vantage points on the heads and elsewhere. a further week in albany allowed both coaling operations and celebrations, with the majority of the fleet departing 18 september 1908. while the fleet did not visit any other australian ports, it closely hugged the western australian coastline on its way to manila and local shipping companies did good business taking tourist out to view the fleet under steam.