Sydney sees Cunard dock

Sydney harbour basked in the glow of a huge fireworks display on Tuesday evening, as Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2 saluted each other.

Queen Mary 2, met her sister, Queen Elizabeth 2 off Sydney's Garden navel base. After they saluted each other with whistles, the spectacular fireworks display was launched across Sidney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Thousands in Sydney welcomed the arrival of Queen Mary 2 on Tuesday morning, just before dawn.

This was the end of QM2's maiden voyage, and her arrival was also a first for Australia: weighing in at 150,000 she is the largest ship ever to sail into an Australian harbour.

The QE2 sailed over from Melbourne, where she had been docked earlier in the week.

Two Cunard Queens have not met in Australia since 1942, when they made a dual visit to ship Australian soldiers off to fight in world war two.

At that time there was certainly no fireworks display as the ships arrived in secret and were dubbed the grey ghosts.