Australian author Anna Funder today unveiled A Letter from Australia to the World aboard Cunard’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, as the iconic vessel arrived in Sydney Harbour during her 108-night World Voyage.
Revealed on deck against the striking backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, the larger-than-life letter offered a powerful meditation on modern Australian identity and the enduring value of slowing down in an increasingly accelerated world.
The piece was shaped by hundreds of letters submitted by Australians from across the country, each addressed to an unknown reader somewhere in the world. Together, they formed a collective and deeply personal portrait of contemporary life in the ‘Lucky Country’.
The initiative draws on Cunard’s 185-year legacy of carrying letters, stories and people across oceans. The iconic Queen, the world’s only ocean liner and known for her transatlantic crossings, continues a maritime tradition rooted in endurance, elegance and the transportation of mail, ideas and human connection. Long before instant communication, Cunard ships served as lifelines between continents, connecting families, communities and nations.
The Cunard Pen Pal Exchange
What began as a simple call to write has evolved into a modern-day pen-pal exchange transcending oceans, cultures and time zones. Each of the more than 500 submitted letters will now journey aboard Queen Mary 2 as she sails across Asia, Africa and Europe, where guests will be invited to read and respond to the voices of Australia carried with her.
“Reading what more than five hundred Australians have written has been a moving experience,” Funder said. “What struck me most was the openness; the generosity with which people wrote to someone they may never meet. These letters speak of nature, of community, and of the small rituals that shape daily life here.
“In writing my own letter from Australia to the world, I wanted to honour those voices and reflect something of who we are: connected to place, to one another, and open to conversation beyond our shores. The idea that these words will now travel by sea, slowly and deliberately, feels both fitting and hopeful.”
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, added: “For 185 years, Cunard ships have transported more than passengers; they have been the bearer of stories, ideas and human connection. As the world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2 represents a style of travel that values depth over speed and experience over urgency.
“Whether in the quiet sanctuary of the largest library at sea or within the elegant surrounds of the Grill Suites, our ships are designed for meaningful moments. We have been deeply heartened by the response from Australians who chose to put pen to paper and share a part of themselves with someone they may never meet. In doing so, they have become part of a living tradition that stretches across oceans and across generations.”
Cunard’s World Voyages will continue in 2026, 2027 and 2028 across its fleet. Queen Anne will dock in Sydney on 16 and 17 March 2026 as part of her current World Voyage, while Queen Victoria will call into the Harbour City in 2027. In 2028, both Queen Anne and Queen Elizabeth are scheduled to visit Sydney on their respective World Voyages, offering guests the chance to experience the liner’s signature Grill Suites, from the spacious Princess Grill to the sumptuous Queen Grill.
