Queen arrives early in Fremantle

It weighs nearly 150,000 tonnes, carries 2600 people and has travelled across the Indian Ocean, but the Queen Mary 2 still managed to arrive a day early in Australia.

The massive cruise liner, which is part of the Cunard fleet, slid into dock in Fremantle on Tuesday morning, 24 hours ahead of schedule.

A spokeswoman for Fremantle port said favourable winds brought the ship in earlier than expected.

The arrival in Fremantle is part of a global voyage, which will see the massive liner circumnavigate Australia and dock in Fremantle and Sydney twice.

The liner's facilities include 15 restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre and the first planetarium at sea. It also has kennels and a nursery.

The ship is expected to depart Fremantle on Wednesday afternoon.