Australians attend national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II at Parliament House

At the end of the national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II at Parliament House on Thursday, everyday people wandered up to the sloping walls of the forecourt, where a table had been set up to accept the floral tributes.

Defence regretfully cancelled Thursday's flypast over Parliament House as part of the service, due to poor weather out of RAAF Base Williamtown where the planes would have departed.

The crowd in Canberra that had gathered on the lawns outside Parliament House were happy to stay and pay their own tribute to the former monarch who passed away aged 96 on September 8 after 70 years on the throne.

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Nicole Lyas, of Stirling, brought her seven-year-old twin daughters Amelia and Chloe to sit outside Parliament House and watch the service on the big screen, the girls holding flowers from their gardens, wrapped in foil.

"I just thought it was important," Mrs Lyas said. "It's an historical moment and it's a chance for them to learn about the Queen and pay our respects."

Greg Fullam, of Kingston, felt compelled to attend the service, to make a gesture of respect to the Queen.

"I think it's very important, even if you're not particularly a monarchist, which I'm not and I'm not from the United Kingdom," he said.

"I think it's still important to show what it meant to us as people to have someone like that for so long. I think the speeches were very good. ... I can't believe I'm getting emotional about it.

"But, it's the kind of thing that once you realise she's gone, it becomes apparent how much she was a sign of stability.

"Even if you didn't particularly agree with her - you can understand the issues it brings up for First Nations people - but she was always very dignified, very consistent in her service. Particularly in this age where there are a lot of fads, she was very low-profile. But even in her 80s, she was still seeing lots of different people every day, I think that's what was endearing about her."

Tom Cappie-Wood, of Curtin, brought wattle from his garden with daughter Bonnie, 1, in the pram as he watched the service from the lawns.

"I wanted to recognise a remarkable woman who lived a remarkable life and represented a really amazing generation of people," he said.

Ingrid and Ian Solomons, from Como in Sydney, stopped in to Parliament House on the way to the snow. Mrs Solomons brought a posy of flowers from her home.

Mr Solomons' aunt and uncle, Canberra couple Ron and Nancy Metcalfe, were involved in coordinating British migration to Australia and once had tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

"I think she was just a beautiful person," Mrs Solomons said.

"I think she just showed, as a woman, she could be a great leader and it just goes to show that those who are good, will survive.

"I just think she was an exemplar of what we should all strive to be like."

Mrs Solomons said she had been "watching everything" about the Queen since she died.

"And I think this is just closure," she said of the Parliament House service.

"It's her memorial day and I think we should do something to honour her."

Mr Solomons said it was important to recognise the Queen's long reign.

"She's been looked upon by the whole world as caring and she's actually served people," he said.

"I'm a 1954 baby, so I missed out on the privilege [of seeing the Queen's first visit to Australia] but my uncle and aunty did have the honour of meeting her."

Vanessa Cheng, of Sydney, wore a replica of the Queen's famous wattle brooch to the service in Canberra.

"We're part of the Commonwealth, so it's very important we pay our respects to the Queen," she said.

"And it's important we have that mourning and we are together. It's good that they're putting this on for everyone."