Sporting Prince wows crowds at Open

The British royal was due to fly home to the UK late on Thursday night, but managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Melbourne Park before departing.

He was given a warm ovation by the crowd at Rod Laver Arena, before himself applauding enthusiastically as the World No.1 beat Romania's Victor Hanescu.

William had earlier joined in a game of backyard cricket with members of the Australian side during a tour of Victoria's bushfire-devastated region.

The prince met families who had lost everything in the blazes which tore through Flowerdale, Marysville and Kinglake on February 7 last year, killing 173 people and injuring 400.

"My family followed the events of last February with a sense of horror, which slowly, as the days passed, turned to one of deep, deep admiration for the steadfastness of the Australian people," he told an Australia Day reception at Government House.

Tour of bushfire-hit towns

"The stories of suffering I have heard today inevitably made me think about the ongoing tragedy of Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers remain with everyone there."

Prince William chatted with the managers of the Kinglake Ranges Wilderness Camp, Colin and Michelle French, as well as their two children Darcy, 12, and Vanessa, 11.

The family lost everything - their home, camp and the children's school - in the February 7 disaster.

"Oh my God," he said as he listened to their story of survival.

The prince was amazed as he examined a T-shirt, untouched by flames but still attached to a Hills Hoist by melted plastic pegs.

His Royal Highness's first stop was Walnut Street in Whittlesea, where he was greeted by a cheering crowd of hundreds.

Mother of two, Bronwyn Hocking, 30, came to thank the prince for the royal family's support of Australia after Black Saturday.

'Thank you' for royal support

She moved to Whittlesea after her house in Pheasant Creek, near Kinglake, was destroyed in the fires.

"We didn't lose family or any friends so we consider ourselves very lucky," she said.

"The royal family have been really supportive of Australia and everyone, and we just want to wave and say thank you."

Emily Shaw, aged six, of Mernda, was quick to offer her impression of William, who was dressed casually in light tan pants and a striped blue and white shirt.

"He's, you know, like all princes are, handsome," she said. "Just like in fairytales."

Royals 'fans of Australia'

The prince said it was a long-held dream to visit Australia - a country for which both his parents held a great affection.

Prince William said Australia also made a profound impression on his mother, the late Princess Diana, when she visited in 1996.

"My father (Prince Charles) had such a great time here at school - and is still misty-eyed about an immortal moment on Bondi, when an Australian beauty planted a smacker on his cheek," said William, who was only nine months old last time he was in Australia.

"It's good to see this tradition is still continuing," he joked.

Then there's his brother Harry, "that other guy with ginger hair, who just never ever stops banging on about you, and how I haven't lived because I haven't been to Australia, blah, blah, blah," he said.