The Freedom of the City, in military terms, is an honour conferred by a city council upon a military unit, which grants that unit the privilege of marching into the city "with drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed". The honour is usually bestowed upon local regiments, in recognition of their dedicated service, and it is common for military units to periodically exercise their freedom by arranging a parade through the city.
Australia
Adelaide, South Australia
No. 24 Squadron RAAF 10th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment
Alice Springs, Northern Territory NORFORCE: 1984
Detachment 421, United States Air Force No. 1 Radar Surveillance Unit, Royal Australian Air Force"Seventh Council" . City of Alice Springs. 1 July 1995.
Ararat, Victoria HMAS Ararat II: 16 June 2018.
Bairnsdale, Victoria The 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse: 15 March 1986.
Ballarat, Victoria , RAN: 2 December 2004.
City of Banyule, Victoria The Defence Force School of Signals: 5 October 2025.
Bendigo, Victoria 17th Construction Squadron Workshop: 20 October 2015.
Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane Port Division, RANR: 8 October 1983.
Broome, Western Australia NORFORCE: 1987
Cairns, Queensland , RAN: 26 June 2022.
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australian Defence Force Academy: 15 September 1995. 2001: Royal Military College Duntroon, during that year's GMC 400. USS Canberra, USN: 20 July 2023. , RAN:30 November 2024.
Charters Towers, Queensland 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment: 23 June 1977.
City of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 725 Squadron, RAN: 19 May 2016.
Darwin, Northern Territory NORFORCE: 1982 and 2016 : October 1985. , RAN: 2013.
Derby, Western Australia NORFORCE: 1983
Devonport, Tasmania , RAN: 2014.
Gawler, South Australia , RAN: 26 April 1986.
Gold Coast, Queensland 41st Field Battery, Royal Australian Artillery: 1967. 1st Military District Band: 1989. 213 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 30 October 2016. 221 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 30 October 2016. 222 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 30 October 2016. 232 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 30 October 2016.
Gosford, New South Wales TS Hawkesbury, Australian Navy Cadets.
Goulburn, New South Wales 325 (City of Goulburn) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 7 October 2020.
Ingham, Queensland 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment: 22 October 2022.
Ipswich, Queensland RAAF Base Amberley: 17 June 1970.
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia 16th Battalion The Royal Western Australia Regiment: 19 September 1987 Rare honour for the 2/16th Battalion "Kalgoorlie Miner" Tuesday September 22, 1987, p1
Katherine, Northern Territory NORFORCE: 1986 RAAF Base Tindal: 29 September 2018.
Kingaroy, Queensland The Defence Force School of Signals Electronic Warfare Wing: 8 July 2017.
Kogarah, New South Wales 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery: 14 April 2018.
Ku-ring-gai, New South Wales 17th Battalion The Royal New South Wales Regiment: 17 September 1978.
Kununurra, Western Australia NORFORCE: 1990
Lake Macquarie , RAN: 9 August 1991.
Launceston, Tasmania 508 (City of Launceston) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 21 March 2021. TS Tamar Australian Navy Cadets: 21 March 2021. 52 ACU Launceston Australian Army Cadets: 21 March 2021. 67 ACU Youngtown Australian Army Cadets: 21 March 2021.
Liverpool School of Military Engineering: 1959.
Maitland, New South Wales , RAN: 30 September 2006. 308 (City of Maitland) Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets: 16 November 2013.
Melbourne The Melbourne University Regiment: 29 September 2009. : 16 September 2011.
The Defence Force School of Signals.
City of Moreton Bay, Queensland 1st Signal Regiment The Royal Australian Corps of Signals: 18 October 2025.
Mosman, New South Wales , RAN: 28 October 2025.
Nambour, Queensland 207 (City of Nambour) Squadron, Australian Air Force Cadets: 17 June 2023
Newcastle, New South Wales : 13 December 1994.
Normanton, Queensland 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment: 12 October 1974
Northam, Western Australia 10th Light Horse Regiment: 1979
North Sydney, New South Wales , RAN: 27 November 1992.
Nowra, New South Wales , RAN: 1979. HMAS Creswell, RAN: 1979.
Onkaparinga, South Australia 40th Regional Cadet Unit Noarlunga: 1998. Squadron 605 Australian Air Force Cadets: 2004. Australian Navy Cadets TS Noarlunga: 2004.
Parramatta The 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers: 18 October 1959. , RAN: 28 July 2003.
Perth
, RAN: 4 March 1966. 16th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment: 2 October 1960. 11th/28th Battalion, The Royal Western Australia Regiment. No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron RAAF: 2 March 1976"Conferment of the Freedom of Entry on the Commanding Officer, Officers and Men of No 25 (City of Perth) (Auxiliary) Squadron": City of Perth, Western Australia 2 March 1976 (20 unnumbered pages): Heritage Collections Office, City of Perth History Centre, Perth, Western Australia The 10th Light Horse Regiment: 25 March 2023. 7 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets: 9 September 2026.
Port Stephens 130 Signals SquadronThe Signalmen Vol11 1983
Queanbeyan, New South Wales , RAN: 17 October 1981.
Redland City 95 Wing RAAF: 12 April 2014.
City of Rockingham , RAN: 12 November 1988.
Sale RAAF Base East Sale: 1959.
Salisbury, South Australia RAAF Base Edinburgh: 26 March 1988.
Shoalhaven, New South Wales Fleet Air Arm, RAN:21 October 2022. , RAN:21 October 2022. HMAS Creswell, RAN:21 October 2022.
Sydney Royal Australian Navy: 14 March 2009
3 Wing, Australian Air Force Cadets
Tamworth, New South Wales 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers.
Tennant Creek NORFORCE: 1994
City of Toowoomba, Queensland 7th Signal Regiment: 1975.
Toowoomba Region, Queensland 7th Signal Regiment: 20 September 2025.
Townsville, Queensland 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment: 15 October 1971. 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment: 25 August 1996 3rd Brigade Lavarack Barracks: 27 August 2014. The Australian Army Band Corps: 28 May 2022.
City of Unley, South Australia 10th/27th Battalion The Royal South Australia Regiment: 2006.
Wagga Wagga RAAF Base Wagga Wagga: 1961. The Australian Army Band Kapooka: 15 October 2023.
Whitsunday Region 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment (Australia): 11 May 2024.
Wollongong , RAN: 27 August 2017. 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment. On 27 September 1980 the officers and crew of the Australian submarine HMAS Orion were granted the Freedom of the City of Wollongong in perpetuity.
Wyndham, Western Australia NORFORCE: 1986
Belgium
Herentals Ordnance Depot Antwerp: 1987.
Ypres Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: 1964.
Canada
Alberta
Airdrie Calgary Highlanders
Banff 3 Squadron 41 Signal Regiment: 22 October 2016. Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre (formerly BNACC)
Bon Accord 1 Combat Engineer Regiment: 3 June 2017.
Bonnyville The Royal Canadian Legion (Bonnyville Branch 183): 1 July 2016. 4 Wing Cold Lake: 5 May 2017.
Canmore 878 Banff/Canmore Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron
Calgary Calgary Highlanders: 1956. 1st Battalion The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada: 11 June 1960. King's Own Calgary Regiment Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
4 Wing Cold Lake: 11 May 1999.
41 Signal Regiment 14 (Calgary) Service Battalion: 24 April 1982. 41 Service Battalion: 19 October 2019. 52 City of Calgary Air Cadets 538 Buffalo Squadron 22 RCSCC Undaunted
Cold Lake 4 Wing Cold Lake: 27 August 2004.
Drumheller Correctional Service of Canada: 9 September 2017.
Edmonton Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: 1966. (exercised in 2004 and on 10 August 2014 on occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Regiment). The Canadian Airborne Regiment: 1976. The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) 15 (Edmonton) Service Battalion: 3 June 1995. 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, RCAF: 2001.
1 Service Battalion: 26 August 2018.
Fort McMurray Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Wood Buffalo Detachment): 21 September 2013.
Gibbons Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: 15 September 2014. Canadian Military Engineers. Lord Strathcona's Horse: 22 October 2010.
Grande Cache The Correctional Service of Canada: 17 October 2015.
High River 187 Foothills Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets: 22 September 2016.
Lethbridge 429 Transport Squadron, RCAF: 2008.
Medicine Hat South Alberta Light Horse: October 2005. CFB Suffield: 23 April 2015. British Army Training Unit Suffield: 23 April 2015.
Morinville 1 Service Battalion: September 2011.
Okotoks 187 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets: 24 May 2017.
Red Deer 41 Signal Regiment
Rocky Mountain House 198 Yukon Corps Royal Canadian Sea Cadets: 23 September 2018.
St. Albert Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians): 11 June 2011. 1 Field Ambulance: 30 July 2023.
Strathcona County Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians): 24 August 2013.
Vegreville 41 Combat Engineer Regiment: 29 April 2006.
Wetaskiwin 1 Military Police Regiment: 27 June 2009.
British Columbia
Armstrong The Royal Canadian Legion (Armstrong Branch 35): 22 June 2019.
Chilliwack 39 Combat Engineer Regiment: 26 October 2013. Royal Westminster Regiment: 26 October 2013. 39 Service Battalion: 26 October 2013.
Comox . 19 Wing Comox.
Courtenay CFB Comox: March 1996. The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's): October 1996. HMCS Quadra: August 2008.
The Royal Canadian Legion (Courtenay Branch): 1 July 2016.
Esquimalt 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry: 16 September 1972.
Fort St. John 2276 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps: 10 April 2006.
Kamloops Rocky Mountain Rangers: 19 February 1980. CFS Kamloops: 15 May 1984. The Royal Canadian Legion (Branch No.52): 18 November 1986. The Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada (Unit 290): 27 February 1990. 419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, RCAF: 1 July 1993.
886 (Kamloops Overlander) Wing: 2009.
Kelowna British Columbia Dragoons: 11 February 1963
Maple Ridge Royal Canadian Legion (Maple Ridge Branch 88). The Royal Westminster Regiment.
Nanaimo South Alberta Regiment: April 1941. Le Régiment de Hull: May 1943. Le Régiment de Hull was the first French speaking unit to be posted to the West Coast. It so worried the residents that they doubled their police force. The residents and the Regiment soon broke the linguistic barrier and formed a bond of friendship, often playing in softball tournaments and learning French-Canadien folk songs. Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's): 5 October 1974. , RCN: March 1997.
New Westminster Royal Westminster Regiment, then called the Westminster Regiment: 24 May 1963. , RCN: 3 October 2010.
Parksville The Royal Canadian Legion (Mount Arrowsmith Branch 49): 19 September 2026.
Pitt Meadows The Royal Westminster Regiment: 22 September 2012.
Port Moody Royal Canadian Legion (Port Moody Branch 119): 16 October 2005.
Prince George The Rocky Mountain Rangers: 21 April 2018. The Royal Canadian Army Cadets
Qualicum Beach 19 Mission Support Squadron, RCAF: 7 May 2022.
Richmond 12 (Vancouver) Service Company, then called 12 Service Battalion: 17 April 1993. 39 Service Battalion: 13 April 2014.
Saanich
11 (Victoria) Service Company, then called 11 Service Battalion: April 1994. 11 (Victoria) Field Ambulance, then called 11 (Victoria) Medical Company: September 1994. 39 Service Battalion: 2 May 2014.
Sechelt 2963 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, RCACC: 29 August 1998.
Surrey , RCN: 23 September 2023.
Vancouver , RCN: 13 February 1973. 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA: 12 June 1977. Seaforth Highlanders of Canada: 6 December 1977. British Columbia Regiment: 26 April 1983. 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance: 14 April 2007. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada: 16 April 2011.