The first visit to Australia by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with nine-month-old Prince George looks like a standing room only affair and a huge shot in the arm for the monarchy. But Buckingham Palace's announcement of the itinerary has already left some noses out of joint.

The young royals will not attend Royal Randwick Racecourse on April 19 to watch the premier race in the revamped Australian Turf Club's autumn carnival, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which carries a $4 million first prize. Instead, they will fly to Brisbane to meet personnel and families at RAAF Base Amberley.

But the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's Ceremonial and Hospitality Branch has come up with its own taste of Sydney for the royal couple.

It has ordered up a sort of surf lifesaving carnival for April 18, Good Friday. The royals will watch lifesavers in action after meeting children and families at Bear Cottage children's hospice in Manly. The surf show will be staged in Prime Minister Tony Abbott's electorate of Warringah.

The Manly Life Saving Club has been chosen to host the event on the long stretch of beach it shares with two other clubs.

News that Manly would host the carnival prompted discussion among local early morning swimmers as to whether the Prime Minister could resist pulling on his speedos to show the royals his lifesaving style.

The Ceremonial and Hospitality Branch only told Surf Life Saving NSW that it had to organise the carnival on the weekend.

''It came out of the blue,'' said media and communications manager Donna Wishart. ''I mean, the competition season is over but we'll come up with something.''

Racing NSW chairman John Messara said he had mentioned to the Queen during her visit in 2011 about the possibility of a royal attending the autumn carnival and, even as late as last December, he was confident that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could go to the races.

''Its certainly a disappointment,'' he said. ''But, obviously, they have a very crowded itinerary and there are many, many people and organisations who would love to have [them].''

During their 10-day Australian stay, the royals will visit Sydney (April 16, 18 and 20), the Blue Mountains (April 17), Brisbane (April 19), Uluru (April 22), Adelaide (April 23) and Canberra (April 24 to 25).

It will be the Duchess' first visit. Prince William visited cyclone, flood and fire damaged areas of Queensland and Victoria in 2011.