HMAS Choules – CONTACT magazine

Royal Australian Navy Recruit Abby Watts on board HMAS Choules off the coast of New South Wales during Exercise Kakadu. Story by Lieutenant Hinako Shiraishi. Photo by Seaman Genae Kelly.

New recruits test sea legs

27/03/202627/03/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 441 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Choules

Testing their sea legs for the first time, 45 Navy recruits from HMAS Cerberus embarked on HMAS Choules for a sea ride they will

Ships from Australia and regional partners transit through the Prince of Wales Channel, off the coast of north Queensland, during Exercise Kakadu. Photos by Seaman Genae Kelly.

News Royal Australian Navy

Kakadu exercises Pacific neighbours

18/03/202621/03/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 332 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, HMAS Choules

The Royal Australian Navy continues to strengthen maritime readiness through officer-of-the-watch manoeuvres with regional partner nations in waters off Australia’s

Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy, Vietnam People's Navy, Royal Thai Navy, Philippine Navy, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Indian Navy attend an Exercise Kakadu harbour brief at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin, NT. Story by Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Williamson. Photo by Seaman Genae Kelly.

News Royal Australian Navy

Six navies align for Exercise Kakadu

18/03/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 338 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu, HMAS Choules, HMAS Coonawarra

The command teams of warships from six nations came together at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin, for the first harbour briefings in support

An Army protective mobility vehicle departs a light landing craft for a beach landing during Exercise Wader. Story by Captain Karam Louli. Photo by Able Seaman Jaxsen Shinners.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Navy

Amphibious force storms Queensland beach

13/03/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 837 Views 0 Comments AAF, Exercise Wader, HMAS Canberra, HMAS Choules

More than 1000 soldiers, sailors and aviators aboard HMA Ships Canberra and Choules participated in Exercise Wader last month, to validate the ADF’s

Bomana War Cemetery, located near Port Moresby, is the final resting place of more than 3300 Australians. Photos by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

Australian Army History Lest We Forget Overseas Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Bomana visit a moving moment for ADF members

25/09/202527/09/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 4154 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Operation Wantaim, PNG, WWII

Two ADF members paid a special visit to their relatives’ graves at the Bomana War Cemetery in Papua New Guinea

Australian Army personnel from the 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, join PNG Defence Force members in a ceremonial gun salute during the Fleet Review at APEC Haus, Port Moresby. Story by Captain Katy Manning. Photos by Corporal Jack Pearce.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Fleet review, open day salute PNG independence

05/09/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 7095 Views 0 Comments 4th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, HMAS Childers, HMAS Choules, PNG

Thousands lined the waterfront at APEC Haus in Port Moresby this week as naval crews stood to attention and ships

Personnel from the French Armed Forces and Australian Army embark HMAS Choules in Townsville, Queensland, in preparation for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. Story by Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photo by Leading Seaman Lauren Pugsley.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Navy Talisman Sabre

Amphibious forces embark for Talisman Sabre 2025

18/07/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 3883 Views 0 Comments Exercise Talisman Sabre, French Armed Forces, HMAS Canberra, HMAS Choules

Preparing for the embarkation and transportation of hundreds of people is no easy task, but for the Australian Amphibious Force

Leading Seaman Maggie James on board HMAS Choules in Hobart. Story by Lieutenant Matilda Nile. Photo by Able Seaman Connor Morrison.

News Royal Australian Navy

Choules brings sea life to shore

13/05/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2482 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Navy Band

HMAS Choules received a warm welcome during a port visit to Hobart, opening its gangway to more than 800 Tasmanian

Members of HMAS Choules’ flight deck team prepare an Army CH-47 Chinook for take-off during deck-landing practice while off the coast of Townsville. Story by Chief Petty Officer Helen Frank. Photos by Able Seaman Danyellah Hill.

News Royal Australian Navy

Doing the safety dance at sea

07/03/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2681 Views 0 Comments 5th Aviation Regiment, CH-47F Chinook, HMAS Choules

HMAS Choules has been training with the big boys of aviation. CAPTION: Members of HMAS Choules’ flight deck team prepare an

HMAS Choules arrives at Port Vila, Vanuatu, for a port visit. Story by Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Williamson.

News Pacific Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Choules’ visits Port Vila

20/11/202423/11/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2053 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Vanuatu

HMAS Choules recently made a short port visit to Port Vila, Vanuatu, after providing support to Samoa for the Commonwealth

HMAS Choules personnel participate in a humanitarian and disaster relief training exercise on board the ship during a south-west Pacific regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Leesa Maroske. Photos by Leading Seaman Matthew Lyall.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

HMAS Choules training for humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions

30/07/202405/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2681 Views 0 Comments HADR, HMAS Choules, Regional Presence Deployment

A recent humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) training exercise demonstrated HMAS Choules‘ readiness to respond to crises at home and

Commanding Officer of HMAS Choules Commander Arron Convery salutes HMS Tamar after successful Officer Of the Watch manoeuvres. Photo by Able Seaman Lucinda Allanson.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Aussies exercise with UK and Japan off Fiji

09/07/202414/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2930 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force, Regional Presence Deployment, Royal Navy, Tonga

One of the Royal Australian Navy’s largest ships, HMAS Choules, recently participated in training exercises with warships from the United

A Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle bound for the Republic of Fiji Military Forces is loaded onto HMAS Choules in Brisbane, Queensland. Photo by Able Seaman Lucinda Allanson.

News Pacific Royal Australian Navy Videos

Choules in Pacific – delivers Bushmasters to Fiji

30/06/202421/07/2024 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4482 Views 0 Comments Bushmaster, Fiji, HMAS Choules, Tonga

HMAS Choules has delivered 14 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to Fiji as part of a month-long deployment in the South

Connor Levinge is following in his father’s footsteps, Chief Petty Officer Carl Levinge, by also joining the Royal Australian Navy. Story by Lieutenant Rebecca Williamson. Photo by Leading Seaman Iggy Roberts.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy Videos

A Navy Week to remember

13/03/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3491 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Navy Week

This year’s Navy Week was a memorable one for 24-year-old Connor Levinge from Mango Hill in Brisbane. CAPTION: Connor Levinge is

Leading Seaman Michael Mason marshals an Army CH-47 Chinook on board HMAS Choules during aviation training off the coast of Townsville, Queensland. Photo by Able Seaman Jasmine Saunders.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Navy

Landing and lifting at sea

28/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2862 Views 0 Comments 5th Aviation Regiment, CH-47F Chinook, HMAS Choules

HMAS Choules is back at sea to enhance its air movement capability and train Navy and Army personnel in essential

HMAS Choules in Sydney Harbour for the 2024 Australia Day celebrations. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photo by Leading Seaman David Cox.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

ADF thrills Sydney’s Australia Day crowds

01/02/202401/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2832 Views 0 Comments 9th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, ADF Red Berets, Australia Day, HMAS Choules, MH-60R Seahawk, Roulettes

With the sun shining bright for Australia Day, the ADF provided a spectacular display on and around Sydney Harbour. CAPTION: HMAS

Australian Army cook Private Aaron Blair prepares food for deployed personnel at the Camp Clark deployable kitchen at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Story by Major Roger Brennan. Photo by Leading Seaman Jarrod Mulvihill.

Australian Army News

Boosting morale one plate at a time

21/11/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2553 Views 0 Comments HMAS Choules, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force

Army cook Private Aaron Blair prepared and delivered the first meal soldiers, sailors and aviators ate at Camp Clark, Solomon

Australian Army Lest We Forget News Royal Australian Navy

Solemn service in Solomons

16/11/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2936 Views 0 Comments AFP, HMAS Choules, Pacific Games, Remembrance Day, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Solomon Islands

With the poignant sound of the Last Post echoing throughout the ship, HMAS Choules took an operational pause to conduct

Gap Year Midshipman Sophia Dakin enjoys some down time on board HMAS Choules during Exercise Malabar. Story by Lieutenant Jonathan Wills. Photo by Leading Seaman David Cox.

ADF People

Sailor excited by sea of opportunities

15/09/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2859 Views 0 Comments ADF Gap Year, Exercise Malabar, HMAS Choules, HMAS Creswell

An interest in travel and life at sea led Midshipman Sofia Dakin, from Queensland’s Gold Coast, to do an ADF

Lieutenant Kento Tago on the bridge of HMAS Choules during Exercise Malabar, NSW. Story by Sub-Lieutenant Tahlia Merigan. Photo by Leading Seaman David Cox.

ADF People

From Japan to the RAN

29/08/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2437 Views 0 Comments Exercise Malabar, HMAS Choules, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force

Exercise Malabar provided Royal Australian Navy (RAN) officer Lieutenant Kento Tago an opportunity to re-connect with his Japanese heritage. CAPTION: Lieutenant

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