Townsville Field Training Area

Corporal Jayden Eva, Corporal Stephen Peters and Craftsman Aiden Nydrle conduct vehicle recovery training during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story by Captain Andrew Page. Photos by Private William McCormick.

Recovery mechanics keep vehicles moving

09/07/202610/07/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 444 Views 0 Comments 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Exercise Southern Jackaroo, Townsville Field Training Area

While combat units manoeuvred across the Townsville Field Training Area during Exercise Southern Jackaroo, Army recovery mechanics worked behind the

Corporals Jacob Sofia and Harrison Hinson, of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, with the Quantum Vector drone during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story by Sergeant Matt Bickerton. Photo by Ian Hitchcock.

Australian Army News Science & Technology

New drone uses AI on Southern Jackaroo

09/07/202609/07/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 617 Views 1 Comment 2nd Cavalry Regiment, drone, Exercise Southern Jackaroo, fixed‑wing reconnaissance drones, Townsville Field Training Area, Vector AI

One of Army’s newest fixed‑wing reconnaissance drones took flight on Exercise Southern Jackaroo, identifying targets in depth and enabling drone

An Australian Army soldier conducts a patrol back to his position during Exercise Black Cutlass at Cape Cleveland, Queensland. Story by Captain Cody Tsaousis. Photo by Private Alli Craig.

Australian Army News

Unknown areas test soldiers

09/07/202610/07/2026 Posted by Mike Hughes 548 Views 1 Comment 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Exercise Black Cutlass, Townsville Field Training Area

Personnel from 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR), tested themselves across scenarios and locations in Queensland as part of Exercise

An Army M1110 joint assault bridge deploys under cover from an Abrams tank during a heavy armoured capability demonstration at the Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story and photo by Warrant Officer Class 2 Max Bree.

Australian Army News

New destructive breaching capability on display

30/09/202530/09/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2239 Views 0 Comments 3rd Brigade, M1110 Joint Assault Bridge, Townsville Field Training Area

A barrage of tank and Australian light armoured vehicle (ASLAV) fire shatters an enemy HQ on a hill about 1.5km

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Corporal Matthew Vella, an explosive ordnance disposal assistant from 65 Air Base Recovery Squadron (65ABRS), assesses a Mark 82 bomb with a snake eye tail fin at airstrip at the Townsville Field Training Area. Story by Flight Lieutenant Sharon Sebastian. Photos by Corporal Brett Sherriff.

News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

New foundations for airfield recovery in Australia

03/09/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 8222 Views 0 Comments Exercise Bronze Crocodile, No. 65 Air Base Recovery Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, Townsville Field Training Area, US Air Force

A patch of bushland within Townsville Field Training Area is at the heart of a new airbase resilience capability for

French Armed Forces officer Captain Antoine Lefeuve, left, Commander of the 2nd Company, 21st Marine Infantry Regiment, stands with Commander 3rd Brigade, Brigadier Benjamin McLennan, on completion of Exercise Talisman Sabre at Lavarack Barracks, Queensland. Story by Major Diana Jennings. Photo by Lance Corporal Caitlyn Davill.

Australian Army News Talisman Sabre

Soldiers bid adieu to French comrades

08/08/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2528 Views 0 Comments 3rd Brigade, Exercise Talisman Sabre, French Armed Forces, Townsville Field Training Area

In the Townsville Field Training Area, Australian and French soldiers marked a military partnership milestone as they worked side by

Australian Army heavy vehicles cross a Dry Support Bridge built by soldiers from the 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment during Talisman Sabre 2025 at Townsville Field Training Area. Story and photos by Corporal Luke Bellman.

Australian Army News Talisman Sabre

Overnight success bridges gap for armoured assault

31/07/202503/08/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2768 Views 0 Comments 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, Dry Support Bridge, Exercise Talisman Sabre, Townsville Field Training Area

Under cover of darkness, using specialist equipment, soldiers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment constructed a 46-metre Dry Support Bridge, providing

Soldiers conduct moving grenade drills at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story by Captain Brittany Evans. Photos by Trooper Dana Millington.

Australian Army News

Lobbing grenades in Townsville

23/02/202424/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3349 Views 0 Comments 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, grenade, Townsville Field Training Area

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, (1RAR) conducted static and moving grenade live-fire training at the Townsville Field

Australian Army riflemen from Battle Group Heeler deliver ammunition in a simulated urban assault during Exercise Southern Jackaroo, Townsville Field Training Area. Story by Major Roger Brennan. All photos by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

Australian Army News Videos

Souther Jackaroo tests forces ahead of Talisman Sabre

07/07/202314/07/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 3679 Views 0 Comments 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, 7th Brigade, Diamond Strike, Exercise Southern Jackaroo, Exercise Talisman Sabre, Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF), MRF-D, Townsville Field Training Area, USMC

As dawn broke across the Townsville Field Training Area, marines from the US Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) heard

Singapore Army soldiers demonstrate urban assault techniques at the Shoalwater Bay training area, Queensland, during Exercise Trident in November 2014.

Australian miscellaneous News

Backflip on compulsory land acquisitions

07/02/201707/02/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 6844 Views 0 Comments compulsory land acquisition, Shoalwater Bay, Singapore Military Training Agreement, Townsville Field Training Area

Minister for Defence Marise Payne today confirmed that Defence will only purchase land from willing sellers around Shoalwater Bay Training

Singapore Army soldiers demonstrate urban assault techniques at the Shoalwater Bay training area. Photo by Corporal David Cotton.

Australian miscellaneous News

186 farms in Defence’s sights – Minister’s request for expediency ignored

24/01/201724/01/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 7137 Views 1 Comment compulsory land acquisition, Shoalwater Bay, Singapore Military Training Agreement, Townsville Field Training Area

Yesterday, CONTACT published a piece about how ‘dozens’ of farmers with property adjoining Defence training areas near Rockhampton and Townsville

Singapore Army soldiers demonstrate urban assault techniques at Shoalwater Bay Training Area. File photo by Corporal David Cotton.

Australian miscellaneous News

Minister confirms compulsory land acquisitions for Singapore training

23/01/201724/01/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 10385 Views 0 Comments compulsory land acquisition, Shoalwater Bay, Singapore Military Training Agreement, Townsville Field Training Area

On 13 October last year Defence Minister Marise Payne announced that she had signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Military Training And

Australian miscellaneous News Overseas

Aussie and Singapore DefMins visit Townsville

14/10/2016 Posted by Brian Hartigan 7198 Views 0 Comments High Range, Shoalwater Bay, Singapore, Townsville Field Training Area

Minister for Defence Marise Payne and her counterpart Singapore Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen visited Townsville and met with local