Our Journey

After Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve of 1974, the RAAF led the effort to go to the city’s relief. Although the RAAF Base had not been spared in the destruction, as soon as the storm abated its personnel immediately set to work clearing debris from runways to allow limited operations to be restored. The first aircraft to use the airfield was a RAAF Dakota which had been flown south the previous day to escape the cyclone. Meanwhile, a C-130 Hercules configured for medical evacuation had been dispatched from Richmond, NSW, during the mid-afternoon. After diverting to Mount Isa, Queensland, to collect an official party that had got that far by RAAF BAC-111, the flight reached Darwin at 10 pm and landed on the runway marked only by flares ‘under extremely marginal conditions using the aircraft’s radar’

A day after terrorists detonated bombs in two tourist bars on the Indonesian island of Bali on 12 October, killing 202 people (88 of them Australians) and injuring another 209, the Air Force was at the forefront of the relief effort mounted by the Australian Defence Force. Air Force members from across the country were activated and C-130 Hercules transports were specially configured for aeromedical evacuation (AME) tasks. Unfortunately this was repeated when on 01 October 05 a second wave of bombs detonated in Bali killing another 25 people, and injured more than 100 (17 Australians).

Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell was tasked by Minister for Defence Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC in November 2019 to give an order to local base commanders, making clear that they have the authority to use Defence resources to respond to any local contingencies under Defence Assistance to the Civil Community Category 1 (DACC 1) and that assistance continued into 2020.

Senior ADF officers and other commanders were empowered to provide emergency assistance in local emergency situations to save human life, prevent extensive loss of animal life, or widespread damage to property.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft transported firefighter strike teams from Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart among other tasks throughout the Bushfire Assist response.

Defence enhanced its planning and liaison support to emergency services including embedding planners into Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centres and New South Wales Rural Fire Service headquarters.

In March 2020 Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell tasked the Australian Defence Force, through Operation COVID-19 Assist, to provide support to all States and Territories Governments and other Government agencies in order to reinforce, amplify and expand the National capacity to respond to COVID-19.

The ADF response was initiated through the provisions of the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) framework and remains ongoing. Support to date has included the provision of health specialists, logistic support and general work force support to state and territory agencies; for example to assist in border control and to support COVID-19 testing.