Lauren Bishop

Growing up in Redland Bay while completing her secondary schooling at Our Lady’s College, Annerley, Lauren Bishop spent most summer holidays on Stradbroke Island with her grandparents, rather than picking strawberries in the local area.

While fishing and swimming at Point Lookout, Lauren had a strong desire to learn how to cook and started her first job as an apprentice chef at a “fine-dining” restaurant in Brisbane.

Her love of cooking led Lauren to join the Australian Defence Force, as a cook, with a view to saving enough money to continue her cooking training in Italy.

Twenty years later Squadron Leader Lauren Bishop is now the Royal Australian Air Force’s Senior Movements Officer at Headquarters Number 96 Wing, RAAF Base Amberley.

“My team and I are responsible for ensuring safe delivery of the air movements and aviation refuelling capability for Air Force,” said Squadron Leader Bishop. 

“Within Number 96 Wing we have a workforce of approximately 330 people who are working hard to prepare cargo for load and unload operations and to refuel aircraft across the globe.

“Like our aircraft I have had the opportunity to travel extensively with one highlight being a deployment to Antarctica in support of Operation Southern Discovery. 

“I worked and lived in Antarctica as the Casey Station Logistics Officer during the 2017-18 summer,” she said.

Squadron Leader Bishop was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for her logistics support to the Air Force’s Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operations.

In her spare time Squadron Leader Bishop is a keen hiker.

“Last winter my daughter and I completed the Overland Track in Tasmania and we have also done some hiking in the Canary Islands,” said Squadron Leader Bishop.