Our People in QLD
Maxine Davidson and Wendy Gould - Welcome Home Maxine and Wendy
When the Navy’s Guided Missile Frigate HMAS Newcastle berthed at Brisbane last Friday Toowoomba sailors Maxine Davidson and Wendy Gould both took the chance to relax for the weekend with family and catch up with friends from home.
Maxine attended Centenary Heights State High School and joined the Navy as a Steward after Year 12. She’s now been promoted to Able Seaman.
On board she’s responsible for the smooth running of the officers’ mess. Maxine enjoys the interaction that comes with the job and also gets heavily involved at official functions and major events.
The three years Maxine has spent in the Navy have included stopovers in Singapore and Indonesia. When asked what she enjoyed most about the Navy, Maxine was quick to respond, “The travel to different countries and the friendships.”
Lieutenant Commander Wendy Gould is one of the officers that Maxine looks after, and she too was home to for some catching up and to give her two boys a hug.
Wendy attended Toowoomba State High before joining the navy as a sailor in 1982 and later changing over to Supply Officer. She is now responsible for all materiel and logistic support for the ship.
Wendy’s career has shown the way for female Naval officers. She was one of the first female officers to serve at sea outside a training ship, along with the usual shore postings in HMAS Cerberus and Creswell, and Navy Headquarters.
When asked what she enjoyed most about her job, Wendy said “the people, the fun and the diverse range of activities you can only do at sea.”
HMAS Newcastle visited Brisbane from Friday 16 until Monday 19 October in support of Brisbane Navy Week during the visit.