Our People in SA
Julianne Cocks - Jule of Mt Crawford sails 25,000km round the world
Mt Crawford girl, Julianne Cocks will soon return home from a 25,000km round-the-world voyage, and what an adventure she has had.
“The trip was amazing and an experience that I will never forget. How many people get to go around the world on a warship?”
Julianne is a Petty Officer Marine Technician in the Royal Australian Navy on board HMAS SYDNEY. She is the engineering supervisor responsible for the operation and control of the propulsion gas turbines as well as the maintenance of various engineering auxiliary and electrical controls.
Sydney, together with HMAS BALLARAT left Australia in April on Northern Trident 09 – a deployment aimed at supporting Government of Australia priorities such as diplomacy, international security and Defence industry interests in selected Western European, Northern American and Asian countries.
The deployment has had plenty of highlights, from rescuing a merchant vessel under attack from pirates, visiting ports in India, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada as well as the United States where the ship sailed past the Statue of Liberty before berthing in New York for a four day official visit.
Julianne also got to sail through both the Suez and Panama Canals – something not many people ever get to do.
“I joined the Navy in 1997 as I was very interested in mechanics and could think of nothing better than getting an education and playing with some very large engines and machines. The main highlight for me was the Panama Canal as I have always been fascinated by the engineering feat to build such a large structure. I also enjoyed the excitement of sailing into a different port for the first time, and receiving the amazing hospitality of the local people, especially in St. John’s, Canada. Also whilst transiting the Atlantic Ocean we went through fog so thick that you couldn’t see 15 metres in front of us. This was particularly scary when we were in an area known for icebergs!
While this trip was not Julianne’s first overseas trip with the Royal Australian Navy, (she has been deployed to the Persian Gulf twice and visited Sri Lanka, the west coast of Canada and the United States, South East Asia as well as New Zealand), this trip is certainly one of her most memorable.
“The experiences that I had during the time I was away will definitely not be forgotten in a hurry, that’s for sure. I have bought plenty of souvenirs to remind of the places I visited as well as a Beefeater bear and a Henry VIII bear for my nieces and nephew and a Sherlock Holmes hat for my brother Jason.”
And while being in the Navy has taken Julianne away to all corners of the globe, her family couldn’t be happier.
“My family have always been really supportive about me being in the Navy and going away. My father Robert is extremely proud of what I have achieved, while my mother Louise, whilst also proud, always carries that motherly worry with her about the prospect of me potentially being deployed for war again.
“For now though, this trip has been a fantastic experience and it will be great to show my family my photos and tell them all about the trip when I return home to the Adelaide Hills,” said Julianne.