Our People in Tasmania

Feeding the sailors who are protecting Australia is just the job for Launceston’s Stuart ‘Chalky’ Chellis.

These days the Leading Seaman in the Navy Reserve is on full-time Reserve service aboard HMAS Armidale, a Darwin-based Navy patrol boat.

Stuart, 32, is part of Operation RESOLUTE, protecting Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone by patrolling our country’s maritime borders to intercept illegal foreign fishing vessels and people smugglers.

“I enjoy keeping the crew fed and happy,” Chalky said, “They’re working hard conducting boardings every day and it’s my job to make sure they’ve got the strength to do it.

“And I’d like to be doing it full-time again, once the kids have grown up a bit and are settled in school,” Chalky said.

Life at sea is a flash-back for Stuart, who was a cook for twelve years in the full-time Navy. He left in 2008 to spend more time at home with his wife, Melissa, and children; Lachlan, 4, and William, 1. Since then he’s been working as a casual Chef and signing up for Reserve work when he needs his ‘Navy kick’.

“I love the Navy,” Chalky said, “We all work as a team. It’s a large family environment and everyone looks after each other.”

While attending Kings Meadows High School (1992-1993) and, later, Launceston College (1994-1995), Chalky was a keen member of the Tamar Athletics Club and played for Evandale Football Club. With the Navy he has gone on to win many Australian Defence Force running competitions and, most notably, came 67th in the 2003 Sydney City to Surf fun run, in a field of 50,000 competitors.

It was the promise of seeing the world, keeping fit and making friends that initially brought him to the Navy. “When I was at school I was playing Aussie Rules and doing athletics,” Chalky said, “Fitness has always been important to me”.

The Navy also came through with its promise to ‘see the world’. “I’ve been on Operations in the Middle East, East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands,” he said, “and I’ve been lucky enough to visit countries like New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. It’s been fantastic!”

Regardless of where Chalky’s travels have taken him, he’s never forgotten his roots, and he returns home to see his dad, Wayne, whenever he can. “I try to take the family home every Christmas,” Chalky said, “Dad and I always get out on his fishing boat and go trout angling.”