14 March 2025
Navy has once again opened its gates and gangways, offering the public a glimpse of service life during Navy Week.
Navy Week is an annual celebration of Navy’s heritage, capabilities and people, which this year commenced with Navy’s 124th birthday on March 1.
Around the country, ships and establishments offered personnel the opportunity to connect with the community through open days, ceremonial sunsets, official receptions and other activities.
Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond praised Navy personnel during an official reception kicking off Navy Week at the ADF Academy in Canberra.
“It’s wonderful see our people who serve, their families and the broader Australian community come together to celebrate and recognise the crucial role Navy plays in protecting our nation’s economic prosperity and the Australian way of life,” Vice Admiral Hammond said.
Navy held close to 30 activities around Australia to educate people about Navy’s role in protecting Australia and promoting the service as an attractive career option.
'We are a representation of the community we serve, so Navy Week was an extraordinary opportunity to connect with everyday Australians who may not traditionally have access to Navy.'
Open days, band performances and ceremonial sunsets aplenty, a small team from HMAS Harman took Navy inland, visiting eight schools in the picturesque Albury-Wodonga region.
Commanding Officer Harman Commander Dean Thompson said it was good to bring a taste of the sea inland.
“We are a representation of the community we serve, so Navy Week was an extraordinary opportunity to connect with everyday Australians who may not traditionally have access to Navy,” Commander Thompson said.
“Some of the sailors on our tour joined straight out of school in the past year or two, so it was amazing to watch them engaging so easily with students.”
‘Future of the Navy’ was this year’s theme, recognising the investment in a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet, complemented by a future fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
Vice Admiral Hammond said Navy Week recognised the significant investment in the size and lethality of the surface combatant fleet.
“Last year, Navy achieved three successful test firings of new missile capabilities in one year: the Naval Strike Missile, the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk cruise missile,” he said.
“Achieving any one of these milestones is impressive; achieving all three in a single year is extraordinary.”
