Puckapunyal Archives - CONTACT magazine

Combat engineers from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment train on the Australian Army's first assault breacher vehicles at Puckapunyal Military Area. Story by Major Dan Mazurek. Photos by Corporal Robert Whitmore.

Australian Army finally gets combat engineer vehicles

13/06/202515/06/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1521 Views 0 Comments 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV), M1110 Joint Assault Bridge, M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle, Puckapunyal, Sapper, School of Armour (SoARMD)

Australian sappers got their hands dirty, literally and figuratively, on the newly delivered Combat Engineering Vehicles (CEV) in the Puckapunyal

Australian Army News Science & Technology

Land autonomous systems and teaming demonstration

11/10/202412/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2736 Views 0 Comments 1st Armoured Regiment, Army Battle Lab, Puckapunyal, Robotics and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office (RICO)

From commanding armoured vehicles in land combat to operating emerging technology, robotics and autonomous systems, soldiers from the 1st Armoured

A Melbourne University Regiment part-time soldier detonates an M18A1 Claymore under the supervision of an instructor during the Land Combat Module conducted at Puckapunyal Military Training Area. Story by Captain Rohan Hurst and Captain Andrew Lee. Photos by Captain Rohan Hurst.

Australian Army News

New training module bolsters reserve capability

23/08/202423/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1987 Views 0 Comments 8th Brigade, Army Reserve, Claymore mine, Puckapunyal

8th Brigade’s Melbourne University Regiment has been training Australia’s newest part-time soldiers through the new Land Combat Module (LCM) this

AIM Defence employees operate the AIM Defence counter-UAS directed-energy weapons system during a demonstration at the Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria. Story and photos by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

Australian Army News Science & Technology Sovereign industry

Defence tests anti-drone laser

18/06/202420/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2644 Views 1 Comment counter-UAS directed-energy weapons system, Fractl Portable High Energy Laser, Puckapunyal, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office (RICO)

At a Puckapunyal range, where tanks and explosions are commonplace, last month a new type of weapon system was put

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tank fires its 120mm cannon during a live-fire serial for the Coral-Balmoral Cup at Puckapunyal Military Area. Story by Captain Thomas Kaye. Photos by Corporal Johnny Huang.

Australian Army News

Armoured crews clash for cup

17/05/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1618 Views 0 Comments 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry), Coral and Balmoral Cup, Puckapunyal, School of Armour, US Marines

Cavalry and tank teams from across the Australian Army, and personnel from the United States Marine Corps, went head to

Australian Army soldiers prepare for a combat team quick attack with M1A1 Abrams and M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers during Exercise Iron Warrior 23 at Puckapunyal. Story and photos by Corporal Michael Rogers.

Australian Army News

Training to target drones

08/12/202309/12/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2845 Views 1 Comment ASLAV, Exercise Iron Warrior, M113AS4, M1A1 Abrams, Puckapunyal

The booming sound of Browning .50-calibre machineguns echoed across the range at Puckapunyal as a platoon of M113AS4 gun cars

A soldier from the 22nd Engineer Regiment guards an "enemy" combatant during Exercise Platypus Survives at Puckapunyal Military Training Area. Story by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton. Photos by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

Engineers ‘bumped off’ then retake hill in challenging exercise

30/11/202310/12/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 1414 Views 0 Comments 22nd Engineering Regiment, Exercise Platypus Survives, Puckapunyal

Despite building a series of pits and firing positions on a hill, sappers from 22 Engineer Regiment (22ER), 4th Brigade,

Defence Work Experience Program participants Alexandra Ibrahim and Angella Dcunha, of Saint Monica, get ready to go for a ride in an Australian light armoured vehicle during an open day for school students at Puckapunyal. Photos by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

Students leave open day enthused

19/09/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 1638 Views 1 Comment Defence Work Experience Program, Puckapunyal

The Puckapunyal Military Area was a sea of orange vests in early September when more than 1300 school students from

A soldier from the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment prepares to record firing orders next to an 81mm mortar at Puckapunyal training area, Victoria. Story by Captains Andrew Lee and Mark Blackman. All photos by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

Mortar course puts trainees on right trajectory

28/06/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 1975 Views 0 Comments 11th/28th, 2nd Division, 2nd/17th Battalion Royal NSW Regiment (2/17RNSWR), 5th/6th Battalion, 9th Royal Queensland Regiment, Army Reserve, Puckapunyal, Royal Victoria Regiment, Royal Western Australia Regiment

A basic mortar course for trainees at 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment (5/6RVR) was the first of its kind for

Cadets from the Royal Military College-Duntroon and Indonesian Army exercise patrol tactics at Puckapunyal military training area. Story by Corporal Veronica O’Hara. Photo by Major Michael Kiting.

Asia Australian Army News

Australian and Indonesian military colleges on short-term exchange

23/12/202202/01/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 3196 Views 0 Comments Puckapunyal, Royal Military College-Duntroon (RMC-D)

Indonesian Army officer cadets integrated into Royal Military College-Duntroon (RMC-D) platoons in late October during the annual short-term cadet exchange

Defence members posting from Puckapunyal take part in a farewell from country smoking ceremony. Story by Major Carrie Robards. Photo by Kerry Ferrari.

Australian Army News

Ceremony held to farewell members at Puckapunyal

12/12/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1432 Views 0 Comments Indigenous, Puckapunyal

Defence members posting from Puckapunyal have been farewelled from country. CAPTION: Defence members posting from Puckapunyal take part in a

Corporal Susan Touch won 'best editor' at the 2022 Ediplay International film Festival in France. Story by Major Carrie Robards. Photo by Private Kelsey Innes.

ADF People

Army film editor recognised on the world stage

07/12/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1364 Views 0 Comments Puckapunyal

An Army multimedia technician has found an unexpected calling to the short-film industry. CAPTION: Corporal Susan Touch won ‘best editor’

Dash Gurung stands in front of an Australian Army M113 armoured personnel carrier after the firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal. Story by Major Carrie Robards. Photo by Lance Corporal Katy Manning.

ADF People

Dash’s dream comes true

23/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1695 Views 0 Comments ASLAV, M113, M1A1 Abrams, M777 Howitzer, Puckapunyal

Dash Gurung’s passion for the Army grew when he got to experience a recent firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal. CAPTION: Dash

Vehicles from the School of Armour fire on target during the firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal Military Area on August 17. Story by Major Carrie Robards. Photos by Private Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

Pucka community brought up close to action

26/08/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2663 Views 0 Comments ASLAV, Combined Arms Training Centre, M113, M1A1 Abrams, M777 Howitzer, Puckapunyal

For soldiers, explaining their role to their biggest supporters – their close friends and family – can be difficult. CAPTION:

An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tank fires its main armament during Exercise Gauntlet Strike at Puckapunyal Military Training Area. Story by Captain Andrew Page. Photo by Corporal Dustin Anderson.

Australian Army News

Junior combat officers ready for command

13/07/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2553 Views 0 Comments Combined Arms Training Centre, Exercise Gauntlet Strike, Puckapunyal

The Australian Army’s newest qualified combat arms officers rose to the challenge of command during Exercise Gauntlet Strike at Puckapunyal

Sergeant Wei Huang, from the School of Armour, discusses the vehicles on display with Henry Rogers and his father, Tom, at the Puckapunyal Military Area community open day. Story by Major Carrie Robards. Photo by Private Kelsey Innes.

ADF People

Rare glimpse of Puckapunyal for public

28/04/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2057 Views 0 Comments Puckapunyal

Members of the public got a rare opportunity when the Puckapunyal military area opened its gates for a day in early April.

Australian Army soldiers and Defence civilian staff from Puckapunyal and Defence Plaza Melbourne participate in a Welcome to Country. Story by Major Peta Langbehn.

Australian Army News

Indigenous welcome to Puckapunyal

31/03/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2625 Views 0 Comments Indigenous, Puckapunyal

Puckapunyal military area in Victoria recently conducted a smoking ceremony to welcome newly arrived Indigenous military and Australian Public Service personnel to