Join the RAEME Association Darling Downs for its final luncheon of the year and an early celebration of the Corps Birthday!
Members, guests, families, partners and anyone associated with the Corps are warmly invited to the Ambrose Deck at the City Golf Club in Toowoomba. It’s a great opportunity to catch up with mates, celebrate our shared Corps connection and round out the year together.
City Golf Club membership is free and lasts for three years, offering discounts on meals and drinks, along with free tickets in the monthly car draw held on the last Sunday of each month.
- Date: Sunday 15 November 2026
- Time: 12.00 pm–4.00 pm
- Venue: Ambrose Deck, Toowoomba City Golf Club, 254 South Street, South Toowoomba
- Catering: Meals and drinks available at your own cost
- Dress: Casual
- RSVP:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Organisers: Peter Pile and Clarrie Sanders
Further details will be published closer to the day.
Please pass on the invitation to anyone who would enjoy coming along. We look forward to seeing you there!
RAQ NQ end-of-year gathering – Saturday 12 December 2026
Above: Members and guests enjoying the September 2026 gathering
Join RAQ North Queensland for an end-of-year get-together at The Vale Hotel, with an afternoon of mateship, good company and Corps camaraderie.
All RAQ members, current and former RAEME members, and friends of the Corps are warmly invited. Those travelling from further afield are encouraged to make a weekend of it and enjoy some North Queensland hospitality.
- When: Saturday 12 December 2026, from 12.30 pm onwards
- Where: The Vale Hotel, 222 Ross River Road, Aitkenvale QLD 4814
- Venue phone: (07) 4779 0100
The afternoon will include a RAEME badge raffle, a $100 member draw and bar snacks from 1.30 pm. RAEME merchandise will also be available for purchase.
Come along, catch up with old mates, meet new friends and celebrate the end of the year—RAEME NQ style!
Enquiries:
Sunshine Coast Chapter’s Final Get-Together for 2026 - Brightwater Hotel
Above: Members and guests enjoy the July gathering at the Brightwater Hotel.
Round out the year with good company at the RAEME Sunshine Coast Chapter’s final get-together for 2026.
- Date: Sunday, 22 November 2026
- Time: 1200 hrs (midday)
- Venue: Brightwater Hotel
- Address: 15 Freshwater St, Mountain Creek QLD 4557
It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a leisurely Sunday afternoon in relaxing surroundings, catch up with old mates and make some new friends. Share a few stories, a few laughs and reconnect with the RAEME family before the busy festive season begins.
Recent gatherings have attracted around 50 people, and we’d love to see another strong turnout to finish the year. Whether you’re a regular or joining us for the first time, you’ll find a warm welcome. There will also be lucky door prizes up for grabs!
Save the date—more details will be available closer to the day. If you already know you can attend, please let us know to help with the hotel booking.
RSVP:
We look forward to seeing you there!
RAEME Sunshine Coast Chapter
St Eligius Trophy 2026 – Showcasing Queensland Excellence
Above: Amongst the well-deserved winning 7th Brigade team with Corps RSM WO1 Jon Tynan, Representative Colonel Commandant RAEME BRIG Ed Smeaton CSM, Head of Corps BRIG Gabrielle Follett AM, and RSM–Army WO1 Brad Doyle OAM at Victoria Barracks, Sydney..
From 12–13 October 2026, Holsworthy Barracks hosted the third annual St Eligius Trophy competition, testing and developing the Army’s Land Domain Support System Methods of Employment, with a strong focus on tactical maintenance.
Named in honour of St Eligius, patron saint of the Corps, the event showcases the technical skills and leadership of our soldier-technicians and junior officers. Through challenges including contingency maintenance, battle damage repair, recovery practices, controlled parts exchange and rapid adaptation, participants demonstrated the ingenuity and resilience that keep Army moving.
This year saw fierce competition between teams from the 1st, 3rd and 7th Brigades along with teams from the 17th Sustainment Brigade and Special Operations Command. Following a day of rehearsals, the 14-hour competition day began at 0430 hrs with a 90-minute PT session. The event culminated in a formal dinner and presentation ceremony attended by the Head of Corps, the Representative Colonel Commandant, the RSM-A, a former mechanic, and the Corps RSM. 7th Brigade emerged as the overall winner.
Now in its third year, the St Eligius Trophy competition is establishing a strong tradition of building the skills, confidence and capability needed for future operations. Congratulations to all participants, organisers, support staff and the hosting unit.
Editor's Note: On behalf of the RAEME Association Queensland, we congratulate Queensland-based 7th Brigade on winning this year’s trophy.
Article adapted from information and photographs supplied by Maintenance Matters.
Corps Update - Recognising achievement and looking ahead
Above: Numbered, framed commemorative gifts marking the 40th anniversary of the Prince Philip Banner presentation are available for purchase. They feature the anniversary parade held in May this year and its links to the original parade in 1986. To enquire or order, email the RAEME HOC Cell at
The latest update from outgoing Corps RSM WO1 Jon Tynan highlights success in the St Eligius Competition, new Corps appointments and recognition of outstanding tradespeople, alongside discussions about the future of RAEME.
Congratulations to 7th Brigade, winners of this year’s St Eligius Competition in Sydney. Five formation teams tackled demanding technical and soldiering assessments involving physical endurance, live firing, navigation and trade challenges. Aviation technicians were integrated into each team for the first time, broadening the skills tested.
The update outlines an intention to send available members of the winning team to represent the formation at the Farriers Cup competition in New Zealand in early 2028.
Several Queensland-based members featured among the Corps award recipients:
- Artificer of the Year: WO2 Phillip Javens, 3 CSSB.
- JNCO of the Year: CPL Michael Kukas, 3 RAR.
- ARA South Queensland Craftsman of the Year: CFN Samuel Walsh, 8/9 RAR.
- ARES South Queensland Craftsman of the Year: CFN Anthony Lamb, 11 CSSB.
- ARA North Queensland Craftsman of the Year: CFN Tobias Clarence, 3 CSSB.
Congratulations to all recipients on this recognition of their contribution. Award trophies are expected to reach Regional RAEME Representatives ahead of the RAEME Birthday celebrations.
The following appointments were announced at the Corps Conference:
- Deputy Head of Corps – Land: LTCOL Adon Cadona.
- Deputy Head of Corps – Aviation: MAJ Harry More.
- SO2 Corps: MAJ Katelyn Thorne, assisted by MAJ Perry Boer.
- Corps Warrant Officer: WO1 Brian Vaughan.
Master Artificers
- ECN 222: WO1 Jason Peterson.
- ECN 235: WO1 Todd Ryan.
- ECN 418: WO1 Brad Sanderson.
- ECN 229: WO1 Richard Holden.
- ECN 412: WO1 Kent Herrmann.
The Head of Corps appointment remains subject to confirmation by the Chief of Army. RAQ congratulates the incoming team and looks forward to maintaining strong connections between serving members and the Association community.
The Corps Conference at Holsworthy examined technician training, maintenance in a contested environment, drones and counter-drone capabilities, adaptive manufacturing and industry partnerships. RSM–Army WO1 Brad Doyle OAM delivered the keynote address on training and the future of technicians.
Ian Cook developed a presentation on behalf of the RAEME Associations, highlighting how Associations connect serving members with the wider Corps community. On ASEME’s eventual relocation from Latchford Barracks, the update emphasised that a move would not occur until suitable infrastructure was in place.
After four years as Corps RSM, WO1 Jon Tynan is concluding his tenure. RAQ sincerely thanks Jon for his commitment to the Corps and the support he has provided to our Association and others around Australia. We wish him every success in his next chapter.
Arte et Marte.
Remembering 25 Years of Australian Service in Afghanistan - Canberra
A national commemorative service at the Australian War Memorial on Sunday, 11 October 2026 marked the 25th anniversary of Australian service in Afghanistan. Organised by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), the service honoured those who served in Australia’s longest conflict and recognised the sacrifices of their families.
Families played a central role, with a family member laying the first wreath ahead of government representatives and another delivering a reading. Their involvement reflected the enduring contribution of families and the importance of recognising their experiences of service and sacrifice.
The service is available to watch on ABC iview. Veterans, serving members, families and the wider community can also request a free commemorative coin through DVA as a lasting acknowledgement of this significant anniversary.
Article adapted from information and photographs supplied by DVA.
ADF Drone Racers bring World Championship skills to the Gold Coast
Above: Wing Commander Kieran Joyce discusses ADF drone racing and the Association’s involvement in the Global Drone Show on the Gold Coast.
The ADF Drone Racing Association will bring high-speed racing action to the Global Drone Show on the Gold Coast, teaming up with FPV Rebels to showcase the excitement and precision of first-person-view drone racing.
The demonstration will feature eight pilots competing across three races in an elimination format. Spectators can watch the action from the football oval, while footage streamed from the pilots’ goggles to big screens will provide a thrilling view from the cockpit.
The appearance follows the Australian team’s eighth world championship victory, secured recently in the United Kingdom, as ADF drone racing enters its tenth year.
Wing Commander Kieran Joyce, President of the ADF Drone Racing Association, said the drones reach speeds of up to 200 kilometres an hour, demanding quick thinking, accuracy and precise control.
Beyond the excitement of competition, he highlighted the skills that transfer to military drone operations. Racing develops the ability to interpret a changing three-dimensional environment and translate what pilots see through their goggles into accurate controller movements.
Gaming experience can offer a useful starting point, although developing those abilities into competitive flying skills takes dedicated training and practice.
For visitors to the Global Drone Show, it’s an opportunity to see world-class pilots in action, experience their view of the race and learn how an exciting sport can help develop skills relevant to Defence.
Editor's Note: Wing Commander Kieran Joyce is a RAQ Life Subscriber and former RAEME Lieutenant Colonel who has been heavily involved in introducing drones into Army. He was also a contributing editor of the Corps history book, With Skill and Fighting: Craftsmen of the Australian Army 1942–2014.
Article adapted from an interview with Wing Commander Kieran Joyce.
Army Drone Racing Team at Land Forces 2026- Perth
Pictured above (top): CAPT Tom ‘Gashy’ Gash and Major General Ash Collingburn AM DSM, Commander 1st Division.
The Army Drone Racing Team attracted plenty of interest at Land Forces 2026 in Perth, with visitors stopping by to meet the team and learn more about the sport.
Among those visiting was Major General Ash Collingburn AM DSM, Commander 1st Division, providing an opportunity for the team to showcase the skills involved in drone racing.
Congratulations to WonderFPV, who took out the fastest pilot honours at Axia Dynamis. Another highlight was AndyDL’s presentation at the Chief of Army’s symposium.
Well done to everyone involved in representing the Army Drone Racing Team and sharing their enthusiasm with visitors throughout the event.
Article adapted from information and photographs supplied by Defence.
