By
Graham Davis
The new ANC training ship NUSHIP Toowoomba, is 155 kilometres
from the sea.
Never-the-less the 40 teenagers who man the training ship are
regularly out on the “salty wet stuff” thanks to the
Army.
The commanding officer of the Army’s aviation centre at Oakey
provides a bus, or buses, to take the cadets from the mountain
city to the sea, SBLT Warren Gardner, the training ship’s
commanding officer, told Navy News.
The Army, however is not the only organisation to get behind the
cadets.
The unit was formed in July 2003.
Soon afterwards the Toowoomba City Council swung in behind the
unit.
The no longer used 6th Toowoomba Scout hall was given to the cadets
and improvements made.
“A grant was obtained from the Telstra Kids fund,” SBLT
Gardner said.
“The Mayor of Toowoomba, CLR Diane Thorley refers to the
cadets as ‘her’ cadets and is very supportive.”
SBLT Gardner said the unit had been able to buy its first Corsair
training yacht but received great support from other long established
training ships with the loan of extra craft when needed.
Enthusiasm by SBLT Gardner, his officers and parents is mirrored
by the cadets themselves.
When an annual camp for ANC cadets was held at TS Paluma on the
coast in September, 23 Toowoomba teenagers enrolled.
More exposure of the new unit will come this month because it
has been asked to assist with the Brisbane commissioning of the
new ANZAC frigate HMAS Toowoomba.
The cadets are also expected to have a role in the planned freedom
of entry by the new warship’s ship’s company in March
2006.
Like the warship, NU Training Ship Toowoomba is yet to be formally
commissioned.
“This should take place on October 7,” SBLT Gardner
said. This is one day before NUSHIP Toowoomba’s commissioning
in Brisbane on October 8.
