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Tracy Burke - Singer Tracy’s Solomons Adventure

Budgewoi’s Tracy Burke is just back from the Solomon Islands, where she has been entertaining Australian troops and police. They are part of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands — RAMSI for short — and it was Tracy’s job to bring them a touch of home if only for a day or two.

“I joined the Navy in 2000 after training at the Hunter School of Performing Arts in Newcastle. I’m now a lead vocalist in the Sydney detachment of the Royal Australian Navy Band.

“My job involves performing in the Navy band at official functions, ceremonial and training parades; and providing music at sporting events, civil parades and festivals.

“It has also taken me to Singapore, India, Tonga, Hawaii, South Africa, Gallipoli, England and the Middle East — and now to the Solomons “Tour de Force” in late October.”

Tracy said she joined the Navy because she wanted to have a good career. “To do something I love every day — and travel the world. But now I’m back, I’m heading for Budgewoi to catch up with family and friends.”

Also performing with the Navy band were solo artists Russell Morris and Darryl Cotton – also known for performing with Somebody’s Image and Zoot respectively; comedian Chris Radburn; magician Adam Dean; didgeridoo artist Adrian Ross; MCs rock guru Glenn A Baker and model Anneliisa Tonisson.

Some 140 ADF personnel are now working alongside military personnel from New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea in support of the Royal Solomon Islands Police, along with other participating Police Forces from Pacific nations.

The Forces Entertainment team regularly takes entertainers to overseas theatres of operations, bringing a little bit of home to the men and women of the Australian Defence Force who are away from loved ones for months at a time.