Members of the Australian Army’s 17th Combat Service Support (17 CSS) Brigade established a camp at Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, as part of the Australian Defence Force support to the Prime Minister’s visit to North East Arnhem Land in September 2014. Fifty Army personnel setup the camp in three days after travelling for five, transporting all their supplies and equipment with them on the 6000km round trip.

Following a request from the Prime Minister, The Hon Tony Abbott MP, the Australian Defence Force provided logistical support to the Prime Minister’s visit to North East Arnhem Land to spend a week engaging with local Indigenous communities and community leaders in September 2014.

Elements of 17 CSS Brigade provided catering and logistical services to establish a camp at the Gulkala, the site of the annual Garma festival, Northern Territory, for up to 150 people.

During the visit the Prime Minister observed elements of the North West Mobile Force (NORFORCE) during a training activity and participated in a memorial service to Indigenous soldiers who served in the Northern Territory in World War 2.

NORFORCE’s primary role is reconnaissance, surveillance and community engagement throughout the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The unit’s 600 soldiers include 540 reservists, of whom around half are Indigenous. The unit conducts long-range patrols, drawing heavily on the skills and local knowledge of these Indigenous patrolmen.