2024 Sydney Annual Lunch

As previously advised, the 2024 Sydney Annual Lunch will be held on Friday 18 October 2024 at HMAS WATSON.

HMAS WATSON’s Commanding Officer and member of the NWOA Committee, CMDR Aaron Scott, has arranged for the Head of the RAN’s Warfare Community, CDRE Philip Stanford, to update NWOA members on current issues and priorities, and afterward to participate in a Q&A session. The briefing will commence at 1100 in the Wardroom and will take about 40 minutes. There will plenty of time for questions and discussion on completion.

Afterward, drinks and lunch will be taken on the balcony with the best view in Sydney. The event will be a no-host function with members able to purchase lunch and drinks in the Mess. (Lunch cost is about $16/ head). Wives and partners are most welcome to attend. After lunch, there will be an opportunity to ‘mix and mingle’ with current PWO students about to commence their primary synthetic warfare assessment in the simulators. The event is expected to conclude around 14.00.

The redevelopment of WATSON continues to restrict vehicular access to the base so public transport is recommended. The 10.15 ferry from Circular Quay will get you to Watsons Bay in plenty of time for the briefing, and there are suitable return services from Watsons Bay at 14.15 or 14.45. There are also regular bus services to/ from the city. Parking will be available in the Gap Bluff carpark and on-street parking is also available but obviously cannot be guaranteed. WATSON will provide a minibus shuttle service from Watsons Bay wharf, and Gap Bluff, to the base commencing at 10.45. A return shuttle service will be available after the lunch. Disabled parking spots are available on request near the Wardroom.

The Committee is hopeful that members will strongly support this event. WATSON has been a staunch supporter of the NWOA in recent years, and this event will provide a unique opportunity to keep abreast of the key issues facing the Warfare community today. Importantly, it also provides a rare opportunity to meet the latest crop of graduates about to join that community.

This lunch has been created as an event on the website and members are requested to use that facility to indicate their attendance. To assist planning, members are requested to respond as soon as possible and prior to 4 October 2024.