Oakey Army Aviation Base units sent north to help with North Queensland Flood recovery

Australian and Singaporean army personnel stationed at the Oakey Army Aviation Base have answered the call to support communities in North Queensland hit hard by recent flooding.

Mr Scott and Tim Broodbank from Telstra Service provide generator support to the town of Ingham during the North Queensland floods in 2025.

Oakey Army Aviation Base personnel have been deployed to the North Queensland to help with the flood recovery effort near the hard-hit town of Ingham.

The units include two Australia Army AW139s from the 5th Aviation Regiment and two Chinook helicopters from Singapore’s 127th Squadron that are stationed at the base.

Commander of the 16th Aviation Brigade Brigadier Fern Thompson said the deployment follows a long tradition of Australian and Singaporean army personnel lending a hand during natural disasters.

“The AW139s moved north on Monday, they arrived in Townsville on Tuesday and immediately commenced resupply of personnel and equipment to the township of Ingham,” she said.

Volunteers from the Australian Red Cross listen to a passenger brief before embarking in an AW139 aircraft at 5th Aviation Regiment in support of the North Queensland floods in 2025.

“They are still providing support to Ingham, they are flying all day in support of that community and flying alongside our Chinook choppers that are a permanently based at Townsville.”

The crews are delivering food, personnel and electricity generators.

“I think any emergency first responder is always greeted received with a sign of relief,” Brigadier Thompson said.

“We are rarely the first people on the ground, we come in behind the police, SES and Queensland Ambulance Service.

“We are always in the support in the role for those formidable and resilient organisations.”

A CH-47F Chinook from the 5th Aviation Regiment lands in Ingham, QLD with State Emergency Service and Queensland Police Service onboard in support of the North Queensland Floods in 2025

Prior to the 2025 deployment, Australian Defence Force personnel were called on to help Queensland communities affected by the 2020 bushfires and 2022 floods.

Brigadier Thompson said North Queenslanders have a special connection to the Australian Army.

The view from the window of a CH-47F Chinook as the aircraft comes into Ingham, QLD in support of the North Queensland Floods in 2025. From late January 2025 heavy rain and flooding occurred in large areas of eastern north Queensland. Coastal and adjacent inland communities between Mackay and Cairns were the most impacted by the record breaking rain event. At the request of the Queensland Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency, the Australian Defence Force provided rotary wing support to the state-government led response to the flooding.

“Townsville is very proud community, we are often referred to as a garrison town, the defence force members live in the community, we are the community and we support the community,” she said.

Along with resupplying isolated the community, the ADF has also constructed a temporary bridge over Ollera Creek after a section of the Bruce Highway was washed away.

Originally published as Oakey Army Aviation Base units sent north to help with North Queensland Flood recovery