Major General David Thomae, Commander of the 2nd Australian Division, said Cairns was an important regional hub for defence, and that would only continue to grow.

“The ability to project power from Cairns, Townsville or northern Australia into our region is critical, we’re investing in infrastructure and capabilities to enhance our defence posture,” he said.

Looking across the next decade, the ADF is focused on “big projects”, General Thomae said.

That includes investments into Australia's naval fleet through a significant shipbuilding program, which General Thomae emphasised was a priority for the federal government.

“Those ships will operate in northern Australia, with the smaller ones (for the navy) to operate out of Cairns and Darwin as their key hubs,” he said.

With the geography of Australia not “having changed much” since World War II both northern Australia and Cairns still hold strategic significance for the ADF.

“The defence strategy emphasises northern Australia’s role, future developments will ensure that Cairns and other northern bases remain pivotal in our defence operations,” General Thomae said.

Who is Major General David Thomae?

Having migrated to Cairns from Canada at the age of four, General Thomae and his family quickly adapted to the relaxed lifestyle of Far North Queensland.

His father took up a position at a local university as an ornithologist (the study of birds).

From Redlynch primary to Cairns State High and finally the Royal Military College in Canberra, General Thomae said the breadth of his education had helped shape his life.

“I did all my schooling here in Cairns, for which I have fond memories, then I went off to Duntroon, the military academy in Canberra, joined the army at age 17 and I’ve been in the army ever since,” he said.

Although he was drawn to a military career from an early age, he studied law as a “backup”.

“Joining the army was my primary goal, but I did get accepted into law at Queensland University of Technology (QUT),” General Thomae said.

After a stint in East Timor in the early 2000s the General returned to law school at QUT to finish his degree and find work as a barrister.

“Working as a barrister was a bit accidental, when I came home from East Timor I faced a decision point in my life where I chose to get out of the full time army, finish my law degree and you know I’ve been working as lawyer ever since in either a big law firm or as a solicitor,” he said.

Ultimately, returning to his camo gear once again, General Thomae is now positioned as the Commander of the 2nd Division and Joint Task Force 629, which oversees a broad range of defence responses, from natural disasters to homeland defence.

“The great thing about the 2nd Division is we’re all over the country, just throw a dart at the map and you’ll find a member of the division in those locations,” he said.

With 138 locations nationwide, the General also said it was a privilege to visit locations around the country including Nhulunbuy, Weipa, Thursday Island and Alice Springs.

“The community normally sees the work we do through the lens of high risk weather season and natural disasters, but it also includes support to state agencies … or it could be in a high end sort of scenario, which is why we’re doing these recent exercises,” General Thomae said.

“The Australian population needs to know we’re there to protect them.”

Navigating leadership and legacy

Despite many highlights throughout his career, General Thomae remains humble, and points to his “amazing team” for his achievements to date.

One of those pivotal moments came during the floods in Northern New South Wales in 2022.

In February of that year, two catastrophic floods devastated communities in the NSW Northern Rivers region caused by an intense and prolonged period of heavy rainfall, which caused extensive damage to communities, infrastructure, and properties.

Emergency services, including the Australian Defence Force, helped with rescue operations, evacuations, and recovery efforts.

General Thomae said the situation was dire with communities feeling abandoned by state and federal governments.

“It was a traumatised time for the communities,” he said.

During the disaster, General Thomae’s role involved co-ordinating the army’s response amid significant public scrutiny.

“The press conferences were intense, particularly with the Prime Minister. It was a period of extraordinary negativity, but we had to navigate it with resilience,” he said.

In 2021, General Thomae was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his command and leadership with the 11 Brigade and as part of Operation Covid-19 Assist, a task group supporting the ADF’s response to the pandemic.

“When we were cutting off the borders and doing a quarantine with the Queensland Police, I had thousands of people allocated to the joint task group that I was in charge of, which was a great honour,” General Thomae said.

“Receiving such recognition is humbling. It’s a reflection of the hard work of the entire team, not just me.”

As he continues to navigate the complexities of his role within the ADF, he said his primary focus would be on ensuring Australia’s defence capabilities were robust and ready for any challenge.

In addition, the decorated General said a vital skill he discovered during his time in defence was the value of “resilience and flexibility”.

“Failure is part of the process,” he said.

“Designing exercises to test boundaries helps us understand where we need to improve. It’s about pushing limits and learning from those experiences.”

At the core of his philosophy towards leadership, General Thomae said it was best to “lead by example” and live the organisation’s values.

“Being a good person and embodying the values of the army is crucial. It’s also about setting the standard for others to follow,” he said.

“This isn’t a job that is just Monday to Friday, it’s a job that requires a lot from you, which means it’s important to pace yourself.”