SOME of the Hunter’s most iconic landmarks were over the weekend transformed into a training ground for the Adamstown-based 8th Combat Engineer Regiment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Around 70 Army reserve engineers attached to the regiment conducted complex urban environment search exercises at Fort Scratchley and Hunter Stadium on Saturday, searching the facilities for any threat and simulating an emergency at a public event.
The team conducted training again on Sunday morning, searching an empty ferry at the Newcastle Fiserhmen’s Co-Op at Wickham and three trains in the Broadmeadow train yard.
The exercise, entitled Taipan Hunt 13, aims to provide hands on training to practice engineer search techniques in an urban environment.
Accompanying the unit, which has supported several domestic operations including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the APEC Summit in 2007, were four Explosive Detection Dogs who sniffed out any signs of bombs.
‘‘Search is one of the niche capabilities that 8 CER has developed over many years,’’ Commanding officer of the 8th Combat Engineer Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Kennedy said.
‘‘Having access to complex urban locations is essential to realistic and challenging training.
‘‘This has been achieved with the support of the Newcastle City Council and many other government and local organisations.’’
The exercise is performed annually at Hunter landmarks by Army reserve engineers based at Adamstown’s Bullecourt Barracks.