She Served Au

05/08/2026

I’m incredibly honoured (and still a little surprised!) to share that I’ve been named a Finalist in the People & Culture category of the 2026 ADM Women in Defence Awards.

To be recognised alongside such remarkable women is a privilege.

Congratulations to my fellow finalists:
• Alison Petchell
• Lucinda Casey
• Michelle Ryan
• Taryn Dickens

Each of you has made an outstanding contribution to the Defence and veteran community, and I wish you every success on the night.

This recognition is also a reflection of everyone who has stood beside She Served AU. Together we’re working to ensure the service and stories of Australian women veterans are seen, heard and remembered—not as a footnote, but as an enduring part of our nation’s history.

My sincere thanks to ADM for recognising women across Defence, veteran advocacy and industry, and to the judges for this incredible honour.

A special thank you to the sponsors who make these awards possible:
Downer (Headline Sponsor),
BAE Systems Australia,
AECOM,
Hanwha Defence Australia,
BUPA,
Smart,
and Aspen Medical.

I look forward to celebrating with all the finalists in Canberra on 29 October.

Celebrate, connect and support Women Shaping Defence

Women in Defence Awards Gala Dinner

Thursday 29 October 2026
The National Arboretum Canberra
6.30pm—10.30pm

https://book-this.com/women-in-defence-awards-2026/ticket

PeopleAndCulture AustralianDefence Leadership NotAFootnote BeTheChangeYouFought2See Finalist

05/08/2026

I’m incredibly honoured (and still a little surprised!) to share that I’ve been named a Finalist in the People & Culture category of the 2026 ADM Women in Defence Awards.

To be recognised alongside such remarkable women is a privilege.

Congratulations to my fellow finalists:
• Alison Petchell
• Lucinda Casey
• Michelle Ryan
• Taryn Dickens

Each of you has made an outstanding contribution to the Defence and veteran community, and I wish you every success on the night.

This recognition is also a reflection of everyone who has stood beside She Served AU. Together we’re working to ensure the service and stories of Australian women veterans are seen, heard and remembered—not as a footnote, but as an enduring part of our nation’s history.

My sincere thanks to ADM for recognising women across Defence, veteran advocacy and industry, and to the judges for this incredible honour.

A special thank you to the sponsors who make these awards possible:
Downer (Headline Sponsor),
BAE Systems Australia,
AECOM,
Hanwha Defence Australia,
BUPA,
Smart,
and Aspen Medical.

I look forward to celebrating with all the finalists in Canberra on 29 October.

Celebrate, connect and support Women Shaping Defence

Women in Defence Awards Gala Dinner

Thursday 29 October 2026
The National Arboretum Canberra
6.30pm—10.30pm

https://book-this.com/women-in-defence-awards-2026/ticket

02/08/2026

02/08/2026

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

We’ve all heard the saying.

But perhaps we’ve misunderstood it.

An empty cup isn’t filled with good intentions. It isn’t filled with promises, kind words or motivational quotes. It is filled by action. Real rest. Real support. Real connection. Real people showing up when they say they will.

Words matter.

Actions are what make those words visible.

Lately I’ve fallen down a wonderful hyperfocus rabbit hole—lighthouses.

I’m completely captivated by A Brief Atlas of the Lighthouses at the End of the World by Gonzalo Macías. As someone who has always loved cartography, navigation and maps, it feels like the perfect blend of art, engineering and history.

Each lighthouse is presented with incredible care. Alongside the story is its exact latitude and longitude, a location map, construction dates, whether it’s automated, the height above sea level, the focal plane of the light, and even a beautifully simple architectural elevation that places the structure into perspective. It’s meticulous, thoughtful and utterly fascinating.

The focal plane particularly caught my attention.

It isn’t simply how tall the lighthouse is.

It’s the point where the light is projected furthest into the darkness so others can safely find their way.

That feels like such a fitting metaphor for service.

Many of us spend so much time trying to stand taller, work harder and give more. But perhaps what really matters isn’t our height—it’s where we focus our light.

Because a lighthouse doesn’t save ships by talking about the light.

It saves them by shining it.

May we fill our own cups enough that our actions become the light others can rely upon.

Highly recommend this beautiful book if you enjoy history, navigation, engineering, maps, or simply appreciating extraordinary human achievement. Gonzalo Macías has created something truly special, and I’m definitely a fan.

A Brief Atlas of the Lighthouses at the End of the World has become one of those rare books that makes you slow down, look closer, and appreciate the extraordinary amount of thought that has gone into every page.

Thank you, Jose Luis Gonzalez Macias, for creating such a beautiful work.

From one cartography enthusiast and lighthouse admirer to another—I absolutely loved it.

If you enjoy lighthouses, navigation, maps, maritime history, architecture, or simply beautiful books, I highly recommend adding this one to your collection.

13/07/2026

Visibility starts with conversations.

©️ is proud to celebrate with .sandbox©️ as a sponsors of VESPIIA Future Frontlines – Issue 5: Workforce Capability and the Experience of Women in Service Environments.

It was a privilege for our founder, ©️, to meet The Honourable Linda Reynolds CSC and present a copy of this important publication. Thank you for your time, your service, and your contribution to improving the experience of women in Defence. https://vespiia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/VESPIIA_Future-Frontlines_Issue-5_Web.pdf

Congratulations to Shannon Hennessy, Greg Whitehouse, and the entire VESPIIA team for producing a publication that shines a light on the structural and cultural challenges experienced by women across Defence, veteran, emergency services and first responder communities.

And on a lighter note… here’s to uniforms designed for the people who actually wear them! To every woman who remembers the infamous men’s trousers… if you know, you know. 😉

Together, we continue to champion visibility, recognition and meaningful change for Australian women who have served.

FutureFrontlines VESPIIA DefenceWomen VeteranCommunity Leadership VisibilityMatters AustralianDefenceForce Service IfYouKnowYouKnow NoMoreWedgies

03/07/2026

Thank you Women Veterans Network Australia - WVNA 🚺🇦🇺🫡

13/06/2026

RIP MR H

May the beers be cold and the stories long

Thank you for the laughs and insane hangovers

Calypso kisses and furry cuddles aplenty, peace to you my brother

13/06/2026

Stop 🛑 the Harm

12/06/2026

STOP THE HARM. FACILITATE THE HEALING.

How many inquiries?

How many reviews?

How many survivor stories?

How many women have to carry the consequences of Defence’s failures before meaningful action is taken?

Military Sexual Trauma survivors should not spend years fighting for support after serving their country.

The solution is simple.

A Lifetime Gold Card for all substantiated MST survivors.

✅ Unlimited psychological treatment
✅ No arbitrary caps
✅ No repeated retelling of trauma
✅ No endless reassessments
✅ Lifetime support

This is not compensation.

This is accountability.

Minister Matt Keogh, it’s time to stop the harm and facilitate the healing.

It’s the right thing to do.

MilitarySexualTrauma WomenVeterans GoldCardForLife StopTheHarm FacilitateTheHealing VeteranAdvocacy DVAReform EnoughIsEnough WomenWhoServed VeteransDeserveBetter ADFWomenVeterans@