Commander Geoffrey Walker

Commander Geoffrey Walker, RAN joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Direct Entry Seaman Officer in 1998. During initial training he completed postings to HMA Ships Success, Hobart and Benalla, and was awarded his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate in 1999.

In 2001 he completed Meteorological and Oceanographic (METOC) specialisation training and was awarded the Dux of the Military METOC Course. Subsequent postings included Maritime Headquarters and the Operational METOC Centre. Highlights during this period included participation in Exercise LONGLOOK where he posted to HMS Cardiff to conduct operational patrols in the Falkland Islands, a secondment to USS Blue Ridge, and fisheries patrols in the Southern Ocean while attached to HMA Ships Warramunga and Success.

After undertaking full time postgraduate studies in 2006 he attended the Category B Hydrographic Surveying Course in 2007. Following a two year posting to HS White Crew conducting a variety of domestic survey activities, Commander Walker was selected to attend the Hydrographic Survey Long Course at HMS Drake. Graduating in early 2010 he joined HMS Echo as the Operations Officer where he spent the majority of the following two years deployed in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean undertaking military data gathering activities in support of numerous multinational and UK national operations.

Returning to Australia in 2012 he assumed command of HMAS Paluma and conducted surveying operations in Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. This was followed by a brief posting to the Australian Hydrographic Office as the Staff Officer Hydrographic Standards before being appointed as the Officer in Charge of the Deployable Geospatial Support Team. During this period he led a successful summer field campaign undertaking survey activities at Casey Station, Antarctica in addition to providing deployed support to Headquarters Amphibious Task Group (HQATG) during Operation PACIFIC ASSIST 15. In early 2016 Commander Walker was appointed as the Officer in Charge of the RAN Hydrographic School however was soon selected for further sea command, this time assuming command of HMAS Benalla in late 2016. It was during this posting that he was awarded his In-Charge Hydrographic Survey qualification.

In 2018 Commander Walker was the J2 Geospatial Officer at HQATG during which time he deployed in support of a number of activities including Operation APEC ASSIST 18. On completion of Australian Command and Staff Course in 2019 he took up the role of Deputy Director Amphibious Support within Navy Capability.

Commander Walker's tertiary education includes Bachelor of Applied Science (Materials Science); Graduate Diploma with Distinction (Hydrography); Graduate Diploma (Meteorology); Master of Science and Technology (Spatial Information Systems); Master of Engineering Management; and Master of Military and Defence Studies. Commander Walker has held Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyor Level 1 accreditation since 2014.

Commander Walker assumed Command of the Hydrographic Ship HMAS Leeuwin in December 2020.