Leading Seaman Joshua Nicholas, Boatswains Mate, joined the Royal Australian Navy for a new experience. He sought the opportunity to travel and the chance to meet people from all walks of life.

Born and raised in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Joshua said the idea of seeing the world and doing something different drew him to Navy service. ‘You get the experience, the travel and the people, it’s something you can’t really match anywhere else,’ he said.

Joshua’s first posting was to HMAS Adelaide in March 2020, an experience he describes as the best of his career so far. ‘It was the people, the command team, the deployments we did, and the family we became on board,’ he said.

One of his career highlights has been participating in Indo Pacific Endeavour 2022, where HMAS Adelaide visited Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. ‘Seeing those countries and being part of that deployment was mind blowing,’ he said.

Joshua has also gained a strong sense of camaraderie through Navy sport. He has competed in rugby union competitions such as the Mons Cup and represented Navy teams along the way.

Outside of work, Joshua focuses on maintaining balance and wellbeing. Most of his downtime is spent out of uniform at the gym, around Maroubra at the beach, and making sure he prioritises his mental health.

Currently posted to HMAS Canberra, Joshua is looking forward to being part of fleet events that bring Navy together. These include major ceremonial activities where multiple ships operate side by side. ‘It’s a great feeling being out on the deck, seeing all the ships come together and knowing you’re part of something bigger,’ he said.

From overseas deployments to team sport and shipboard life, Leading Seaman Joshua Nicholas values the people, experiences and sense of belonging that Navy service continues to offer.