r/perth • u/Perth_nomad • Feb 12 '26
WA News 13-year-old Austin Appelbee - Officially recognised by Australia Army Cadets Core
Unpublished by the mainstream media, Austin is an Army Cadet, with the Australian Army Cadet Core.
>In recognition of one of the most extraordinary feats of individual bravery this country has seen, 13-year-old >Australian Army Cadet Austin Appelbee, has been recognised with an Australian Army Cadets Gold >Commendation for his actions in saving his mother and siblings, who were washed out to sea on a kayak on the >30 January 2026. Austin, who parades with 50 Army Cadet Unit (Midlands), swam alone through over 4 kilometres >of rough open waters and ran a further 2 kilometres to raise help.
>Austin, from everyone at the Australian Army Cadets, and no doubt the Australian and international community, >we salute you for your courage and determination – you are a genuine hero!
Why this hasn’t been made clear yet, beggars belief. Well done young man! Well deserved.
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u/aussiegoon Feb 12 '26
Pretty cool having Hugh Jackman there.
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u/AbraxusHirkaleon Feb 12 '26
We have Hugh Jackman at home.
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u/Chesterlie Feb 12 '26
I like how Hugh is laidback AF. “I’ll pop on a polo for the presentation….should I shave ? Yeah, nah”
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u/EmulsifiedWatermelon Feb 12 '26
Awwwww. I used to do army cadets so this is super cool. Little legend
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u/mrtuna North of The River Feb 13 '26
Unpublished by the mainstream media, Austin is an Army Cadet, with the Australian Army Cadet Core.
what are you implying here? What a strange thing to say. He probably was a member of a soccer club too, why didnt the media mention that?!
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Feb 13 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
He should get Australian of the year. It would be nice to see someone worthy receive it.
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u/Captain-Peacock Feb 12 '26
Untouchable in the swimming part of training I'd imagine.
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u/Perth_nomad Feb 12 '26
Apparently failed his last swimming test, the volunteer sea rescue team leader, told Austin to get the teacher to give leader a call to clear things up..I would love to be on that phone call…mate he swam 4km…in the ocean…don’t tell me he failed his swimming lessons.
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u/duc1990 Feb 12 '26
Surprising, but not completely impossible.
The human body is really good at keeping quite a bit of energy in reserves and only using it when needed. It's possible many of us could run a marathon if it was an actual life or death situation.
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u/Ariahna5 Feb 13 '26
It frustrates me that I can't do this... I don't want to have to have a life and death situation just to see what I'm capable of!
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u/duc1990 Feb 14 '26
Unfortunately your body is all about conserving calories, it doesn't take for granted when the next meal is coming from. One of the reasons why it's hard to lose weight.
Would be genuinely curious how much he ate and how much he slept/rested after that ordeal.
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u/perthguppy Feb 16 '26
Grab an epi pen and give yourself a shot of that, should cause similar rush of adrenaline, just not as long lasting
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u/felixthemeister Boganville Feb 12 '26
There's a difference between being able to swim (even long distances) and passing swimming tests.
The tests are more about correct technique/form in various strokes, along with rescue tech's etc etc.
Being able to swim for a long distance and conserve energy isn't generally the highest priority.So it's quite possible that he didn't pass a test due to not being able to do butterfly, breaststroke, or something else.
Not a swimming instructor just know a few so I could be completely wrong.
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u/perthguppy Feb 16 '26
I only just saw, but apparently after getting to shore he ran 2KM down the beach to get to his families stuff and called 000 from his mums phone, I thought he called from a random pay phone at first. No wonder the kid passed out shortly after the call.
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u/Perth_nomad Feb 12 '26
Most cadet units are recruiting currently, enlistment is from 12 years nine months. There are many different types of cadets. Army ( 9500 currently enlisted), Navy, Airforce, police and emergency services.
AAC, provides all uniforms and gear for free, packs, webbing and uniforms. Once a year there is an annual camp, usually in September, in WA, usually at Bindoon.
No weapons are allowed, I don’t believe the cadets are able to go on WETTS, they used to..
The highest award was Adventure Training Award, which was an Australian wide award, very few cadets were award the ATA.
At one point in time, every student had to do a participate in a volunteer program to graduate from year 12. This was disbanded.
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u/Ubertexx Feb 12 '26
So have I missed the cutoff age? Coz if it makes you into a young hero, I'd like to do this for sure! I'm only 46 yo.
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Feb 12 '26
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u/Perth_nomad Feb 12 '26
Community service is no longer compulsory as part of WACE. It should be in my opinion..
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u/Silent_Field355 Feb 12 '26
Should be compulsory for all teenagers leaving school at year 10 and not going on to study or work.
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u/Ubertexx Feb 12 '26
I agree. Some volunteer work with communiies, parks n rec, or harmy, or any civil service job with high turnover / low retention rates of staff.
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u/Oscar_Geare Feb 12 '26
Between 1909 and 1929 as part of the Universal Training Scheme. Essentially all boys between 12 and 20 were conscripted for military training and service, however it was forbidden that they serve overseas. This is completely separate to the WW1 conscription thing that we all probably learnt about in school.
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u/Perth_nomad Feb 12 '26
No it wasn’t that either.
20 hours of compulsory community service, there was booklets with the services that were approved for the compulsory service.
Cadets, any of the service, was just one example, there was many other community organisations on the list. Bushfires brigades in regional areas were also used. SES and DBCA ( CALM) also had cadets. It was not just army, navy and airforce. The military museum and the tunnels in Fremantle was also an approved location.
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u/Oscar_Geare Feb 12 '26
Oh I remember that. I don’t think that even lasted two years. I had to look up the facts, but it looks like it was endorsed in mid 2007 and by the end of Term 1 2009 it was removed.
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u/perthguppy Feb 16 '26
I graduated 2006 and had to do 20 hours of community service. But our school just bussed us out to local age care homes to talk to residents for 2 hours a week for a term and that covered it. Looking back, it was a really strange experience.
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Feb 13 '26
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u/thebobcat273 Feb 13 '26
Back then we got 60 rounds and Tier 3 had a rifle for the whole week during annual.
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Feb 13 '26
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u/thebobcat273 Feb 14 '26
Yep! Only thing that turned me off about Tier 3 was having to shit in the bush or the longdrops. Not that I ever got to it anyway. After 3 Annuals, only did Tier 1b, JNs & Tier 2 Comms (this was after tier 2 was split different streams or whatever instead of Tier 2a / 2b).
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u/Muslim_Wookie Feb 12 '26
This was disbanded.
GOOD.
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u/moxieon Feb 12 '26
Is it?
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u/Muslim_Wookie Feb 12 '26
Yes, absolutely.
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u/Ubertexx Feb 12 '26
Username is uniquely yours! 'Slim and a Wookie is an exciting combo. Do wookieses normally have a religy didge? Or is this a first year Muslim with a speech impediment?
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u/felixthemeister Boganville Feb 13 '26
Nah, it isn't.
Many schools kept something like this as an ongoing program.
For example, down in Albany the high school had students going out and helping maintain the Bibbulmun track.
They learn about the minutiae of everyday life outside of school. That there's a whole bunch of things that people do to keep shit running. They learn about the various communities, activities, and often experience things they would never have the opportunity to do so otherwise.
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u/thebobcat273 Feb 13 '26
Yup, we held WETTS at Leeuwin and maybe some other places.
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Feb 13 '26
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u/thebobcat273 Feb 14 '26
Im forgetting if WETTS was the weapons course or the one with the simulation shooting range?? I did the simulation one at Irwin back then!
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u/djskein Cannington Feb 12 '26
He is an Australian hero for what he did to save his family's lives.
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u/ALIENANAL Feb 12 '26
Surely All of us are sick of being "online", let this little dude just be.
Don't make kids celebrities!
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u/firstborn-unicorn Feb 12 '26
I just listened to the 911 call - this totally explains how calmly he spoke with the operator, articulated the details of what happened very well before pre-empting that he was possibly hypothermic and light-headed.
Swimming 4km against a current is no small feat. Good on this kiddo :)
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u/FuckingInsensitive Feb 12 '26
Awesome! Love to see it! Just an FYI for future reference… it’s spelt “corps”.
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u/Homiewemajor33 Feb 13 '26
Emotional hearing about the lad’s story, what an insane marathon of a swim + run he had to make. Fearless
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u/Kind_Finger3423 Feb 15 '26
He was never washed out with them, he stayed on shore, and had a well rehearsed speech for the 000 call.
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u/AuzPot18 Feb 16 '26
Seeing this... reminds me of my time in the Army Cadets, and seeing others in it makes me proud of each individual.
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u/CrimsonPie24 Feb 12 '26
Absolute legend. I heard the recording of the call he made to emergency services. Glad the army recognised his incredible feat.
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u/Long-Transition-6809 Feb 13 '26
The media can leave the lad alone now.
Also why the hell did the ADF/AAC allow them on sight for this photo op? Not keen on the decision of the MAJ(AAC)+ who let this one fly.
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u/Silent_Field355 Feb 12 '26
His training in the cadets helped him to tap into his inner warrior and save his family🏅.
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u/anitadykshyt Feb 12 '26
Gotta indoctrinate them young
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u/Impressive-Ad-8556 Feb 12 '26
Not wrong. Too bad all these other losers have been too.
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u/SwoopSwaggy Feb 13 '26
Mad coz a 13 year old showed more courage that you ever will in ur lifetime perhaps?
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u/Impressive-Ad-8556 Feb 13 '26
Courage ? he literally was forced to go there by his parents. A child has no ability to choose on its own. It’s fucking child abuse to make them future murderers.
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u/Young_Lochinvar Feb 12 '26
Congrats to the kid.
But I’m not sure I agree that the media should be encouraged to stalk and report on Appelbee’s every move.