The Frenemy: How Australia navigates superpower rivalry

Image source, Reuters Image caption, China's Xi Jingping and Australia's Anthony Albanese in 2024. Relations between the two countries have been rocky in recent years

Snipers shatter the silence of the Australian bush. Then the missiles hit, the smoke rising in the distance. The buzz of drones starts up, soon to be drowned out by helicopters flying overhead.

Every piece of hardware is being deployed, no expense spared. But this is no war zone – the last time Townsville saw conflict was during World War Two. This is a show of military might.

" We live in a volatile world," says Australian Army Brigadier Ben McLennan.

"Training an army to be prepared to fight a war that is potentially more likely than it has been previously, [is] very important."