East Timor stole the regional operational limelight in 1999 and 2000, but as the security situation in Solomon Islands deteriorated, developments drew increased attention. Tensions between the people from the islands of Malaita and Guadalcanal stretched back generations but, in the face of weak government, economic collapse and endemic corruption, they came to a boil in the late 1990s.

Operation Plumbob

In June 2000 the situation boiled over, and the ADF was called to evacuate foreign nationals under Operation Plumbob. The ADF contingent revolved around 1 RAR under Lieutenant Colonel John Caligari (who later commanded 1 RAR as AUSBAT III in East Timor). Caligari's operations officer, Major Andrew Gallaway (who commanded 1 RAR in Timor-Leste in 2007) recalled: ‘On that trip we sailed on HMAS Manoora for its first operational voyage. Major Pete Connolly was Officer Commanding C Company (the Ready Company Group, or RCG). The RSM, WO1 Steve Ward, also accompanied the CO on this trip.’ Caligari recalled, ‘It took us out of our battalion exercise and offshore for 3 weeks.’ He noted approvingly the rationale for the 1 RAR Group being left behind as the Ready Battalion Group when 3rd Brigade deployed to East Timor in late 1999. The combined Army and Navy capabilities deployed also stood in contrast to those mustered for Operation Morris Dance off the coast of Fiji in 1987, this time with more capable amphibious ships and better-prepared ground troops.