CAPTAIN Katja Bizilj, CSC, RANR
MAC.ROB Student, 1976-1979
PORTRAIT GALLERY INDUCTEE, 2017
BSc, Master of Strategic Affairs
royal australian navy captain (Retired)
Captain Katja Bizilj, CSC, RANR graduated from Melbourne University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science and spent two years as a cancer research Technical Officer with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research prior to commissioning as a Direct Entry Officer in the Royal Australian Navy in 1986.
Her naval career spanning more than 30 years includes three overseas representational postings, an overseas deployment and a secondment to the United Nations in East Timor, together totalling 10+ years of overseas service.
Captain Bizilj’s career highlights include a two-year command of the then Australian Defence Force School of Languages from 2006 to 2008, for which she was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in the June 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
In 2006, Captain Bizilj completed a Master of Strategic Affairs at the Australian National University. She also has a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science (Training Technology and Design) from Deakin University (1991).
During 2010, Captain Bizilj completed an intensive Indonesian language course at the Australian Defence Force School of Languages following her selection as Australia’s Naval Attaché to Indonesia – making her the first and only (both from Australia as well as other states) female Naval Attaché among over 150 other Naval Attachés in Indonesia. She held this appointment for four years.
She has achieved several career “firsts” – first female officer to be posted to the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea (1997-2000), first female Assistant Defence Advisor in the South Pacific (2001-2002), first female Commander of the then Australian Defence Force School of Languages and, ultimately, the first and only female Naval Attaché in Indonesia (2011-2014).
In January 2016 Captain Bizilj assumed the role of Director Inquiries and Investigations with the Inspector General Australian Defence Force.
Following completion of the Cambridge University “Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages”, and after a satisfying, challenging and diverse naval career, Captain Bizilj retired from the Royal Australian Navy in May 2017. She remains an Active Reservist.
Captain Bizilj’s interests include reading (mainly non-fiction), travel, visits to art galleries and museums, and attending the theatre, ballet and opera. She is widely travelled through Europe, United States, Asia, Asia Minor, parts of the Middle East and the Pacific Islands.
She is a native Slovenian speaker and retains a high level of Indonesian language capability. Captain Bizilj has a son (married and with one child) who is currently completing a degree in medicine at Wollongong University.
