One of the Exchange’s most unusual locations … now has a new location.
The Robertson Barracks Exchange is in Darwin, on the northern coast of Australia, where the Exchange has had a presence since World War II. Not only is it nearly 3,300 miles from the closest Exchange—on Kwajalein Atoll, which is also remote—but Marines provide the store staff; the Exchange provides the merchandise.
The store operates year-round, mainly supporting more than 2,500 Marines who deploy to Robertson Barracks during the April-September “dry season” for combat readiness exercises with Australian forces and other regional allies.
In September, the Exchange Pacific Region IT team, which assisted in an upgrade of the store last year, returned to Darwin to lead a full-scale relocation to a new building, replacing one that had been in use since 2016. Accompanying them was Danny Cawood, Okinawa Exchange retail business manager, who worked with IT to direct the relocation.
Merchandise and equipment were moved from the old store to the new building, which opened Sept. 12. Led by Cawood, Field Technical Supervisor Vicente Villegas and End User Computer Technician Bryan Mejares, the team worked alongside Marine Corps Community Services Marines from the 2025 MRF-D Dry Season rotation to accomplish the relocation.
The new building offers improved access to tactical gear, snacks and beverages, health products, cleaning supplies and more. Villegas said that the IT team, which brought the store staff up to speed on improvements, is available 24/7 to assist in operating the store.
“The new store looks amazing,” Cawood said. “The execution of this relocation was flawless and couldn’t have happened without the ongoing communication and collaboration between the MCCS Marines and the Exchange Pacific Region IT team.”
The relocation was finished in less than five days, which Cawood said is a testament to the IT team’s dedication and expertise.
“The team not only ran network cables and moved equipment at the new store, they also prepared the installation by drilling holes, cutting into wood and mounting hardware,” he said.
The 2025 MRF-D Dry Season Rotation Marines working at the store have embraced the Exchange’s “family serving family” culture.
“I really enjoy working retail, especially at Express stores where you get to know the regulars,” said Gunnery Sgt. Edjunique Morman. “Most customers swing by a couple times a day, so it’s easy to catch up and build real connections.”
Others complimented the speed of the new registers and the organization of the merchandise. “If merchandise is in the right spot, people grab it,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Keaveny. “It’s all about making things easy to find and that’s how we keep things moving.”
Cawood said the new store will lead the way for future Exchange activity Down Under.
“I’m excited to see how the 2026 Dry Rotation MCCS Marines will build on this success by expanding product categories and launching additional remote operations to support U.S. service members deployed in Australia,” Cawood said.
For more photos from the new store, click here.
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