2024 in review: When our veterans and families thrive, our whole community becomes stronger
As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect on a year defined by resilience, triumph and connection within the defence community. This year underscored the transformative role of sport in uniting veterans and their families, improving physical and mental health, and fostering camaraderie and support networks both locally and internationally.
In a year shaped by significant findings from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, we reaffirmed our commitment to addressing the critical challenges faced by the defence community. By focusing on the power that sport can have on the health and wellbeing of many, we took meaningful steps toward strengthening the community through initiatives like hosting Defence Community Sport expos, expanding local opportunities for engagement, opening more opportunities for competitive sport like Pan Pac Masters and Life Saving World Championships, as well as co-supporting a team for the Warrior Games and the upcoming Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
These milestones were made possible by the collaborative efforts of sporting organisations, ex-service organisations (ESOs), local clubs, the Australian Defence Force, and strategic, research and corporate partners. We are grateful for the continued support of our Patron, General Sir Peter Cosgrove (Retd), our ambassadors, and those who champion our work in the community, whose dedication amplifies our collective mission.
Together, we are Unconquered.
Discover more highlights in our 2024 Wrap-Up below.
Now, let’s look back on the moments that made 2024 unforgettable.
Local Sport and Community Impact: Strengthening Bonds
At the heart of Invictus Australia’s mission is our commitment to grassroots engagement. The sporting activities our frontline staff facilitate are vital to connecting veterans and families to the broader civilian community, to build purpose, connection and a sense of belonging outside their defence experience.
Throughout the year our Veteran Engagement Managers (VEMs) across the country facilitated many community sport opportunities for the defence community, providing safe and inclusive spaces to get active.
In 2024 we saw almost 7,000 veterans and family members attend over 350 community sporting events, with more than 1,000 volunteers helping to facilitate these events.
Expanding our local footprint
Townsville is home to 14,200 current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, nearly 10% of the town’s population. As such, it was a priority for us to have a permanent presence, which occurred this year when Veteran Engagement Manager, Justine, moved to the area with her family.
Phillip Thompson OAM MP, Member for Herbert, veteran and Invictus Games 2014 and 2016 alumnus was present to welcome Invictus Australia to the area, alongside local Ex-service organisations, our partners and Invictus Games alumni, many of which are veterans or family members themselves. He shared his excitement for this expansion, stating;
Not all veterans are broken, some of us are, and that’s ok, but the only way we really move forward together as a community is by coming together. I am hoping Invictus Australia, through their work, will use sport to change this for the better.
Another successful Veterans’ Health Week
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) Veteran’s Health Week, which was observed across the country in October, centered around the theme “Keep Connected.” To support the annual initiative, our Veteran Engagement Team facilitated 113 community sporting activities, focused on giving veterans and family members the opportunity to form lasting relationships with other attendees and local sporting clubs.
Special thanks to the DVA for supporting many of our activities which meant over 1200 veterans’ and families were given the ability to experience the power sport can have on their wellbeing. Read the full wrap up here.
Community Sport Expos: Expanding reach and opportunity
After a successful three-year run in Canberra, our Defence Community Sport Expo expanded to WA, SA and NSW in 2024, for days filled with connection, collaboration and, of course, sport! These events, which attract large numbers of veterans and family members, are an example of our ethos to create effective collaboration between Australia’s mature sporting ecosystem, our sporting partners and ESOs, to benefit the defence community in local regions.
The expos played a crucial role in fostering a sense of community, breaking down barriers of isolation, and encouraging ongoing participation in sport. Get a behind the scenes look at these events below.
With so many events planned for 2025, sign up to your local Facebook group to hear about upcoming community sporting events near you.
Sport on the International Stage
In 2024, our partnership with the Australian Defence Force on the Adaptive Sport Program continued, which delivers Team Australia for the Warrior and Invictus Games. However, there was also a continued effort to broaden opportunities for international events outside of this program. Read more about them below.
Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games
In June, we partnered with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to send 30 veterans to Orlando, Florida for the 2024 DoD Warrior Games. This international event brought together wounded servicemen and women from around the world to experience the power sport can have on their recovery journey.
The Warrior Games were about more than just competition. They offered a renewed sense of purpose and pride for competitors, as well as the opportunity to form lifelong bonds with others who understand the unique challenges of military life. To relive the action, head to our live updates blog, and get to know the team who travelled to Florida to compete.
2024 World Lifesaving Championships
The following month, in August, Team Invictus Australia competed in the World Lifesaving Championships on the Gold Coast. According to Team Chaplain, Mark Gilbert, the event served as a much-needed source of support for the defence community, particularly around the challenges of transition.
When moving between the defence and civilian world, the change is tough and you need support and a place where you feel like you belong. I have seen first hand how Surf Lifesaving can be that place for veterans.”
Read the full event wrap up here, plus click here to learn more about the 22 defence community members who competed under Team Invictus Australia.
2024 Pan Pacific Masters Games
Fast forward to November, which saw the Pan Pacific Masters Games (PPMG) held on the Gold Coast, QLD. These games brought together Australia and more than 30 other countries to compete in a range of sports, celebrating competition, camaraderie and connection. For the first time, Team Veteran, established by Invictus Australia, had 64 veterans competing in several of the sports on offer.
The group was made up of Invictus and Warrior Games alumni, current Invictus Games Team Australia competitors, World Lifesaving Championships Team Invictus Australia members and local veterans and family members across the country. These games were an opportunity for some to reignite their passion for sport and served as a stepping stone to rebuilding their confidence, social connectedness and mental wellbeing. Read more about this event here.
Showcasing our fundraising legends!
This year, we were grateful for the fundraising support of so many people who believe in our work and wanted to make a difference. The awareness and funds raised through these efforts mean we can do more – thank you!
The ZERO600 Challenge ran for the third year, where our community rose at 6am from the 1st-6th of June, getting out the door and getting active while raising funds for Invictus Australia. This year, we welcomed the support of many organisations, familiar faces and partners, with people all across the country conquering their chilly, dark mornings, creating empowering routines and setting themselves up for success. Thanks to the support of many, the ZERO600 community were able to raise over $60,000.
Once again, we were inspired by Rodney Cottam, who tackled his most demanding running challenge yet. Alongside his team at Run Rocket Run, Rodney completed 560km over 7 days on foot. A former paratrooper who is paralyzed in his left arm due to a motorcycle accident, his challenge helped garner support for Invictus Australia, because he believes that the power of sport has the potential to change lives within the defence community. Relive his grueling journey here.
We were also overwhelmed by the support we received from a number of individuals fundraising their way via our newly established Fundraising Hub. Among these inspiring individuals was Doug Griffiths, Warrior Games alumnus and Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Team Australia competitor, who proved cancer has not beaten him by completing the 2024 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
If you’re looking for ways to give back in 2025, via your workplace, sporting club or individually, why not create a fundraiser on our Hub? It will take less than five minutes to create your unique fundraiser, but could change a life!
Partnerships: A Collective Mission
Nothing Invictus Australia does is in isolation, which is why we end the year looking back on and acknowledging the partners and organisations that helped change and save lives through sport.
Ventia and Optus sign on to support defence communities
We once again appreciated the support of our Exclusive Partners – NEC Australia, IPAR and UNSW Canberra – who have shown their commitment to veterans and family members since the early days of Invictus Australia.
We were excited to welcome two new Exclusive Partners, Ventia and Optus, as well as accept a generous community grant from Boeing. Reflective of their commitment to supporting the defence community, we are excited to work with Ventia and Optus in years to come, as well as receive the backing of Boeing, who support the Invictus movement on the global stage.
We look forward to working with all our Partners to make an even bigger impact in 2025. If you would like to join our Invictus Partners family, please get in touch.
New strategic and community partners
We formed many new strategic partnerships with organisations like The Australian Sports Commission (ASC), Defence Kidz, ESSA, Gallipoli, Phoenix Australia, and Volunteering Australia, allowing us to expand our capabilities, align to our strategic objectives and to better support the defence community. As an extension of our partnership with the ASC, we joined 9 organisations on the ASC affiliate program, all coming together with an aim of helping Australians to become more physically active.
We also created new partnerships with community organisations such as Veteran Gaming Australia, AIPT, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Speed Dart and Obstacle Australia, which allowed the defence community to access a broader range of sports. Our partnerships with Table Tennis Australia and Archery Australia were renewed, allowing more veterans and families to keep connected with these sports. These partnerships are built on a joint commitment to fostering resilience and connection for veterans and their families.
And we couldn’t provide such a varied sport experience around Australia without our incredible raft of National and other Sporting Partners, who bring our ethos to life. From pickleball to parkrun, e-sport to dragon boating, obstacles to rowing and so much more – thank you!
Looking Ahead to 2025
There are many exciting things to come as we look to 2025. Team Australia will once again compete on the global stage at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and are currently in their final stages of preparations.
Locally in Australia, we will continue to expand our grassroots initiatives, ensuring that even more veterans and their families can experience the physical, mental, and social benefits of sport. Together, we will build stronger communities, one sporting event at a time.
To keep up to date with both international and domestic sporting opportunities, join your local Facebook group here.
See you in 2025!
why invictus australia exists
There are almost 600,000 veterans in Australia, with an approximate 6,000 transitioning out of the Australian Defence Force each year. Close to 20% of those who leave the service are discharged for medical reasons out of their control which can have a significant impact on their mental health.
Furthermore, The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has identified that younger veterans and especially those who are medically discharged – approximately 18 percent of those transitioning or around 1,000 individuals each year – are most at risk of death by suicide.
Invictus Australia endeavours to reach more of these veterans and their families through the power of sport. Research has proven that sport has the power to connect and support the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing within this community. It aids the rehabilitation, recovery and reintegration of those transitioning out of the military back into civilian life.
