General Cosgrove was instrumental in bringing the Invictus Games to Australia, being involved from the very outset of the bidding to secure the Games in Sydney right through to the closing ceremony. Sir Peter Cosgrove said upon his appointment as Patron Invictus Australia. “The Sydney Invictus Games shone a light on plight of our veterans and their families. At the closing ceremony I urged all Australians not to turn off that light.” “Invictus Australia is about using the power of sport to improve the quality of life of veterans and their families. I’m delighted to be supporting their important work as Patron.” “The men and women who have served our country need our support, particularly as they return to the civilian community. The Australian public responded wonderfully to the Invictus Games in Sydney. The challenge is to now keep that level of support and understanding going.We must all commit to promoting ways of rehabilitating the servicemen and women who have served our nation and who now need our support. Sport is a powerful vehicle for rehabilitation and reintegration but importantly is also one that can proactively support the general wellbeing of our community.”

Gwen Cherne was an Invictus Games Sydney 2018 Ambassador just a year after her husband Pete died by suicide, calling for greater understanding of the challenges faced by defence personnel and their families, who often grapple with public misconceptions about the challenges of service life. Appointed as the inaugural Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner on the Repatriation Commission in August 2020, Gwen is the daughter and granddaughter of veterans, a contemporary Australian War Widow and the mother of a currently serving Defence member. Since the death of her husband she has dedicated herself to advocacy for Australian war widows, defence and veterans’ families, suicide prevention and mental health awareness. “I want to share my story, raise my voice and be in the space, so that when others are willing and able and ready to raise theirs, people listen,” said Cherne. “The Games encourages resilience and connection. Veterans can take something tragic and do something really good with it.  They prove how much they can grow from it, gain acceptance, find purpose and inspire those around them. They often find support from their community that they didn’t think was there.” Gwen grew up as a competitive ice skater in the US until she was injured in a car accident and had to give up her skating career.  She is no longer a competitive athlete, but sport is a key part to her own mental and physical health.  She kayaks with her young children, runs, practices yoga and occasionally signs up for things like the 50k Ultra Marathon to keep her motivated and healthy. In November 2022 she trekked the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Kokoda campaign with the goal of “gaining a glimpse into the experience endured by our WWII veterans.” Gwen accomplished this goal, noting that she “couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of gratitude for those who had gone before us, offering guidance and inspiration on this challenging path.” This journey was not only an exploration of history but also a step forward in her own healing process.

Matt, a blind (5% vision) Paralympian, world champion surfer and cyclist, is the epitomy of unconquered, having lost 95% of his vision by the time he was five and told by teachers and doctors that he would never play sport. Matt has been a professional athlete for over a decade, sponsored by some of the global sporting brands by fostering the right mindset, behaviors and work ethic. Matt is an athlete, speaker and executive coach, Chair of the Macquarie Business Park Community Partnership and an Executive Board Member of Blind Sports NSW. With an unconquerable mindset, belief in the healing power of sport and passion to help others, Matt is a perfect ambassador for Invictus Australia.

Curtis served in the Australian Army as a combat engineer for six years. In 2012 Curtis stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol, taking both his legs. 20min after the explosion, Curtis famously said that “you will see me in the Paralympics.” The Invictus spirit runs through Curtis’ veins. Having captained the Australian team at the inaugural Invictus Games in London, Curtis went on to compete in the 2016 & 2017 Games, and was an ambassador at Invictus Games Sydney 2018. “The Invictus Games became an important part of my life and my rehabilitation,” he said. “For me, it gave me a purpose. I’d been thrown this huge curve ball, and sport opened up this world of opportunities to me that I never knew was coming, and that became my life. And it is my life now.”

Erin Molan is the proud daughter of Major General Jim Molan, a former Australian Army officer, and as such has a profound understanding of the issues Defence families face and the vision of Invictus Australia. That is, a world in which all members of the Australian Defence community are active and connected through the power of sport and recreation to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing throughout their lives. Sport is in Erin’s blood, she spent over a decade as a sports and news presenter on Channel 9, including as the first female in the shows 22 year history to co-host and be a panellist on the hugely popular and Award Winning NRL Footy Show. She also competed in the gruelling Sydney to Hobart Yacht race in 2015, raising over 5 million dollars so far for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation – a charity that provides much needed equipment for sick children in hospital. Erin is the host of her own prime time show, ‘Erin’ on Sky News and is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph and Stellar Magazine. Trailblazing, fearless and unconquered, we couldn’t think of a better fit for an Invictus Australia ambassador. Now Erin travels the country sharing her story of persistence, resilience, failure and always ‘fronting up’ regardless of what’s thrown her way… plus ensuring negative experiences become a catalyst for change… always with a laugh along the way! Molan, a passionate Raiders fan who hails from Canberra, calls Sydney home, and she will travel just about anywhere to watch and be part of a good sporting contest. She plays a passable game of netball, touch and badminton, which she mastered while growing up in Jakarta. Erin considers inspiring and empowering the next generation of Australians as a genuine privilege and responsibility.

Dave ‘Wolfman’ Williams is a former rugby league winger, playing for over 8 years in the NRL. During this time, Dave became a fan favourite, representing both NSW and Australia, and winning a premiership. In 2011, Wolfman broke his neck, causing him to miss his teams 2011 premiership win and eventually ending his career in the NRL. Since his injury, Dave has discovered the power of adaptive sports, channeling this into a new career as a fitness coach with a focus on rehabilitation, sport-specific training, workplace wellbeing and kids fitness. He is now the Civilian ZERO600 ambassador for 2024, encouraging others to reap the benefits of consistent physical education while supporting Invictus Australia’s commitment to strengthening the lives of veterans and families through sport.

Rodney served in the Australian Army for more than four years before an accident turned his world upside down. In 2004, he was involved in a serious motor vehicle crash while driving to his barracks in Sydney. The crash left Rodney with a permanently paralysed left arm. Refusing to let this stop him, Rodney used running as his tonic. 20 years on from his accident, Rodney runs up to 100km a week. Since his injury, Rodney has ran hundreds of kms for Invictus Australia, raising close to $100,000 for veterans and their families. He is now the veteran ambassador for our annual fundraising campaign, ZERO600, rising each June for our heroes, and encouraging others to do the same.