Invictus Australia launches permanent presence in Townsville: A new era of support for veterans and families
4th October 2024 – Townsville is home to more than 14,200 current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, and it is poised to become the defence capital of Australia by 2025. With a large defence community, there is a growing need for services aimed at supporting veterans and family members in the area. Yesterday, Invictus Australia was welcomed into the local community, officially launching their services that will enable veterans and their families to connect through the power of sport.
The launch event took place at The Picnic Bay Surf Club, bringing together Ex Service Organisations, local stakeholders, and key members of Parliament, including the Member for Herbert, and Shadow Assistance Minister for Defence, Phillip Thompson OAM MP. All parties came together to show their support for bettering the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families.
A Collaborative Approach to Veteran Support
The event kicked off with speeches from Invictus Australia’s CEO, Michael Hartung, and Phillip Thompson, both of whom underscored the importance of community engagement in fostering the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of veterans. Hartung emphasised Invictus Australia’s commitment to using the power of sport to bridge the gap between veterans and families and local communities, echoing recent recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence & Veteran Suicide.
A veteran and Invictus Games alumnus himself, Phillip Thompson knows first-hand how sport can be an essential force in the recovery and rehabilitation journey of service personnel and their families and expressed his excitement that more of this group will be able to experience this through community sport.
While participating in sport at the Games, what actually happened is I spent all this time with other veterans, and I realised that I wasn’t alone in this world. Having my wife there, speaking to other defence spouses was very therapeutic for her aswell.”
As someone who understands physical and mental obstacles relating to service, and post-discharge, Thompson had some advice for the local community;
“We are all going to have the highs and lows of military service, and the families, as a support system, will see them, and have them too. But having something that gives you meaningful engagement, whether that be rowing, wheelchair basketball, archery, surf lifesaving, gets you in the best mind frame and the place you need to be, and lets you know that you are loved, cared for and supported by your community.”
After recognising the importance of sport in the recovery and rehabilitation journey of wounded, injured or ill veterans, Phillip shared his support for the role sport can play as a preventative measure in the lives of veterans and their families. To him, sport can also act as a way to increase community camaraderie, improving the wellbeing of this group. Additionally, connecting Townsville defence families with local sporting communities can help ease the stressors when their family members are deployed on exercises, and assist in providing a support network for them also.
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. And I am hoping Invictus Australia, through their work, will use sport to change this for the better.”
Following the formal announcements, Thompson engaged in a spirited rowing competition against a fellow Invictus Games alumnus, Beau King, who competed for Team Australia in the Invictus Games Sydney 2018.
Alumni Ainsley Hooker, Shane Bramley and Tim Grover also attended to show their support of the launch, all having seen first hand the power of sport in aiding recovery and rehabilitation post service, through their experiences competing on the international stage. Since then, the group have continued to be involved in grassroot sport activity, including when we visited Townsville last year.
Strengthening townsville Connections Through Sport
As Invictus Australia’s newly appointed Veteran Engagement Manager for the region, Justine Lugg will play a crucial role in fostering connections and facilitating access to sporting opportunities for veterans and their families. A defence spouse herself, Justine is passionate about regularly incorporating sport into the lives of veterans and their families, as she knows the positive impact this can have on the community.
Whether veterans and their families are looking to improve their physical health, reduce stress, or simply connect with others to understand the unique challenges of military life, I’m here to support the community on that journey.”
By offering various levels of competition and community involvement, Invictus Australia aims to help individuals build new friendships, enhance their sense of purpose, and find pathways to employment.
“Sport has the transformative power to bring people together,” said Lugg. “We are committed to driving better health and wellbeing outcomes for veterans and their families in Northern Queensland through active participation in sport and recreation.”
For more information on how to get involved with Invictus Australia and participate in upcoming events, join the newly created Northern Queensland Facebook group.
As Invictus Australia embarks on this exciting journey in Townsville, we look forward to building a supportive community where veterans and their families can connect, grow, and find purpose through the power of sport.
Our Veteran Engagement team runs events such as these across the country each day. To keep up to date with what is happening in your area, join your local Facebook group.
- ACT Local Facebook group
- SA Local Facebook group
- Sth East QLD Facebook group
- Nth QLD Facebook group
- Nth NSW Local Facebook group
- NSW Sth Coast Local Facebook group
- Victoria Facebook group
- WA Facebook group
- TAS Facebook group
About Invictus Australia: Invictus Australia encourages veterans and their families to connect and engage with their communities through sport. Whether participating or volunteering at grassroots level, to competing internationally at an Invictus or Warrior Games, Invictus Australia leverages the power of sport to proactively foster good health and aid in recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration. Invictus Australia promotes the physical, social and emotional benefits of sport for all, and shine a light on the unique needs of younger veterans, particularly the challenges associated with transitioning from military to civilian life.
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