A New Veterans' and Families Hub for Elizabeth

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- 

A new Veterans’ and Families’ Hub will be established within the Playford Health and Wellbeing Precinct in Elizabeth Vale, enhancing access to support services for more than 11,000 South Australian veterans and families. 

This Hub’s location will enable seamless integration with existing health services and facilitate comprehensive support for veterans, closer to home. 

The new Northern Adelaide Hub will also be conveniently near the Edinburgh Defence Precinct, a ‘super base’ with more than 3,500 Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Army personnel. 

Hubs provide a welcoming space where veterans and families can receive integrated, holistic, wrap-around support – this can include mental and physical health services, wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice, and social connection.

 All current and former serving ADF members, including reservists, and families can access support at any Veterans’ and Families’ Hub. 

In January 2024, the Australian Government awarded a $5 million grant for Lives Well Lived to lead the development of a new Hub in Northern Adelaide. Lives Well Lived is working closely with the veteran community, ex-service organisations and veteran service providers to design a Hub and service model that meets the needs of the local community. 

Eight Hubs are already operating across the country in Adelaide, Burnie, Caboolture, Darwin, Nowra, Perth, Townsville and Wodonga. The Northern Adelaide Hub is part of the Australian Government’s $46.7 million commitment to establish eight new Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs across the country, to ensure even more veterans and families can access supports closer to home. 

Hubs are also being established in Tasmania, Queanbeyan and the Hawkesbury, Hunter and Tweed/North Coast regions (NSW), Ipswich (QLD), Surf Coast/Geelong (VIC), and Southwest Perth (WA). All new Hubs are expected to be operational by mid-2026, with services to veterans and families likely to start before then. 

Learn more at the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub page.

Saluting their Service Display at Tanunda

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- Anyone who has been a member for a few years will recall the joint venture we ran with "The Emu Tree's" Christian Teusner. The venture was funded by the Department of Veteran's Affairs for two years during 2021-22 under its "Saluting their Service" program.

We successfully applied for successive year grants totalling almost $80,000 and this was for Christian to obtain oral histories from veterans and their families. It also included obtaining written stories and photographs and displaying same across South Australia.

Display at Ayres House, Adelaide
 during SALA Week 2021

Christian did an excellent job and ran numerous displays across the state including at Tanunda and Adelaide as can be seen in the photo at left.

Most importantly, Christian obtained dozens of oral stories from WWII veterans whose lives were approaching their end and some have passed away since. These oral records are invaluable.

A link to listen to them appears under Links in our right hand column.

Our sub-branch didn't continue with the program because of the administrative load but mainly to give some other sub-branches an opportunity.

Christian took up the opportunity with, from memory, RSL Waikerie Sub-Branch, and continued with the work which he is still doing several years later. By now the collection must be huge.

The good news is, Christian will be displaying his collection at the Tanunda Football Club, Tanunda Recreation Park during the forthcoming Barossa Vintage Festival.

Mark it in your diary and make sure you don't miss what is an interesting and informative display with photographs of many people from our regions.

You can read more by going to the bottom of this site and entering "Saluting their Service" in the Search dialogue box which will list all previous posts about it. 

Have you bought your ANZAC Day Memorabilia?

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- ANZAC Day is fast approaching - only 9 weeks away.

Our partner, the Militaryshop has a cornucopia of militaria waiting for you to purchase. There are many, new exciting, popular products like the Poppy Impressions range:

Many of these products eg, sturdy shopping bags, mugs, and umbrella are big sellers at our kiosk outside Foodland Tanunda.

Pens sell well - everyone needs a collection of pens. (I have enough to open a stationery shop having had a pen fetish for decades!).

Then there are dozens of different badges covering every one of our wars commencing with World War II.

Afghan Service is well catered for also with Operation Slipper.

Operation Slipper is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the war in Afghanistan. In November 2001 Australian SAS troops joined the war in Afghanistan. C-130 Hercules aircraft provided logistic support to the SAS, while F/A-18 Hornets contributed to air defence at the American Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia. From March to September 2002, two RAAF Boeing 707 refuelling aircraft of 84 Wing were based at Manas air base in Kyrgyzstan in central Asia.

The initial ADF commitment in Afghanistan concluded in December 2002 when the Special Air Service Task Group was withdrawn.

An Australian Special Forces Task Group was re-deployed to Afghanistan in August or September 2005.

The Australian Special Forces Task Group was withdrawn from Afghanistan in September 2006.

A Reconstruction Taskforce began arriving in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in early September 2006. (Source: Virtual Museum)

If you decide to visit the Military Shop using our link here, our sub-branch will receive a small commission.

Thanks Barossans!

---- As a not-for-profit organisation we rely on public support to keep operating. ----

Our volunteer team: Lex, Denise, Alistair, David,
and an unknown but gorgeous photo bomber.

Our Inaugural ANZAC Poetry Competition

---- Your opportunity to honour our service men and women, to win a prize and have a commemorative plaque displayed at our Hut. ---- 

Are you a seasoned poet ... or perhaps a budding poet with a hidden talent waiting to break out? 

Whichever, here's a golden opportunity to enter our ANZAC Poetry Competition, to honour those who served and still serve our great nation, and win a prize while showing how good your poetry is!

Further details may be downloaded in  Adobe PDF file format that contains an information sheet, details of the conditions of the competition and an entry form. You can download it here.

If you're keen to demonstrate your ability at poetry like the great masters: Tennyson, Keats, Shelley and many more, try your hand at writing something grand and submit it to us as soon as possible.

We look forward to receiving your submission.

The sooner you submit your application the better. We'll acknowledge receipt and let you know when the judges have made their decision.

You could be the winner!

Acknowledgement: The competition has been organised by Kym Milne.