VICTORIA VETERAN COMMUNITY RECEIVES $122,000 BOOST IN FUNDING  

Veteran communities from across Victoria will share in $122,327 to help honour our nation’s past and present servicemen and women Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Billson, announced today.

Mr Billson said the funding is part of the Australian Government’s Saluting Their Service commemorations program, and helps bring our wartime history to life. 

"Saluting Their Service provides an important source of funding to community and ex-service organisations committed to recognising the service and sacrifice of our servicemen and women – past and present – and preserving Australia’s wartime heritage for future generations," Mr Billson said.

"Saluting Their Service encourages community understanding and participation by, for example, raising awareness of significant wartime anniversaries, supporting commemorative events, providing education resources for schools and preserving wartime memorabilia.  Many of these initiatives recall the major battles on the Western Front where we lost many thousands of lives 90 years ago.

"The Australian Government remains committed to supporting community projects that acknowledge those who have served, and continue to serve, our nation in wars, conflicts and peace operations.

"Since the program began ex-service and community organisations across Australia have benefited from Saluting Their Service funding" he said.

"As a nation, we remain indebted to the dedicated Australians who put their lives on the line in the service of Australia.  The Australian Government is committed to honouring them and their place in history—they will not be forgotten," Mr Billson said.

For more information about the Saluting Their Service commemorations program, go to www.dva.gov.au or call 1800 026 185.

Media inquiries: Cameron Hill  0408 239 521

Editors note: A list of grant recipients is attached

Saluting Their Service Grant Victoria Recipients

• The Keilor East RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $3000 to help install two display cases at the Sub-branch to exhibit wartime memorabilia.

• Slouch Hat Productions will receive a grant of $3000 to help publish The Fighting Fourth, a unit history of the 4th Infantry Battalion in World War I.

• Swan Hill and District RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1500 to help restore the Nyah District Memorial Gates.

• Yarra Valley Aged Care will receive a grant of $3000 to help install a display cabinet at the facility to display wartime memorabilia.

• The Royal Australia Corps of Signals Association Victoria will receive a grant of $1759 to help install two plaques at the Rocky Creek War Memorial Park dedicated to the First Australian Army Signals Australian Imperial Force and the Advanced Land Headquarters.

• Darwin Defenders 1942-45 will receive a grant of $564 to help install a plaque in the grounds of the Geelong Anglican Christ Church dedicated to all veterans who served in Darwin between 1942-45.

• Walmsley Friendship Village will receive a grant of $1375 to help install a flagpole at the aged care facility in Kilsyth to be used by residents on days of commemoration.

• Sarsfield Recreation Reserve Committee will receive a grant of $1200 to help restore the World War I Roll of Honour located in Sarsfield Recreation Reserve Hall and cover it with a protective glass.

• Footscray City College will receive a grant of $3000 to help publish a book titled Australian Nurses in Conflict involving students interviewing Australian nurse veterans and researching their history and wartime memories.

• Camberwell Primary School will receive a grant of $3000 to help restore the commemorative bell in the entrance foyer of the school. The bell was once located at the Scarborough Road School in London until the school was destroyed by enemy action in World War II.

• The Trustee for Lyons Unit Trust (trading as Covenant House) will receive a grant of $1375 to help install a flagpole in the grounds of Covenant House in Blackburn for use by residents on days of remembrance.

• The HMAS Warramunga Association Victoria will receive a grant of $4000 to help construct a memorial at Ocean View Lookout, Queenscliff, dedicated to crew members from HMAS Arunta, HMAS Bataan and HMAS Warramunga.

• The HMAS Castlemaine Association will receive a grant of $640 to help hold a 65th and final reunion on 19 October 2007 for HMAS Castlemaine crew members with a commemorative service in the Naval Memorial Gardens in Melbourne, followed by a luncheon at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

• Horn Island Veterans Association will receive a grant of $3500 to help erect three plaques at Horn Island Airport dedicated to the units that were deployed to Horn Island during World War II.

• The HMAS Lismore Association will receive a grant of $600 to help install a commemorative plaque and tree in the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance dedicated to the crew of HMAS Lismore.

• The Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Education Team Victoria will receive a grant of $5000 to help build a website about the Vietnam War to be used by students for research purposes.

• The Black Hat Reunion will receive a grant of $3000 to help hold a national Black Hat reunion in Canberra in April 2008 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Battles of the Coral Sea and Balmoral.

• Caulfield Manor will receive a grant of $1375 to help install a flagpole at the aged care facility for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Hume Veterans’ Information Centre will receive a grant of $880 to help install a flagpole at the centre in Wodonga for use on days of remembrance.

• The 4 Royal Australian Regiment (Anzac) Reunion 2008 will receive a grant of $3000 to help hold a reunion in February 2008 in Melbourne to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Regiment’s deployment to South Vietnam.

• Domain Gardens will receive a grant of $1375 to help install a flagpole in the grounds of the aged care facility in Frankston, for use by veterans on days of commemoration.

• Morwell RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to help construct a new war memorial at Anzac Park, Traralgon East, dedicated to those who have served Australia in wars and peace operations.

• Aged Care Services Six (Mirridong), Southbank will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in the grounds of the Mirridong Aged Care Facility in Bendigo for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Aged Care Services Sixteen (Millward), Southbank will receive a grant of $1375 to install a flagpole in the grounds of Millward Aged Care Facility in Doncaster East for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Aged Care Services Seven (Kelaston), Southbank will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flag pole in the grounds of the Kelaston Aged Care in Wendouree for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Huon Healthcare Pty Ltd will receive a grant of $4125 to install flagpoles in the grounds of their facilities in Templestowe, Clarinda and Rosebud for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Amity at Berwick will receive a grant of $1067 to install a flagpole in the grounds of their aged care facility in Narre Warren North for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Traralgon RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to install a World War II plaque at the Rosedale War Memorial listing 200 names of those who served from the Rosedale district.

• Sale Memorial Hall Youth & Civic will receive a grant of $4000 to install a safety ramp outside the Sale Memorial Hall and Cenotaph.

• The HMAS Hawkesbury Association will receive a grant of $1831 to purchase a plaque to be installed at the Australian War Memorial dedicated to HMAS Hawkesbury and all who served on the frigate during World War II, and hold a plaque dedication service in March 2008.

• The Edenhope & District Memorial Hospital will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in their grounds for use by residents on days of commemoration. .

• The St Vincent de Paul Society will receive a grant of $1375 to install a flagpole in the grounds of Bailly House in North Melbourne for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Aged Care Services Five (Narracan Gardens), Southbank will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in the grounds of Narracan Gardens in Newborough for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Aged Care Services Eight (Elanora), Southbank will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in the grounds of Elenora Aged Care Facility in Brighton for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Domain Aged Care will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole at Domain by the Bay Aged Care Facility in Mount Martha for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Aged Care Services Nine (George Vowell), Southbank will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flag pole at the entrance of the George Vowell Aged Care Facility in Mount Eliza for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The HMAS Hobart Reunion will receive a grant of $2750 to hold a reunion to commemorate the 40th anniversary since the commissioning of HMAS Hobart.

• The Coburg RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1375 to help replace a deteriorated flagpole.

• The Moira Board of Trustees will receive a grant of $3000 to publish a book containing names of citizens listed on memorials and honour rolls from the Moira Shire.

• The Regis Group, Armadale will receive eight grants worth $16,965 to install flagpoles and commemorative plaques in the grounds of their facilities in Cranbourne, Blackburn and McLeod in Victoria and The Gap, New Farm, Herston, Birkdale and Salisbury in Queensland to be used by residents on days of commemoration.

• The East Gippsland Historical Society will receive a grant of $4000 to restore gold lettering on the Shire of Bairnsdale World War I Honour Board located at the East Gippsland Historical Society Museum.

• The Warracknabeal Secondary College will receive a grant of $3000 to publish a book titled Beersheba Heroes, which has been researched and collated by students at the Warracknabeal Secondary College.

• The Frankston RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to help restore and upgrade the Avenue of Honour located at South Main Street in Frankston.

• The Hamilton RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $2525 to help restore and display wartime memorabilia held at the Hamilton RSL club rooms.

• The Bethanga Soldiers Memorial Hall will receive a grant of $3862 to erect a new war memorial in Bethanga dedicated to all veterans who served in wars and conflicts.
Melbourne Aged Care will receive a grant of $1461 to install two flagpoles in the grounds of the Heritage Gardens Aged Care Facility in Bayswater for use by residents on days of commemoration.