QLD VETERAN COMMUNITY RECEIVES $128,000 BOOST IN FUNDING  

Veteran communities from across Queensland will share in $128,661 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 Queensland Recipients

• The Nundah Northgate RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $3000 for a dedication service held in September 2007 at the Milne Bay Memorial Wall in Nundah Memorial Park Brisbane. The service will be followed by a reunion afternoon tea to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay.

• The National Servicemen’s Association, Ingham District Sub-branch, will receive a grant of $2400 to help construct a memorial wall at Ingham District Cemetery to commemorate National Servicemen from the district.

• Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service will receive a grant of $3000 to help install interpretive signage at the World War II campsite at Millstream Falls National Park.

• The Beaudesert RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $2250 for a reunion held in August at the club to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the battles of Coral and Balmoral.  The Sub-branch also receive a grant of $90 to help install a plaque at the club to commemorate the 22 soldiers who were killed during the 1968 battles of Coral and Balmoral and those who returned home.

• The A Field Battery Association will receive a grant of $2250 to help hold a final reunion in Sydney for members of A Field Battery Association to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the departure of the Battery to the Malayan Emergency and the 40th anniversary of their return.

• The Gaythorne RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1673 to help install a Women at War medal board to commemorate the contribution made by Australian women to our wartime history.

• Ipswich City Council will receive a grant of $4000 to help restore the Australian Imperial Forces Memorial located at the Ipswich General Cemetery.

• The Rollingstone Historical Society will receive a grant of $4000 to help upgrade the Rollingstone Cenotaph with a new memorial wall listing the names of local servicemen and women who served during World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.

• The Maclagan Memorial Hall Association will receive a grant of $4000 to help restore and upgrade the Maclagan War Memorial.

• The Trustee for Russ Eagan Family Trust (trading as Wellington Park Private Care) will receive a grant of $1639 to help install a flagpole at Wellington Park Private Care in Wellington Point for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Torbay Retirement Villages will receive a grant of $1645 to help install a flagpole at the village in Torquay for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Mr Lionel Veale will receive a grant of $3000 to help produce a talking book of a unit wartime history Wewak Mission for vision impaired veterans.

• Crows Nest State School will receive a grant of $1832 to help construct a memorial in the school grounds dedicated to past students who served Australia in times of war and conflict.

• The Queensland Branch of the Far East Strategic Reserve Association will receive a grant of $2415 to help install a memorial outside the Sandgate RSL to commemorate the service of the Far East Strategic Reserve between 1955-1971.

• The Lockhart River Police Station will receive a grant of $3000 to help publish a book titled Carved in the Jungle, Iron Range during WWII highlighting the role of Australian and American servicemen and women at Iron Range Airbase during World War II.

• Hervey Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1088 to help restore the TS Krait Memorial located at Hervey Bay which has been vandalised over the years.

• The Avondale State School will receive a grant of $1590 to help create a garden of remembrance including a flagpole and commemorative plaque at the school for use by students on days of remembrance.

• Killarney RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to help upgrade security at the RSL to protect wartime memorabilia housed at the site from further vandalism.

• Winston Shire Council will receive a grant of $4000 to help replace the deteriorated flagpole and war memorial at the Winton Memorial Swimming Pool.

• K & M Healthcare will receive a grant of $1639 to help install a flagpole in the grounds of the White House on Paradise in Slacks Creek for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Miss Carole Young will receive a grant of $3000 to help publish a book titled Platoon Commander’s Notebook 1915 depicting the lives of 66 men who served in 9 Platoon C Coy 3rd Battalion during World War I.

• The 11th Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces, Porton Memorial Committee will receive a grant of $2750 to help surface the exposed concrete surrounding the platform around the Brigade’s memorial in Anzac Park, Townsville.

• The Holy Spirit Care Services trading as Bethlehem Home will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in the grounds of Bethlehem Home in Cairns for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Star Gardens Order of Eastern Star Home for the Aged will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in their grounds in Beaudesert for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Beenleigh RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $2000 to erect a war memorial at the entrance of their club dedicated to veterans from the district who served in wars and conflicts in which Australia was involved.

• The Coolum Peregian RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to upgrade the Coolum Peregian RSL Cenotaph to improve access and to deter vandals.

• The Hillside Haven Aged Care Facility in Collinsville will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in their grounds for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Runaway Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to complete its upgrade of the Runaway Bay War Memorial Precinct. 

• Hill View Aged Care will receive two grants of $1639 to install flagpoles at their facilities in Merrimac and Ashmore for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Clermont RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to install three commemorative plaques at the Clermont Cenotaph dedicated to four local servicemen and one servicewoman who are not listed on the memorial.

• Marsden State Primary School will receive a grant of $2500 to construct a war memorial with a plaque in their grounds.

• The Gordonvale RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1639 to replace its deteriorated flagpole.

• Highfields State School will receive a grant of $3664 to construct a Garden of Remembrance in their grounds.

• The Waggamba Shire Council will receive a grant of $3987 to restore and upgrade the surrounds of the Yelarbon Memorial.

• The Queensland Commando Association will receive a grant of $436 to replace a deteriorated plaque in Anzac Square in Brisbane dedicated to all who served in Commando Squadrons Special Forces during World War II.

• The Immanuel Gardens Retirement Village will receive a grant of $2215 to help install a flagpole and lighting in their grounds in Buderim for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• The Beewah Peachester RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $1497 to install display cabinets to exhibit wartime memorabilia.

• The Winton District Historical Society & Museum Inc will receive a grant of $699 to update the Winton Roll of Honour to include World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and the East Timor operation.

• The Bungil Shire Council will receive a grant of $4000 to erect a memorial at the entrance to the Injune RSL Memorial Hall dedicated to all servicemen and women who served Australia in times of war and conflict.

• Mt Olivet Community Services, Mitchelton Campus will receive a grant of $1639 to install a flagpole in the grounds of the Oxford Park Retirement Village in Mitchelton for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Goondiwindi State High School will receive a grant of $5250 to hold a reunion on 12 November 2007 for local servicemen and women to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Milne Bay, and publish a book written by students who visited the graves of local World War I and II soldiers who were buried in battle fields in Turkey, Belgium and France.

• The Hervey Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to install a memorial at the Hervey Bay RSL and Services Memorial Club in Pialba dedicated to nurses who served in wars and conflicts in which Australia was involved.

• Yeppoon RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $3000 to help preserve and display wartime memorabilia at the Yeppoon RSL Military Museum.

• The Wallangarra RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $4000 to help construct a Wall of Remembrance in the grounds of the Sub-branch for wreath laying ceremonies and commemorative plaques to be added to the garden.

• The Queensland Branch of the Australian Army training Team Vietnam Association will receive a grant of $3000 for a memorial service and luncheon held in July to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the formation of the association.  The association will also receive a grant of $2040 to help erect a sign at the AATV Memorial Grove to enable visitors to locate the name of soldiers who are honoured with a tree and plaque.

• The Kabara Site of NoosaCare will receive a grant of $1639 to help install a flagpole in the grounds of the Kabara Aged Care Facility in Cooroy for use by residents on days of commemoration.

• Tin Can Bay RSL Sub-branch will receive a grant of $3000 to help install a display cabinet at the Sub-branch to preserve and exhibit wartime memorabilia.