Welcome to 2025, which has unfortunately begun with a severe weather event impacting North Queensland. Our thoughts are with everyone affected as we move forward in recovery. During times like these, we are reminded of the resilience of our communities and the strength that comes from coming together to support one another. In this spirit of community, we also extend a warm welcome to the new families of serving veterans who arrived in Townsville last month and hope they feel supported as they settle in. We also had a change in Patron. Brigadier Ben McLennan, as the new Commander of 3rd Brigade, is our new Patron. He has been in Townsville for the last four years and is very familiar with our operations. He is a very strong supporter, and we look forward to working closely with him and his staff.

The Remembrance Path is laid; come for a look. The PM has recognised our employment successes. The Federal Government has accepted the Royal Commission recommendations relating to hub operations funding. The big February event is the next Career Connections Showcase. Banjos will be back. A $200 furniture voucher for new families from Betta Electrical in partnership with the Oasis Townsville and Operation NAVIGATOR to commence Phase 2. Even bigger markets are coming soon, and so much more.

We hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful break, over the Christmas period. Our team certainly had a well-earned rest after the growth and excitement of 2024, which culminated with the laying of our Remembrance Path. We are very proud of how it turned out; you should see it. We are now confirming the details on the pavers with those who submitted them, and then we will seal them for protection from the elements. We will officially open The Path in the coming months.

At the end of last year, we were honoured to win twice at the PM’s National Veteran Employment Awards. We are proud to be named Small Employer of the Year with 15 employees, most of whom are veterans or partners of veterans. We were also acknowledged for our Excellence in Supporting Veteran and Partner Employment. That’s particularly due to our very supportive Veterans Business Alliance and the Career Connections Showcases we conduct throughout the year. We have even been invited to join the Minister for Veterans Affairs Veterans Employment Advisory Committee.

In December last year, the Government responded to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, agreeing to most of the recommendations, including funding for 17 veterans’ and families’ hubs across Australia, such as The Oasis Townsville. The Oasis Townsville provides invaluable support in navigation, employment, and community connections—services that can only be effectively delivered by a consistent and dedicated workforce. To date, our planning service has supported over 2,000 veterans and partners, hundreds have received assistance with employment and education, and thousands have engaged in our connection programs.

We have a busy period coming up. Our big event for February is another Career Connections Showcase. This event has seen exponential growth, and at the last one, 23 veterans and partners found a job they were interested in and a promise from a Veterans Business Alliance member of support to get it. This combination of businesses joining our VBA and bringing them together with veterans and partners candidates for a relaxed and informative gathering at Homebase in the evening, has proven to be a winning formula. If you are even just thinking about another job one day, this is a great recon. Our VBA has now grown to over 50 members, including some of Australia’s biggest companies to the smallest.

Our fortnightly Banjos had to be postponed due to severe weather event experienced in North Qld. However, we're excited to kick things off again at 0730 on 21 February! Join us for a ‘free coffee and banjo’ and meet with other veterans of all ages and eras. We have loved the way some groups have formed and made Banjos their regular get-together. It is a fantastic melting pot of veterans, and it is so heartwarming to see the old camaraderie returning to some who are feeling a bit lost. Our Plans and Linkages Team loves it for check-ins and finding new people to help who may not have even realised they could do it with a little help.

The Defence Member and Family Welcome Expo, which was scheduled for 8 February at Townsville Stadium, has been moved to the 1st of March, we look forward to seeing you there. The Oasis Townsville has partnered with Betta Electrical to offer newly posted families a $200 furniture voucher, you can come to The Oasis to collect your voucher, we will also have the vouchers available at the welcome expo. We will also be continuing Operation NAVIGATOR. The aim being to develop a resource, especially an app, that supports newcomers to the ADF, once they’ve settled, to think long-term about their careers and future. We are running the pilot for the Department of Defence, and if successful, it will likely be rolled out beyond Townsville. We recognise we have some people joining the app from far away already. If you are new to the ADF and Townsville (probably on your first posting), we’d like you to do our one-day workshop to help us develop the tool. Our Oasis App now has over 500 users.

Our newly expanded Oasis Community Markets are coming soon. Our 5000m2 block is filled with stalls of all types. We are expanding by popular demand into a bigger range of stalls. It is a great place to feel the veteran community vibe and get a bargain. It is great to see so many partners and veterans who are into selling their craft, gardening, fresh produce, and much more come together to network. It is also apparent that the Townsville community loves to come along and learn more about the significant veteran community in Townsville and support us. Everyone loves the markets.

The many other exciting connections activities, either conducted at Homebase or out in the broader community to which we can direct enthusiasts, have also begun. The February ‘Back on Track’ 4WD Course is booked out, but space is still available in March. We’ll have more popular cooking workshops by Alliance Rehabilitation and new programs to explore your creativity. We are busy and loving it with over 100 activities at Homebase monthly and more than 1000 attendees.