Construction is officially underway on the new Richmond Veterans' and Families' Hub, with NSW Minister for Veterans David Harris and Federal Member for the Hawkesbury Susan Templeman turning the first sod on repurposing the historic Richmond Court House.
A joint project of the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments, the latest addition to the Veterans' and Families' Hub network is being delivered by RSL LifeCare via a $5.5 million Commonwealth Government grant.
The NSW Department of Communities and Justice, in partnership with the Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs, has provided the historic Richmond Court House for the project.
The adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed building will preserve features of the important historic local landmark while creating a welcoming and accessible facility for current and former serving veterans and families of veterans to access support, services and community connections close to home.
Richmond is an ideal location for the new Hub given the area's longstanding connection to the Australian Defence Force. The Hawkesbury region is home to a significant veteran population, with more than 7,700 serving personnel and over 11,000 veterans and their families living in the area, currently being supported by the temporary hub in Windsor.
It will work together with the Veterans' and Families' Hub under construction on the historic Bardia Barracks site in Ingleburn.
The two facilities will deliver a complete wellbeing service for more than 19,000 veterans and families of veterans living across Sydney's southwest.
The RSL LifeCare Veteran and Family Hub model is a proven one-stop shop offering veteran-centric, community-focused programs including a variety of wellbeing services for veterans and their families.
The Hubs also connect veterans and their families to NSW Government supports, including housing, education, employment, health, and other social services and supports.
The recently launched Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency is working alongside Hubs, partnering with them to connect people to the right local services.
Further information and help can be found on the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency website - www.veteranwellbeing.gov.au.
The Hawkesbury facility will join seven existing RSL LifeCare hubs operating across NSW in Wyong, Maitland, Tweed Heads, Dee Why, Queanbeyan, Wagga Wagga, and Nowra.
For more information on the Richmond Veterans and Families Hub visit: https://www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/support/richmond-court-house-revitalisation
Minister for Veteran Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh said:
"We're investing more than $50 million to expand our national network of Veterans' and Families' Hubs because we want the veteran community to be able to get the support they need close to home.
"The delivery of Hubs in places like the Hawkesbury, where there's a significant veteran population, is all about making it easier and more convenient for veterans to get help, as well as forge strong connections with their local community.
"The new Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency will work alongside the Hubs, offering veterans and their families another easy way to navigate the multitude of service available to them"
Minister for Veterans David Harris said:
"Today represents an important step forward in delivering a dedicated place in the Hawkesbury where veterans and their families can access support, build connections and engage with services closer to home.
"Richmond has a proud military heritage stretching back more than a century. Since the establishment of the military flying school in 1916 and the creation of RAAF Base Richmond in 1925, generations of service personnel have lived, worked and served in this community.
"By giving the historic Richmond Court House this new purpose, we are preserving an important piece of local heritage while creating a lasting community asset that will support veterans and their families for years to come.
"These hubs are a great example of what can be achieved when state and federal governments work together with community organisations and we thank the Albanese Government for their continued commitment to establishing these hubs and RSL Lifecare for the wonderful work they do supporting veterans and their families."
Federal Member for the Hawkesbury Susan Templeman said:
"At the 2022 election I was proud to secure Federal funding to establish a Veterans' and Families' Hub for our region.
"While the work of the Hub in supporting veterans, defence personnel and their families has already begun, with services being delivered at the temporary location at Windsor RSL, the renovations of the old Richmond Court House will transform the service and bring it into the heart of the community.
"I am very excited to see the start of the construction and can't wait to have it open for business."
RSL LifeCare CEO Drew Pearce said:
"The Hawkesbury Veterans' and Families' Hub is a strong example of what can be achieved when governments and veteran organisations work together with a shared commitment to supporting veterans and their families.
"RSL LifeCare, in partnership with RSL NSW, is proud to be delivering this project, transforming the historic Richmond Court House into a welcoming place of support, connection and care for veterans and their families across the Hawkesbury region.
"The Hawkesbury has a proud and longstanding connection to Australia's defence community, and this Hub will ensure local veterans and families can access advocacy, wellbeing services, community programs and referral pathways closer to home.
"We thank the Australian Government, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the NSW Government and the NSW Office for Veterans Affairs for their partnership in bringing this important project to life and creating a lasting community asset for the Hawkesbury veteran community."
RSL NSW President Vince Williams said:
"For more than 110 years, RSL NSW has stood beside veterans and their families in communities across New South Wales. Today, that commitment is strengthened through partnerships like this, ensuring veterans can access the support they need, close to home and when they need it most.
"The Hawkesbury Veterans' and Families' Hub will provide a single, welcoming place where veterans and families can access the support, services, and social connection that are so important to health and wellbeing.
"No single organisation can meet every need of our defence and veteran community on its own. That's why collaboration between governments, RSL LifeCare, RSL NSW, and the wider ex-service sector is so important. By working together, we can provide clearer pathways to care and ensure more veterans and families receive the support they deserve.
"We congratulate the Australian and New South Wales Governments on this investment and thank our charity partner, RSL LifeCare, for its leadership in delivering another important facility that will strengthen support for veterans and their families in the Hawkesbury and across Greater Sydney."
