Caroline Kirche - Families of Veterans Guild

Wellbeing walk and lunch at the Canberra Botanic Gardens for war widows, defence and veteran families

Caroline Kirche — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:37:53 +0000

Explore nature and wellbeing with fellow veteran and defence families in Canberra

War widows and families of current and former serving Defence members are invited to join this Canberra wellbeing walk and lunch. The activity begins with a guided tour of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, offering participants the chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of the gardens, observe local flora, and enjoy the tranquillity of the natural surroundings. Adults and children (with supervision) can take part in this gentle, accessible walk designed to foster connection and shared experiences among veteran families.

Beyond the physical benefits of a gentle walk, this activity supports mental and social wellbeing by encouraging conversation, peer connection, and mindful engagement with nature. Following the tour, attendees can continue connecting over lunch at Pollen Café, creating a relaxed space to reflect, share experiences, and nurture community ties. Supported by DVA’s Veteran Health Week grant, this session combines the pillars of Connect, Move, and Nourish to offer a holistic approach to family wellbeing.

Canberra wellbeing walk: guided tour, lunch, and details

War widows, and defence and veteran families are invited to come together for a 1 hour guided tour of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, offering a chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the landscape while connecting with peers in a welcoming environment.

This activity is proudly funded by DVA’s Veteran Health Week grant, Thrive 365: Connect. Move. Nourish., with each pillar reflecting a vital aspect of wellbeing; Connect: fostering social and emotional connection; Move: supporting mobility and physical health; and Nourish: promoting mental and nutritional wellbeing.

Following the guided tour, attendees will continue the experience over lunch at Pollen Café, providing further opportunities to unwind and strengthen community connections.

Those with limited mobility are invited to register their interest for the Flora Explorer open air bus tour. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The bus is not wheelchair accessible and is not suitable for babies due to seating requirements.

Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing. This includes but is not limited to; a hat, sunscreen, enclosed shoes that provide effective support to walk a moderate distance. Also, consider wearing long sleeves and pants to reduce the risk of sun exposure and if necessary, wet weather gear which may include a rain jacket.

Paid parking is available at Australian National Botanic Gardens.

There is no cost for this activity. Your wellbeing walk and lunch will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to wellbeing activities said “I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with such a supportive group. It was a perfect way to focus on self-care and make meaningful connections with others.”

Event information

Location: Meet at the visitor’s centre, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton ACT
Date and Time: Saturday 7 February 2026, 10am – 1pm.
Registrations: Open NOW. Registrations close 2 February.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is essential, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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Online gem art session for veteran families

Caroline Kirche — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:11:39 +0000

Make gem art: online session for war widows, defence and veteran families

This online gem art wellbeing session has been created for war widows and the families of current and former serving Defence members. Veteran families often juggle the emotional and practical demands of defence life, including relocations, deployments, transition out of service and caring responsibilities. This activity provides a welcoming and accessible opportunity for adults and children (with supervision) to participate together from the comfort of home.

Creative activities can play an important role in supporting wellbeing by encouraging mindfulness, relaxation and social connection. For veteran families who may experience isolation or limited peer support due to the unique nature of defence life, this session offers a gentle way to slow down, engage in self-care, and connect with others who share similar lived experiences in a relaxed and supportive online setting.

Gem art session

War widows, defence and veteran Families are invited to come together for a calming and creative evening of online gem art. Facilitated by Social Workers, Gabby and Hayley, the session offers a supportive and relaxed space where participants can connect while learning the simple, mindful process of creating gem art. This hands-on activity encourages focus, relaxation, and self-care, allowing attendees to unwind, enjoy gentle conversation, and engage in a soothing craft that supports wellbeing. All experience levels are welcome, and participants can take the time they need to create at their own pace.

Please note: The gem art is not for children under 3 years as it is a choking hazard. It contains small parts.

There is no cost for this event. Your gem art kit and postage will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to Wellbeing activities said “I just wanted to express my gratitude for being able to connect with such a wonderful group. It was such a great opportunity to do a self-care activity and get to know some of the other attendees at the same time.”

Event information

Location: Online (Zoom link will be emailed to you).
Date and Time: Thursday 5 February 2026, 7pm – 8pm (AEDT)
Registrations: Open NOW. Registrations close 22 January.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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Wellbeing walk and lunch in Sydney for widows, defence and veteran families

Caroline Kirche — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:05:42 +0000

A relaxing outdoor wellbeing activity for war widows, defence and veteran families

This wellbeing walk and lunch in Sydney is for war widows and the families of current and former serving Defence members. Veteran families often navigate the long-term impacts of Defence life, including relocations, deployments, transition out of service and caring responsibilities. This in-person wellbeing activity offers adults and children (with supervision) an opportunity to step away from daily demands and participate in a supportive, family-friendly experience.

Outdoor movement and shared experiences can play an important role in supporting wellbeing and social connection. Held within the Botanical Gardens Sydney, this activity encourages gentle walking, meaningful conversation and time in nature, creating a relaxed setting for veteran families to focus on self-care while connecting with others who understand the unique challenges of Defence life.

Wellbeing walk and lunch

War widows, defence and veteran families are invited to come together for a relaxing wellbeing walk in the Botanical Gardens Sydney. This walk will begin and end at Piccolo Me with lunch provided at the end of the walk to continue connecting. We will walk along the harbours edge gazing out across the harbour and over the city. We will spend time exploring the local flora and fauna as we make our way around the gardens.

How to get there:

The Botanical Gardens Sydney are easily accessible from Martin Place, Circular Quay, Wynyard, or Townhall Station’s. Make your way to Piccolo Me Cafe near the entrance to the gardens on Macquarie Street, look for the yellow umbrellas (see image below). We will follow the marked paths through the gardens and around the harbour so that all are able to participate safely.

There is no cost for this activity. Your guided walking tour and lunch will be covered by Families of Veterans Guild.

Previous attendees to wellbeing activities said “I just wanted to express my gratitude for being able to connect with such a wonderful group. It was such a great opportunity to do a self-care activity and get to know some of the other attendees at the same time.”

Event information

Location: Meet at Piccolo Me, Botanical Gardens, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 (Piccolo Me | Botanic Gardens of Sydney)
Date and Time: Friday 6 February 2026, 10am-12pm.
Registrations: Open NOW. Registrations close 5 February.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is a must, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.au.

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Tension & Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) Workshop for War Widows and Veteran Families

Caroline Kirche — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 23:32:28 +0000

A wellbeing activity designed for war widows, defence and veteran families

War widows, defence and veteran families often carry ongoing stress related to defence life — including relocations, deployments, transitions out of service, and caring responsibilities. This online wellbeing activity has been created specifically for families of current and former serving members, providing a supportive space to prioritise self-care, reconnect with the body, and focus on personal wellbeing alongside others who understand the unique challenges of military family life.

Social connection, peer support and accessible self-care opportunities are essential for maintaining wellbeing, particularly for defence and veteran families who may experience isolation or limited support networks. This activity offers a gentle, structured opportunity to pause, reset and build wellbeing skills in a safe and inclusive online environment, while also fostering connection with like-minded peers from across Australia.

What is the Tension/Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) Workshop?

War Widows and Veteran Families are invited to come together online for 3 sessions of Tension/Trauma Release Exercises (TRE). The TRE sessions will be facilitated by Dr. Valerie Johnston-Dugamin and Richmond, the National TRE Coordinator of Australia.

TRE is a gentle, body-based wellbeing practice designed to help release deep muscular tension, calm the nervous system, and support overall emotional and physical balance. By attending all three online sessions, participants acknowledge that TRE is a self-care and wellbeing activity, not a therapeutic or clinical treatment, and that they will engage at their own pace, listening to their body’s limits and needs.

Participants accept that the workshop is intended to help them learn new skills and strategies to support their wellbeing, including techniques for recognising and releasing tension held in the body, while also encouraging the development of an intentional, ongoing self-care practice. Participants understand that participation is voluntary, they may pause or stop at any time, and they are responsible for ensuring their physical environment is safe and suitable for movement during the sessions.

Bookings are for all 3 sessions. Please only commit if you can attend the full program.

Previous attendees to wellbeing activities said “Thank you for organising the activity, it was a wonderful experience for our family to connect and have fun together.”

Event information

Location: Online via Zoom (Zoom link will be sent to you).
Date and Time: Tuesdays 10, 17, 24 February 2026 – 7pm – 8.15pm (AEDT)
Registrations: Open NOW. Registrations close 31 January.
Cost: FREE for families of veterans.

Registration is essential, places are limited. Register below or call us on 02 9267 6577. For more information, please email wellbeing@fov.org.a

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Positive progress but defence and veteran families need more than words

Caroline Kirche — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 05:55:26 +0000

Close but not quite

A message from our CEO, Renee Wilson.

On Thursday 04 September 2025 The Hon. Matt Keogh MP made this speech to the Parliament, addressing the progress made since the Royal Commission handed over its final report on 4 September 2024.

Minister Keogh used the opportunity to address the Senate Inquiry into the establishment of the Defence and Veteran Services Commission and noted that:

“I want to acknowledge the recent Senate inquiry report into the legislative basis for the commission and thank the senators, for their work, and those that gave evidence. It has always been the government’s view that the commission would be best provided for in its own standalone legislation, something that was not procedurally possible for us to do at the beginning of this year. We will do this. The commissioner will be appointed by the Governor-General, to provide greater independence, and we will ensure there is appropriate inclusion of defence and veteran families in its functions.”

Progress here is positive however when comparing Recommendation 2 from the Senate’s report to the response here we are not confident this will be implemented.

Recommendation 2 says:

“The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers amending Schedule 9 of the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act 2025 to include a reference to veterans’ families for the purpose of the Defence and Veterans’ Services Commissioner’s functions.”

Ensuring there is appropriate inclusion within functions of the Commission doesn’t create the obligation to include them, to investigate matters that affect them nor recommend system changes to better support them.

For families, it means they can expect much of the same. Their needs remain unseen and under-supported. They will remain on the periphery of a support system that expects them to look after our veterans forsaking their own health and wellbeing in the process.

We want to see them included in legislation because this is what creates the duty to support them. Words and promises fall well short of what is required here to build trust within this fundamental element of the veteran community. They need to see real commitment, real progress and real action.

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Senate Committee recommends historic change for veteran and defence families

Caroline Kirche — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:17:41 +0000

Senate Committee recommends historic change for veteran families

On 29 August 2025, the Senate’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee made a landmark recommendation: that the legislation establishing the Defence and Veteran Services Commission should be amended to specifically include veteran families.

If implemented by the government, this will be the first time that veteran families have been specifically included in legislation governing the veteran sector. We are at the starting blocks when it comes to properly caring for and supporting the needs of veteran families in Australia, and this important step not only sends an important signal to the families of veterans, it also creates an obligation to include them.

Why this matters for veteran and defence families

While Australia has seen significant reforms in the care of veterans—and rightly so—their families have been left behind. The model of care for defence families and veteran families has barely changed since the end of WWII.

Without families specifically being included in the legislation that governs the system, there is no obligation to support them or inquire into their needs. The majority of families remain largely invisible and the impacts that defending Australia has on them are left unmitigated.

A shift from rhetoric to action

While we have seen rhetoric change in the last few years and the word family included in initiative and policy titles; it hasn’t translated to practical, impactful and meaningful change for them.

This recommendation by the Senate’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee however, could start to change this. It would mean from the very start the Defence and Veteran Services Commission has an obligation to include families and inquire into the impacts of service on them. It has an obligation to make recommendations in their interests that go further than helping Defence and DVA to hear more from them.

Our contribution to the review

As part of the inquiry, we made a submission highlighting the urgent need for the explicit inclusion of families of veterans in the legislation. We argued that families are currently left out of veteran-related legislation, giving them limited standing in the system despite carrying the ongoing impacts of service. Schedule 9 presents an opportunity for Parliament to change this by ensuring families are visible and properly recognised.

Our submission also called for a stronger object for the new Commission—one focused on reducing the incidence of suicide and suicidality among veterans and their families, rather than simply improving suicide prevention. We recommended that the Act include a clear definition of “family” based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics framework, recognising the wide range of relationships affected by service. We also reinforced the need for independence, accountability and transparency in the Commission to rebuild trust.

Our CEO also appeared at the Senate hearings to provide evidence, highlighting the lived experiences of defence and veteran families and advocating on their behalf.

The road ahead

We have a long way to go when it comes to providing support for all families of veterans in Australia. By implementing this recommendation, the government has the opportunity to they are listening and most importantly demonstrate that the families of veterans matter.

Learn more:

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