State funding backs Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch milestone

THE NSW Government has announced more than $112,000 in funding to support 70 veterans-related projects across the state through the Veteran Community Grants Program (VCGP).

The funding will be distributed to individuals, community groups, schools and ex-service organisations in communities spanning the state, from Broken Hill in the far west to Bilambil Heights in the far north and Albury on the southern border.

Formerly known as the Anzac Community Grants Program, the 2025 round of the VCGP is the first to be delivered under a refreshed program design.

The updated focus places greater emphasis on projects that enhance veteran wellbeing, support recognition of the veteran community, and deliver events acknowledging significant military anniversaries.

Under the program, successful applicants received grants of up to $3,000 for initiatives that benefit both veterans and the broader community.

This year’s recipients include 24 educational institutions, 22 RSL sub-Branches and nine other veteran organisations.

The VCGP will support the Nambucca Heads RSL sub-Branch’s 80th anniversary celebrations, centred around 6 June this year, and the preservation of its rich local history.

Since 1946, the sub-Branch has provided welfare and advocacy to veterans of both World Wars and those who have served in the Australian Defence Force right up to the present day.

A commemorative history has been commissioned from respected social historian Carrolline Rhodes, capturing memories that are only just within living memory and adding enduring value to the district’s heritage preservation.

Mr John Kent OAM, from the sub-Branch’s 80th Anniversary Planning Committee, said the $1,500 received through the grant would help ensure the stories of service and community support are preserved and shared.

“This history belongs not just to our members, but to the wider community and to future generations,” he told News Of The Area.

Mr Kent added that the celebrations will include the launch of a commemorative book by Trevor Lynch, author of Nambucca Anzacs, and a black-tie dinner in the RSL Club’s auditorium.

Minister for Veterans David Harris said the funding reflects the government’s commitment to recognising and supporting veterans and their families.

“The newly refurbished Veteran Community Grants Program provides funding for a wide range of exceptional projects and initiatives that allow communities across the state to acknowledge Australia’s military service history, educate future generations and enhance the wellbeing of the veteran community,” he said.