Location #11 - Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat (Central Queensland pt3)

Tour Journal

• Pack up from veteran Bruce’s & Sharon’s place and transited to Cockscomb bush retreat
• Tour of the property and welcomed with open arms by President - Bob & Vice President - Herb (2 x Vietnam veterans)
• An evening getting acquainted with the fellas

• 40min family bush walk
• Addressed the veterans and first responders at Cockscomb at their Tuesday catch-up and working bee. 16 x veteran / 4 first responders (Fire Brigade).
• Spoke with several of the members post addresss
• Locked in podcast record with Laura Bailey - Veteran Mindfulness Australia
• Met Amy, younger veteran plus partner arriving later tonight. (1vet and immediate support)
• Happy hour veteran hangs with Herb, Wal & Amy

• 20min breathing circles
• 40min bush walk with the kids
• Podcast recorded with Laura Bailey - Veteean mindfulness Australia
• Doscisssed collaboration with narration of meditations on their platform
• Radio course week 5
• Happy hour hangs with veteran Bob, Herb, Wal, Amy & partner
• Gladstone news editorial written and being published on 12June

• Become member of Cockscomb Bush retreat
• Transit to Gladstone for 2nights and YVCQ / W4W events and member tour address

• 2hr Family walk - Mt Larcom
• Vocational rehab - Radio Course homework
• II governance - prep for TAX and reporting ACNC
• Attend YV evening social event (2 veteran family)
• Spoke with Ed (president Gladstone RSL ref connecting with Cockscomb Retreat)

• 30min Family walk around town
• 3hr Walking 4 Warriors & Yoi g Veterans CQ - meet, greet and address members (12 veterans, 6civvies, 5 families)
• Milestone - 2000 podcast downloads!
• Transit back to Cockscomb
• Dinner & hangs with - Gary & Jenny (1x First responder: Firies 1x Family)

• Kids helped around Cockscomb general cleaning
• 20min breathing
• 1hr record narration make voice - Veteran Mindfulness Australia - Day 2 of challenge
• Gary & Jenny’s families arrive for a day out / lunch and activities 2 families (7 civvies)
• Captured video for Cockscomb retreat content of kids playing etc
• Ran a Gellball stand for the kids
• Evening DJ - mindfulness through music for Gary, Jenny, Amy, Aisha & family

• Rest day family sick
• Caravan maintenance - antennas fitted
• Sent VMA - men’s narration collaboration - 12day mindfulness challenge

• 20min Breathing & 10min yoga
• CR work party & social gathering
• Amy relos came and did some work on CR - Veteran Jimmy & Dick Cooley (2 veterans / 1 x family)
• Recorded podcast - Bruce Sloper
• Spoke to Dick about grants

• Physio rehab session
• Further Chatted with Dick - guidance with grants applications
• SoCial happy hour and cooked fresh mackerel dropped off by local
• Got to know Ray (ex 1 Armoured - Vietnam vet and wife Jen - 1x family)
• Continued Radio course - vocational rehab

• Fly to Canberra - Darwin graduation from Australian Federal Police recruit training
• Prep for upgrade of website
• Tour editorial released - Gladstone news / YV & W4W - readership 50K

• Darwin graduation
• Catchup with former colleague and army mate - Dom Cummins
• Visit to Australian War Memorial - reflections and commemorations of the 41 and mates KIA in Afghanistan…it was emotional reliving some of the trauma through the new AFG memorial seeing Ian Langford and commentary from former colleagues and brothers-in-arms
• Met some of Darwin’s AFP graduate classmates, 6 x new First responders 3 whom were ADF veterans (1Armoured, 1RAR, Engineers)

• Transit day - Canberra to Rockhampton
• Rockhampton to Moana Caravan park, Siteena overnight
• Met a veteran Matt at Rockhampton airport on flight from Brisbane to Rocky (1vet and partner)