Kawana Waters RSL Sub Branch

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

Did you know.... on this day in 1953, the first Australian English Electric Canberra took flight at Avalon, Victoria?

Designed for speed, altitude and adaptability, the Canberra became an important aircraft in RAAF service, including with No. 2 Squadron in Malaya and Vietnam.

Visit our museum to discover the Canberra Mk.20 up close and hear of its remarkable service history.

We're open daily, 10am–4pm.

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

Q: Guess the ammunition frag 💥❔💥

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

This morning was a reminder of why community matters so much.

Back in 2020, I started the Forster team for Buddy Up Australia At the time, I didn’t realise just how much that decision would shape not only my own life, but eventually the way we would build and operate Our Mate-Ship.

That chapter taught me the power of simple human connection — people coming together, getting outside, checking in on each other, sharing conversations, and creating a sense of belonging. It showed me that healing and wellbeing often happen in the small moments: a morning swim, a coffee afterwards, a laugh with mates, or simply knowing someone notices when you show up.

At the time, I was struggling with the guilt of being unable to work and felt like I had lost my sense of purpose. Volunteering gave me a new perspective. It helped me understand that caring for yourself and supporting others are deeply connected.

It was awesome catching up with Bec and seeing the incredible work she’s doing with the Forster community. The turnout this morning was amazing — people turning up in the cold and rain for a swim, then staying afterwards for coffee, chats, and connection.

Experiences like this played a huge role in shaping the culture of Our Mate-Ship. We’ve always believed that wellbeing isn’t built through complicated programs or clinical settings alone — sometimes it’s built through community, shared experiences, meaningful conversations, and creating spaces where people feel comfortable just being themselves.

Whether it’s on the water, over a coffee, or during a simple catch-up, those moments of connection matter more than we often realise.

Very grateful for mornings like this ❤️

30/05/2026

30/05/2026

This reconciliation week, tune in to RSL Queensland's Indigenous Veterans Ceremony to commemorate the service and sacrifice of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for Australia. Since 2006, RSL QLD has held the annual Indigenous Veterans Ceremony on the Saturday of National Reconciliation Week. This year, the ceremony will be held in Cairns starting at 11am. You can click this link to view the livestream: https://youtube.pulse.ly/njljiwrnwr

It has often been underacknowledged that many Indigenous veterans who served alongside other Australians in the same conflicts were not granted the same entitlements and rights upon their return from service. The Indigenous Veterans Ceremony is an opportunity for the community to recognise these inequities, and to recognise the invaluable contributions of Queensland’s Indigenous service personnel to the Australian Defence force who have served and continue to.

We encourage all to pay their respects by attending the ceremony if they can, in-person or virtually, and discover stories of Queensland Indigenous service this reconciliation week.

Elgin Leedie, also known as Buddy, as master of ceremonies at the Anzac Day ceremony at Cherbourg in 2023, Dean Saffron Cherbourg and Murgon Anzac Day photographs, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image no 33967-0001-0010.