Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation

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Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation

Kookaburra Kids supports young people impacted by family mental illness by providing evidence-based,

Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation is a not for profit organisation and registered charity. Fully self funded, the program relies on the generosity of corporate, community and individual donations.

14/08/2026

It’s National Youth Volunteer Week!

This year’s theme, ‘Your Time to Lead’, celebrates the incredible ways young people are stepping up, giving back and making a difference in their communities.

Meet Baylee, one of our amazing Kookaburra Kids Youth Volunteers.

“The best thing about volunteering with Kookaburra Kids for me is being able to build new friendships and bonds with kids and volunteers. I love coming to camps and being around such supportive and energetic people.”

Our Youth Volunteers bring so much energy, kindness and enthusiasm to our camps and activity days, helping young people feel welcome, connected and supported.

Could this be your time to lead?

Volunteering with Kookaburra Kids is a chance to make a difference, build new friendships, gain valuable experience and have plenty of fun along the way.

Join our volunteer community and help create brighter futures for young people. https://kookaburrakids.org.au/volunteer/

12/08/2026

Connection starts with community.

Our recent Defence Family Fun Day at Bounce Inc, Wodonga was a wonderful reminder of the power of bringing Defence and veteran families together.

We welcomed 93 people from Defence and veteran families, with the day creating opportunities for families to connect with others who understand the unique experiences of Defence life.

We were also pleased to welcome representatives from Defence Member and Family Support, Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling and Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), who saw firsthand the positive impact these events have on Defence families.

The best part? Every family we spoke with said they would come back to another event, and many expressed interest in joining future Defence Kids programs.

Missed Wodonga? We'd love to see you at our next FREE Defence Family Events!

📍 11 September – Flip Out, Villawood, NSW
https://www.trybooking.com/DNBNN
📍 10 October – Ipswich Scouts, QLD
https://www.trybooking.com/DNGVJ

A huge thank you to Veterans First Consulting for making these events possible and helping Defence and veteran families build connections, strengthen wellbeing and discover ongoing support.

07/08/2026

Introducing Connect & Grow!

We're excited to launch Connect & Grow: A Young Carers Program by Kookaburra Kids – a new five-session wellbeing journey for young people aged 8–18 who support a parent, sibling or close family member living with a mental illness.

Many young people don't realise they're "young carers", they're simply doing what needs doing at home. Connect & Grow is a place where they can connect with others who understand, build confidence, discover their strengths and learn practical wellbeing skills in a safe and supportive environment.

🌟 Our first Day Camp is on 3 October at Magnetic Island, Townsville!

Participants will enjoy:
⛴️ A trip aboard the Magnetic Island Apex Ferry
🥾 A bush walk and wellbeing chat
🏄 Stand-up paddleboarding
🍽️ A relaxing lunch
💪 Learning how to build confidence in who they are, beyond their caring role.
🎉 Fun games and team activities

Connect & Grow is proudly delivered and in partnership with Wellways to support young people impacted by family mental illness.

Do you know a young person who could benefit from this program? Please visit https://kookaburrakids.org.au/young-carers/ to learn more or refer a young person to attend our progam.

04/08/2026

This weekend we're looking forward to welcoming Defence and veteran families to our Defence Family Fun Day at Bounce Inc, Wodonga!

If you're looking for a fun day out where the whole family can connect with others who understand the unique experiences of Defence life, there's still time to join us.

These family events are designed to bring Defence and veteran families together in a relaxed and welcoming environment, while providing an opportunity to meet the Kookaburra Kids team, connect with other families and learn more about the free support available through our Defence Kids program.

There are still more opportunities to join us this year:
📍 This Thursday, 7 August – Bounce Inc, Wodonga
https://www.trybooking.com/DMQEL
📍 11 September – Flip Out, Villawood
https://www.trybooking.com/DNBNN
📍 10 October – Ipswich Scouts, QLD
https://www.trybooking.com/DNGVJ

All ages are welcome!

Whether you're currently serving, a veteran family, new to the Defence community or navigating transition, we'd love to see you there.

A special thank you to Veterans First Consulting for funding these family events and helping create opportunities for Defence and veteran families to strengthen connections, have fun together and access support.

29/07/2026

Strong connections and positive mental wellbeing can make a lasting difference for young people from Defence and veteran families.

Recently, Defence Kids joined us for an Activity Day at Scenic World Blue Mountains providing them with opportunities to connect with peers who understand the unique experiences of Defence family life, while developing confidence, resilience and practical wellbeing skills.

Together they:
🚠 Soared above the Jamison Valley on the Scenic Skyway
🌿 Descended into the rainforest on the Scenic Cableway
🚂 Experienced the world's steepest passenger railway on the Scenic Railway
🥾 Explored the rainforest boardwalk together

Facilitated mental health education was woven throughout the day, alongside supervised group activities that encouraged teamwork, connection and conversations about wellbeing in a safe and supportive environment.

Thank you to the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairss for supporting Defence Kids and helping us deliver free, evidence-informed programs for children and young people from Defence and veteran families across Australia.

To learn more about our Defence Kids program please visit:https://kookaburrakids.org.au/defence-kids/

27/07/2026

Breaking the silence starts with raising awareness.

Thanks to a Metro Trains Melbourne Community Grant, Kookaburra Kids will deliver three months of in-kind advertising across Melbourne's train network, helping us reach more people with an important message: no young person impacted by family mental illness should have to face it alone.

Our campaign, Breaking the Quiet: A Metro Melbourne awareness campaign for young people impacted by family mental illness, will shine a light on an issue that affects so many Australian families.

Around 42% of Australian families are impacted by mental illness, and children growing up in these households are 2–4 times more likely to experience mental health challenges themselves. By raising awareness, we hope to reduce stigma, start important conversations and help more young people and families find the free support they deserve.

A huge thank you to Metro Trains Melbourne for investing in initiatives that strengthen the wellbeing of our communities and help make support more visible.

💛 If you see our campaign while travelling through Melbourne, snap a photo, tag Kookaburra Kids and help us spread the message even further.

24/07/2026

Celebrating our impact in 2025/26

Thanks to the support of our volunteers, partners, donors and community, Kookaburra Kids reached more young people impacted by family mental illness during the 2025/26 financial year.

💙 This year we delivered:
🏕️ 80 Camps
🎉 134 Activity Days
💻 194 Online Connect Sessions
✨ 408 programs in total

That's an increase from 2024/25, when we delivered:
• 72 Camps
• 111 Activity Days
• 180 + Online Connect Sessions

Every additional program represents more opportunities for young people impacted by family mental illness to build resilience, strengthen their mental health, connect with others who understand, and realise they are not alone.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. Together, we're creating brighter futures for young people across Australia.

If you'd like to help us reach even more young people, we'd love to hear from you. Visit kookaburrakids.org.au/support-us to learn how you can get involved. Or visit our What's On page to see what exciting programs are coming up in your area. https://kookaburrakids.org.au/whats-on/

21/07/2026

☀️ Creativity is coming to life in Cairns!

In collaboration with Wellways, our young carers have been busy preparing for the Cairns Festival Grand Parade this August, inspired by this year’s theme, Fun in the Sun.

Starting with a co-design and brainstorming session, the group shared ideas and worked together to dream up their parade creations. Then, across two school holiday creative sessions, those ideas became colourful costumes and props, from jellyfish and sun and cloud designs to giant lollipops, jellyfish umbrellas and more!

Young carers impacted by family mental illness also had the chance to get creative, work as a team, make new connections and enjoy time together in a fun and supportive space.

We can’t wait to see them bring it all together at the Cairns Festival Grand Parade in August!

A big thank you to Wellways for helping us create opportunities where young carers can connect, create and feel supported. To learn more about our Young Carers Program, please visit: https://kookaburrakids.org.au/young-carers/

16/07/2026

To our incredible volunteers... thank you.

Behind every smile, every new friendship and every young person who leaves our programs feeling more confident and connected is someone who chose to give their time to make a difference.

During 2025/26, 342 volunteers generously supported Kookaburra Kids, contributing more than 24,500 volunteer hours to help young people impacted by family mental illness.

Whether you spent a weekend at camp, joined us for an activity day, supported an online program or volunteered behind the scenes, you created safe spaces where young people felt seen, heard and understood. Your kindness, encouragement and willingness to simply be there has a lasting impact that extends far beyond the hours you've given.

To every volunteer who has shared their time, compassion and heart with our young people, thank you.

Could you be the trusted adult who helps a young person feel connected, supported and seen?

If you're looking for a meaningful way to give back, we'd love to welcome you to our volunteer community. Visit our website to learn more about volunteering with Kookaburra Kids and how you can help change a young person's life. https://kookaburrakids.org.au/volunteer/

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+61295257474

Website

http://kookaburrakids.org.au/

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