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A major new support service for 1500 local veterans across the Hawkesbury and their families is now operating at South Windsor, marking an important step in both local community care and broader national reform following the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
The Hawkesbury Veteran and Family Hub, delivered in partnership by RSL NSW and RSL LifeCare with support from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, provides a single point of access to wellbeing services, DVA claims assistance, employment and financial advice, and community connection for veterans and families across Western Sydney.
A temporary Hub is now operational at Lower Ground Floor, 36 Argyle Street, South Windsor, ensuring no interruption to services while refurbishment continues on the historic Richmond Court House, which will become the permanent, purpose-built home of the service.
The official launch was held on 13 February 2026 providing opportunities to meet the Hub team, connect with partner organisations and gain insight into how the initiative will strengthen support for the local Defence community.
More than a century of service
RSL LifeCare is one of Australia’s largest veteran-focused not-for-profit organisations, with more than 110 years of history supporting older Australians, veterans and their families. Operating across NSW, the ACT and Queensland, it delivers residential aged care, home care, retirement living and dedicated veteran wellbeing programs.
Within its veteran services arm, RSL LifeCare operates a growing network of Veteran and Family Hubs community-based centres designed to simplify access to support. These hubs follow a veteran-centric, wellbeing-focused model, aiming to assist not only with paperwork and claims, but also with mental health, employment pathways, housing support and social connection.
The approach is holistic recognising that successful transition to civilian life and long-term wellbeing depend on more than administrative processes. It also requires community, purpose and practical support close to home.
Linked to Royal Commission reforms
The establishment and expansion of Veteran and Family Hubs form part of a broader national reform agenda arising from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
The Royal Commission delivered its Final Report in September 2024, handing down 122 recommendations aimed at addressing systemic issues contributing to suicide and suicide risk among serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members and their families.
Among those recommendations was a specific call Recommendation 86 for ongoing funding and support of Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs, recognising that accessible, community-based services are critical to reducing isolation and improving wellbeing outcomes.
The Australian Government agreed or agreed-in-principle to the vast majority of the Commission’s recommendations, including strengthening integrated, place-based support services such as local hubs.
In this context, the Hawkesbury Hub is not just a local initiative, but part of a coordinated national effort to ensure veterans and their families can access help where they live, without navigating fragmented systems with more hubs mooted to increase acccess to veteran located across Western Sydney.
A local commitment to the Defence community
Made possible through a grant from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and developed in partnership with RSL NSW, the Hawkesbury Hub aims to serve veterans across the region and into south-western Sydney.
Services are free and tailored to veterans and their families, covering DVA claims and advocacy support, employment and financial advice, housing and homelessness assistance, and broader wellbeing programs.
Message to veterans and their families
"My message to any veteran or family member who feels hesitant is simple: You don’t have to navigate your challenges alone, and there’s absolutely no shame in reaching out.
Hubs are designed as welcoming, judgement-free spaces where you can talk to people who get it, whether that’s just another veteran, a family member who’s walked a similar path, or a support professional who can connect you with the right services.
No matter where you are in your journey, whether you’re transitioning from Defence, facing mental health challenges, dealing with paperwork, or simply feeling disconnected, help is available, and taking that first step through the Hub door could be one of your best decisions." RSL Life Care
For the Hawkesbury, home to a strong Defence presence and many current and former service personnel, the Hub represents both practical support and a reaffirmation of community responsibility.
As the permanent facility at the Richmond Court House takes shape, the message behind the initiative is clear: local veterans and their families deserve coordinated, accessible and compassionate support not only in times of crisis, but throughout every stage of service and civilian life.
