Remembering our Australian Defence Force (ADF) veterans and acknowledging the sacrifices they have made in service of our country is something Australian society is getting better at over time, but much more needs to be done than just showing up to cheer them on at annual parades.

One Dubbo defence force veteran and his family have made remembering veterans and supporting their mental health a priority, and invite the community to join them at “A BBQ To Remember” on Sunday, November 16.

Lachlan Frankland served Australia as a Corporal in the First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, completing multiple tours of duty to Timor Leste and Afghanistan, and experienced first-hand the challenges faced by veterans as they seek to reintegrate into Australian life post-service.

Now running his own successful timber production business with wife Morgan – Red Earth Original – Mr Frankland will host the local barbecue event supporting Australian veteran mental health charity Swiss 8, which was started by his friend and fellow veteran, Adrian Sutter.

Held at Crossroads Bar, in partnership with The Western Star Hotel, “A BBQ To Remember” will raise funds to support ongoing development of NinGula Homestead, Swiss 8’s purpose-built facility at Monkerai in the hills of Barrington Tops, NSW, which will provide free services for complex-case veteran wellbeing and recovery.

Veterans’ mental health has been high on the agenda following three years of inquiry as part of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The seven-volume, 3000+-page Final Report from the Royal Commission was presented to the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, on September 9, 2024, and tabled in Federal Parliament on the same day. It included 122 recommendations to the federal government which the Royal Commission described as a “blueprint for real, meaningful and long-lasting reform.”

Veterans like Sutter and Frankland suggest reform is slow in this space.

“The support that veterans need just isn’t available,” Mr Frankland told Dubbo Photo News.

“Adrian and a few of us who support him were trying to get the government to [help us] get the support [veterans] need,” he added.

Swiss 8 has formed in the wake of the perceived lack of government support for veterans.

The support services that Swiss 8’s NinGula Homestead will provide to veterans when it opens in January 2026 will include DVA-funded 7-9 day retreats for 12 veterans each month with full clinician integration; comprehensive care including osteopathy, functional medicine, GPs, psychologists, dieticians, exercise physiologists, and social workers; pre-screens and ongoing check-ins for high-needs veterans.

The outcomes of this support will reduce suicide risk, improve resilience, and shift behaviour (think/talk/feel/act to move from struggle to freedom).

It’s a cause worth supporting, because our veterans are worth supporting, Mr Frankland says.

Like many partners of current and former defence service personnel, Morgan Frankland is right behind her husband – and others – seeking to improve support for veterans.

“One thing we’d really love the community to know is the support systems in place for veterans provided by standard government services just are inadequate, and the Royal Commission of Inquiry demonstrated that,” Mrs Frankland said.

“Twenty per cent of ADF personnel who have left the [service] or are still serving have contemplated suicide as a result of their experiences, and in the last 30 years, on average, three ADF personnel commit suicide every fortnight,” she added.

“There’s a real need for more appropriate service provision for veterans.”

The Franklands are personally supporting the development of NinGula Homestead by carrying out timber-milling onsite at no cost through their business, Red Earth Original. The timber extracted from this process will be used at the homestead for different purposes.

The Dubbo couple encourage the community to attend their fundraising event on Sunday, November 16, and show their support for the veteran community.

The event will be attended by Swiss 8 CEO Adrian Sutter, and will include a fundraising barbecue, live music, meat raffle, and a charity auction with items donated by many local businesses.

“The support from local community businesses has just been absolutely amazing,” Mrs Frankland concluded.

Dubbo Photo News will have more information about this event in next week’s issue.

If you or someone you know needs support, please contact:

1800 011 046 Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling, openarms.gov.au

1800 628 036 Defence Mental Health All-hours Support Line

1800 737 732 1800RESPECT, National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service, 1800respect.org.au

13 11 14 Lifeline, lifeline.org.au

1300 78 99 78 MensLine, mensline.org.au

13YARN(13 92 76), counselling support for Indigenous Australians, 13yarn.org.au

1300 659 467 Suicide Callback Service, suicidecallbackservice.org.au

1300 727 247 Standby Support After Suicide, standbysupport.com.au

1800 805 801 Thirrili’s Postvention Suicide Support, thirrili.com.au