Golf cabin handover…Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat Manager Phil Thomson (second from left) shakes hands with Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort’s President Laurie Bridgeman. Also pictured are, at left, men’s golf captain Mick Spring and CEO Peter Savy.
Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat will be able to provide more short-term accommodation relief for war veterans, courtesy of Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort donating one of its last five accommodation cabins to the retreat.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
And thanks to ClubMulwala who paid for the cabin’s transportation costs from the golf course to Goorambat on Wednesday, April 26.
The golf club is replacing the last of its 40 cabins with a $1.8 million two-villa project. The cabins were the first on-course accommodation and served the club well. But with building of more golf-friendly big blocks of units over the last four decades, the cabins became the least in demand type of accommodation.
Men’s captain of Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort Mick Spring (left) with Phil Thomson of Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat.
Since late 2019, Goorambat’s not-for-profit charity has been transforming the town’s old primary school as a retreat for Australian Defence Force veterans and their families.
It offers emergency accommodation and support for those challenged by the return to everyday life or facing personal hardship.
After providing on-course accommodation for visiting golfers, the last five golf cabins out of the original 40 cabins left last week; the above one for Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat.
Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat is managed by former Army staff officer and Veterans welfare advocate Phil Thomson, supported by his wife Jo who runs an associated social enterprise, the Digger’s Wife Café.
“We provide temporary accommodation of two to three weeks for veterans from the local area, from Shepparton to Yarrawonga,” 58-year-old Phil who advanced from soldier to Major in his career.
“We have converted a room to be a kitchen, we have shared meals and a communal lounge room as well as having additional new bathroom and toilets.”
Located on a three-acre site in Trewin Road, the veterans retreat replaced the 1891-opened school which existed in some shape or form for some 120 years before finally closing in 2010 as student enrolments decreased to single figures.
The new owners have turned the site into the veterans retreat and are keen to work with the local community to preserve the school’s history. They have worked hard to win financial grant support but demand is high and more is needed.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort’s donation of the cabin was therefore appreciated by Phil. “We are very happy to receive the cabin which will provide temporary accommodation for two veterans or two families,” he said of the seventh standalone accommodation premises.
“It will make a whole lot of difference and we thank the golf club resort very much for their kind offer.
”And thanks to Yarrawonga Mulwala RSL Sub Branch for paying the $5,500 transportation costs of getting the cabin here.”
Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort President Laurie Bridgeman said the idea of donating the cabin was put to the club’s board of directors by men’s golf captain Mick Spring, who had a distinguished career in the Army and is a foundation member of the 2014-established Veterans off the street organisation. Mick was particularly pleased with the board’s decision.
“Mick thought it would be a great idea to have the cabin moved to Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat,” Mr Bridgeman said.
“The idea was adopted unanimously by the board. It’s a very worthy cause.”
Yarrawonga Mulwala RSL Sub Branch’s vice-president Ian Summers said the sub branch was very happy to provide the cabin’s cost of travel “because it’s a service to veterans”.
“We felt we could make some sort of donation. The Goorambat Veterans’ Retreat is a very good set up. It’s very helpful to veterans in the local area including veterans from Yarrawonga and Mulwala.”
The remaining four cabins from the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort have been sold to Hay Caravan Park.
“They wanted all five cabins but were very happy we were donating one cabin for the benefit of war veterans,” Mr Bridgeman said.
