MITCHELL Shire Council has hosted its first-ever Military Roundtable, bringing together defence organisations, veterans’ groups, and community leaders to strengthen collaboration and explore new ways of supporting service personnel and their families.
The Roundtable, held in Broadford on Friday, September 5 and chaired by Mayor, Cr. John Dougall, drew strong commitment from participants to work collectively on a range of priorities.
“Mitchell has one of the strongest military connections of any municipality in Victoria, with Puckapunyal home to six per cent of Australia’s Army and more than two per cent of our residents having served in the armed forces,” Cr Dougall said.
“This Roundtable is about working together to ensure our defence and veteran communities feel supported and valued, and to make the most of the heritage we are so proud to have here in Mitchell.”
Key areas of focus included promoting Mitchell’s rich military history through heritage tourism, raising awareness of veteran support services, improving community connections for Puckapunyal families, and increasing employment opportunities for military spouses.
The Roundtable also highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting military heritage, with opportunities identified to enhance tours and experiences across Seymour and the wider region.
Representatives from RSL Victoria, local RSL branches, the Australian Lighthorse Society, Vasey RSL Care, Vietnam Veterans Association, Lighthorse Memorial Park, Puckapunyal Military Area, Federal MPs, and Council attended the event, signalling a united commitment to working together.
The initiative marks the beginning of what Council hopes will be an ongoing platform for collaboration to ensure defence and veteran communities remain connected, celebrated, and well supported.
