- Published:
- Thursday 10 April 2025
The Allan Labor Government is honouring the service and sacrifice of veterans by investing in projects that preserve their legacy and strengthen their communities.
Minister for Veterans Natalie Suleyman today announced the successful recipients of two grant programs funding local government, ex-service organisations and community groups to upgrade their facilities and create welcoming, accessible places to commemorate and support Victoria’s veterans.
The Veterans Capital Works 2024-25 grant program is providing 26 recipients with a share in more than $780,000 to upgrade or develop facilities for veterans and their families.
Ballarat RSL Sub-Branch will use its grant to improve access, privacy and security for veterans. Works include soundproofing welfare offices for confidential consultations, installing a disability access ramp and adding CCTV at entry points to enhance safety for visitors and staff.
Vasey RSL Care’s Geelong Veteran Renewal Initiative will revamp at least five ex-service accommodation units with its grant, ensuring fit-for-purpose homes for residents, supporting their wellbeing and independence.
The Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenues of Honour 2024-25 grant program is delivering 16 grants of up to $30,000, providing more than $320,000 to restore, preserve, and update war memorials, honour rolls, and avenues of honour.
The heritage-listed Malmsbury War Memorial Gates will be restored with a grant to conserve the memorial built in 1922 in tribute to the “brave men who enlisted in the Great War 1914-1918”. The Macedon Ranges memorial will have soldier names re-guilded, old paint and rust removed and works on the memorial railings and gate.
The Victorian College of the Arts will restore its Honour Board along St Kilda Road which commemorates students who dedicated and lost their lives during World War I. The board, featured in the Australian National Veterans Art Museum’s Veterans Public Arts Trail, is part of the world’s only walking trail dedicated to veteran-created art.
For a complete list of grant recipients and for more information, visit vic.gov.au/veterans-capital-works or vic.gov.au/restoring-community-war-memorials.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Veterans Natalie Suleyman
“These projects are a powerful way we’re preserving the unforgettable legacy of our veterans by improving the places where their stories are honoured and remembered.”
“By investing in community projects across the state, we’re paying tribute to our veterans and creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for future generations to gather and reflect on Victoria’s history.”