Timor and Afghanistan veterans David Marshall, Padre John Shay, Wayne Ganderton, Dave McNevin and Jason Dodds catch up after the Vietnam Veterans’ Day memorial service at Pandanus Park on 18 August. Photo: Supplied.
The Pandanus Park War Veterans Retreat (PPWVR) has used this year’s Vietnam Veterans’ Day commemoration to sound the call for more younger former and current defence personnel to utilise the Cape York facility.
Dozens of veterans and their families made their pilgrimage to Pandanus Park for the annual service and breakfast on 18 August, and PPWVR president Roly Walker told Cape York Weekly most now stayed for several weeks before the event to catch up with friends and fellow service personnel.
“They have a memorial service on 18 August and veterans from all over Australia come in, usually two or three weeks beforehand, and they stay for the service and then they start to head back to wherever they come from in Australia,” he explained.
“They get together every afternoon and have a bit of a yarn and a bit of a laugh.”
Pandanus Park was established more than 20 years ago and Mr Walker said the facility, located on the Normanby River near Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, provided a place for anyone who has served in the defence force to tell their story in a supportive and understanding environment.
“Our motto is ‘peace in the bush after war’ and, basically, they get away from their day-to-day lives and the cities,” he said.
“When they’re isolated and they’re older, that’s the killer, so they can actually get together [at Pandanus Park] with people who understand them and their stories.
“Since the park opened 20 years ago, there have been no recorded suicides for anyone who has attended the park, which we’re pretty proud of.”
Despite the success of Pandanus Park, Mr Walker said they needed to convince a new cohort of younger veterans to start making the pilgrimage to ensure the facility’s long-term legacy.
“We’re trying to get the younger veterans there into the park,” he said.
“I went there five years ago for the first time, and I now go up there three times a year just to get out bush and get away from everything.”
