Our Story
Proudly Serving Those Who Served Our Nation
Due to Australia’s involvement in ongoing military conflicts over the last 20 years, our country is witnessing an increase in the number of soldiers who are failing to assimilate effectively back into society on their return from active duty or their resignation from the military.
Many of our troops may be aware that they need help at some level but continue the mental struggle (PTSD) in private. We are seeing more of these scenarios as time passes as this is taking its toll on our soldiers and their families.
Tragically, statistics show we are losing around one Veteran a week to suicide.
After attending an Army Rugby Old Boys Game vs Navy game in 2014 and listening to a heart wrenching speech given by a young SAPPER who returned from 2 deployments to Afghanistan, we knew something had to be done and we opened our doors and home to reach out and connect with young men and women affected by their experiences overseas and have not looked back.
Diggers Rest – ‘A Soldiers Retreat’ was thus born out of the desperate need to reconnect with these young men and women who have served our nation as no soldier needs to struggle alone.
Healing does not mean the damage never existed – it just means it no longer controls our lives
Rates of Returning Veteran Suicide
OUR GOAL
CREATE, REDUCE & PROVIDE
- To create a friendly, relaxed environment on 22 privately owned acres providing self-catering short stay accommodation free of charge, for any active or former member of the ADF and their families who feels the need to reset their minds and reconnect with family and society.
- To encourage them to return as and when they feel the need.
- To provide programs in the form of working bees, designed to give the soldier a mission or task to work towards.
- To establish bonds between those that need and those that can assist.
In addition, Diggers Rest will provide supplementary support to the QLD RSL Emergency Short Term Accommodation Policy.
Click on the image to view our building project video
Our Mission
Who is Diggers Rest and what are we asking for?
Diggers Rest – ‘A Soldiers Retreat’ is set up as an eco-friendly bush lodge based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
Our aim is to bring any serving member of the ADF or contemporary Veteran and their families to a friendly environment to help them reconnect with family, society and themselves where accommodation is offered at no financial outlay to them.
Many of our guests have served in Afghanistan, Iraqi, East Timor and Somalia and may now suffer chronic PTSD with suicide being their ‘only’ option.
We opened our doors with one mission and that was to just stop one of these potential suicides, but without funding we cannot progress indefinitely.
Diggers Rest is calling on Corporate Australia to help us here as we believe we do and have made a difference.
Since conception at the end of 2014 we have hosted and accommodated
Day Visitors = 506
Visitors Number = 1016
With a total of Nights slept = 1526
We also assisted with accommodation for five homeless young Veterans for various periods of time – (up to 3 months) offering them a safe place off the streets.
By asking Corporate Australia for a small monthly consistent donation, we can increase our capacity and offer more to these young men and women who have signed up to keep the war against terrorism outside of Australia.
Put simply, your small donation will be written off to tax, your company will receive a framed certificate to display your proud support of our Armed Services in your foyer and most importantly you will be saying “Thank you for your service to our great nation!” to these men and women.
If we can stop one more suicide we have succeeded in our mission.
We are asking corporate businesses to commit to donating $100 per month.
Our Objectives
RELAXATION & CONNECTION
- To bring any serving, or ex member of the ADF to a friendly bush setting environment to recoup and reinvigorate to help them re-establish themselves confidently back into family and society.
- To give these guests some good old fashioned ‘bush time’ around an open fire with their families in an eco-friendly lodge environment.
- To take groups to Fraser Island annually for camping and fishing and bonding with ‘family’
- To arrange picnic day trips to Tangalooma for families who are struggling financially to get away for a much-needed break.
- To organise adventure trips into Southern Africa on a yearly basis. These Safaris are designed to push comfort zones and re awaken ones senses and receive the right mentoring to set goals and make life targets on their return to Australia.
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An extract from a letter received from a 27yr old Afghanistan Veteran who accompanied us in 2018 who in his own words says he “has been having a hard time dealing with the reality of being home”
….“Well let me tell you… Africa can bring you out! The safari that I was fortunate enough to experience was absolutely resurrecting. It shocked energy and enthusiasm back into my soul. All the excitement and adrenaline I had been missing was suddenly back in my life. I felt as if my brain had been switched back on. On safari you never know what might be around the next corner, it may be a giraffe, or a zebra, or leopard and buffalo. It could be a water hole full of crocodiles and hippo. And when a full-grown bull elephant is standing less than 5m away from you, with his trunk outstretched smelling your face, you sure do remember what adrenaline feels like! There is an extreme excitement that rushes through your body when you scan the surrounding bushes of your campsite under torchlight and the bright green eyes of a Hyena pierce the darkness. Or when you are lying in your tent and hear the distant ethereal roar of one of the most devastating predators on the planet, the Lion. Everywhere you go there is wildlife and beauty to be seen. The sunsets are magnificent and inspiring, and relaxation flows through your entire body and mind. There is no place on earth like Africa and the feeling you get when you are there. Africa is Alive! And so am I!
Our Founders
About Nick & Karen Forster-Jones
Nick Forster-Jones, a fervent family man and a fourth-generation soldier, came to Australia as a young man from Rhodesia in the early 80’s. His family settled in Perth where he played rugby (union) for Nedlands and represented WA from junior levels through to senior levels. (Captaining the WA u21).
He served 7 years in the ADF mainly with the 3rd battalion Royal Australian Regiment. He played rugby for the Australian Army as well as ASRU.
On his discharge he returned to Southern Africa where he was involved in anti-poaching and club rugby. He and his wife, Karen, ran a successful chain of franchise restaurants whilst serving 2 years in the South African police based in Johannesburg.
He returned to Australia with his wife Karen and their 4 children in 2008 settling in Queensland. He runs a very successful business that takes him around Australia on a regular basis.
He brings to the table not only his experiences as a former soldier but great stories about his travels and life experiences in Africa and he is looked up to as a business mentor by many.
Karen, works alongside Nick in his business, co-ordinating sales despatch from a warehouse in Brisbane and runs the day to day operations for Digger Rest. She oversees catering, cleaning and preparation of the cabins for our guests and although has no military background is considered to be the heart and soul of Diggers Rest in her ability to ‘adopt’ each guest as her own family. She offers unconditional love, a shoulder to cry on and emotional support to Veterans, their wives and families and especially to the mothers of our fallen.
The execution and streamlining and of our annual Safari can only be contributed to Karens hard work and dedication to ensure that everyone has only great memories of their African trip.