Pro Patria Centre Expands in Wake of Royal Commission Findings
In response to the harrowing findings of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, Pro Patria Centre has taken bold, practical steps to provide real, lasting change for Australia’s veterans and first responders.The Pro Patria Centre, a holistic, multidisciplinary facility based in Wagga Wagga, has emerged as a national leader in veteran care and recovery. Guided by the Royal Commission’s directive that “there is no time to waste,” the centre has rapidly expanded its services, forged vital partnerships, and launched healing initiatives grounded in research, innovation, and lived experience.
A Timeline of Action
2021: A local veterans’ survey revealed alarming statistics — over 60% of participants had contemplated suicide within two years. This data provided the foundation for Pro Patria’s model.
August 2023: The community raised over $1.5 million, enabling the acquisition of the Carmelite Monastery property. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) matched these funds, securing a permanent home for the Defence Shed and expanding medical services.
December 2023: The Royal Commission acknowledged the centre as an example of “what is needed in the space.”
June 2024: Completion of a new kitchen facility for nutritional programs under the “Garden to Plate” initiative.
December 2024: Official opening of the demountable training and workshop modules, allowing for expanded mental health, peer connection, and job-ready training programs.
Outcomes in Action
Medical partnerships with Monarch Mental Health, Kinetic Medicine, and private GPs now operate from the centre.
Strong veteran retention: 90% engagement for over a year, demonstrating real impact in recovery outcomes.
Courses include relaxation therapy, mental health first aid, and suicide prevention training.
Social connection groups span gardening, beekeeping, woodworking, and support for grandparents raising grandchildren.
Pro Patria is part of regional suicide prevention collaboratives and a founding partner in the Riverina Harvest Festival, embracing the philosophy that “food is medicine.”
Looking Ahead
Following a landmark agreement with Charles Sturt University, the Pro Patria Centre is moving into the research and education space, creating pathways for veterans into tertiary education and evidence-based wellbeing initiatives.To support this expansion, Pro Patria is now seeking to raise an additional $300,000 to complete Stage 2 construction, cover infrastructure costs not included in the government grant, and extend the centre’s reach to isolated and rural veterans.
Your Support Makes Real Change Possible
What sets Pro Patria apart? Every dollar donated is powered by volunteer leadership and goes directly into action — not overheads. No corporate margins. No bureaucracy. Just tangible change for those who served and continue to serve.Your contributions will help fund new research opportunities, veterans’ access to therapies for PTSD, kitchen garden programs, nutritional rehabilitation, regional woodworking classes, and reconnection with the community.With over $1.5 million already raised by our incredible extended community, your help now will sustain this momentum and build on the centre’s reputation as a model for veteran care in Australia.
