Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

Role of Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs (Hubs) provide a space for veterans’ services and advocacy organisations to co-exist and provide integrated support to current and former serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, including reservists, and families.

Hubs either provide or facilitate integrated support to veterans and families and improve access to local services which may include wellbeing support, advocacy, employment and housing advice, social connection and physical and mental health services.

Services

Hubs provide access to local services, which may include:

• physical and mental health services;
• wellbeing support;
• advocacy;
• employment and housing advice; and
• social connection.

Hub lead organisations provide or facilitate integrated support for veterans and families in partnership with ex-service, community and other organisations, including state and territory governments.  Hubs have unique operational and service models based on local needs and determine their own cost arrangements and charges (if any) to veterans and families. Whilst some services may be free of charge, services facilitated via the Hubs to another service provider may have their own fee structures.

Hub regional differences

The lead organisations of each Hub consult with veterans, families and the local community to align services and support with local needs and opportunities. They also undertake reviews to ensure the Hubs remain responsive to changes in local needs and priorities.

Established Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

There are now ten Hubs open and offering services to veterans and families across Australia, with locations and lead organisations shown in the table below. 

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs under development

Lead organisations are in the process of establishing Hubs in the following locations: 

Map of the Veterans' and Families' Hubs

Background of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs Program

In 2019, $30 million was committed to develop a network of six Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs (formerly known as Veteran Wellbeing Centres) in Perth, Townsville, Adelaide, Wodonga, Nowra and Darwin. These Hubs were established in partnership with ex-service organisations and state and territory governments.

As part of the 2021–22 Federal Budget, funding was provided to expand the Hubs network into Southeast Queensland and Tasmania, with $5 million committed for each location.

On 23 December 2021, a further $2.5 million was announced to support the provision of wellbeing services and support to veterans and families in Tasmania. This included $2.2 million for the North West Tasmanian Veteran Welfare Board to establish a Hub in Burnie and $250,000 for enhancements at the Launceston RSL.

In the October 2022 Budget, $46.7 million was committed to establish eight new Hubs across the country, and to continue the work already underway to establish Hubs in Southeast Queensland and Tasmania.

The locations for the new Hubs to be established were:

• Southwest Perth, Western Australia;
• Northern Adelaide, South Australia;
• Ipswich, Queensland;
• Hawkesbury region, New South Wales;
• Hunter region, New South Wales;
• Tweed/North Coast region, New South Wales;
• Queanbeyan, New South Wales; and
• Surf Coast/Geelong region, Victoria.

Bendigo Hub

In the 2025 Federal Election, the Australian Government committed a further $5 million to establish an additional Hub in Bendigo, Victoria.  To view the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and find out more about this grant opportunity, please visit the GrantConnect portal and search ‘2025VFHBendigo’. The Grant Opportunity Guidelines can also be viewed here.

Process for establishing each Hub

Information sessions are conducted for each proposed Hub to provide information to ex-service organisations, veteran and family service providers and other interested parties on the intent of the Hubs program.

Shortly after the information sessions, a grant opportunity opens for applications, and any organisations interested in establishing the Hub can apply for grant funding. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs assesses the applications and makes recommendations to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. One organisation is then invited to develop a business case to establish and operate the Hub.

For those seeking to attend the online information sessions for the new Bendigo Hub, please email veteransandfamilieshubs@dva.gov.au to register your attendance. For more information on this grant opportunity, please visit the GrantConnect portal and search ‘2025VFHBendigo’.

The organisations selected to establish a Hub are required to undertake local consultation to confirm the needs of veterans and families in the region. This consultation informs the proposed service model of the Hub, which will include a range of services and supports tailored to meet local needs.

Grant Opportunity Guidelines

The Grant Opportunity Guidelines provide further details about the aims and objectives of the Hubs program and how potential lead organisations for the Hubs can apply for grant funding. The previous Grant Opportunity Guidelines for the Hubs program from 28 October 2022 to 27 November 2025 can be viewed on the DVA website.

The new Grant Opportunity Guidelines for the establishment of the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub in Bendigo, Victoria, are now available.

Evaluation

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has engaged La Trobe University to undertake an evaluation of the Hubs program to understand the impact of Hubs in addressing the diverse needs of the veteran community.

The evaluation is focussing on two of the initial Hubs established; the Shoalhaven Veteran and Family Hub in Nowra, and the Mates4Mates Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre in Darwin. These locations have been selected due to their unique demographics, service types, post-service nature and service providers.

The evaluation aims to gather a community-centred view of the experience of people who are using Hubs, including their expectations, needs satisfaction levels, concerns and supports they receive. The evaluation will also seek to understand the views of other stakeholders, including those who are not accessing the Hubs. It is anticipated that the learnings from the evaluation will assist in informing and developing the broader Hubs network.  

Feasibility Studies

Tasmania

In September 2020, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Tasmanian Government engaged the University of Tasmania (UTAS), to undertake a joint feasibility study into a veteran support service for the state.

The Tasmanian Veterans Needs Assessment and Wellbeing Support Service Feasibility Report is available to download.

The feasibility study highlighted the need for localised veteran support services to cater for a dispersed veteran community across Tasmania. Community consultation was a critical component of the study and informed the decision making about the most effective model for the delivery of veteran and family wellbeing services in Tasmania.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

The ACT Government and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs undertook a joint feasibility study into how to best support the wellbeing of ACT veterans and families.

The ACT Veterans Feasibility Study is available to download on the ACT Government website.

More information

For more information about the Veterans’ and Families’ Hub Program, please email veteransandfamilieshubs@dva.gov.au