Work will start later this year to restore and revitalise the courthouse into a custom-designed facility to support the more than 1,500 veterans and their families who live in the Hawkesbury as well as service men and women at RAAF Base Richmond.
The NSW Government’s Department of Communities and Justice has provided the court house and the Australian Government will fund its refurbishment and ongoing use as a Veterans’ and Families’ Hub.
Heritage aspects of the historic courthouse will be maintained in the extensive refurbishment that will include the addition of an extension to house the kitchen and communal areas of the facility and a welcoming new entrance.
The RSL LifeCare Veteran and Family Hub model is a proven one-stop shop offering a wide range of free support services for veterans and their families. The hubs also connect the veteran community to NSW Government services including housing, education, employment, health, and other social services and supports.
Located near Richmond Mall, the new hub will be easily accessible and provide a space where veterans and their families can come together, share experiences, and build lasting connections.
The hub will be delivered as part of a $5M grant from the Federal Government through the Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs Network expansion.
The Hawkesbury facility will join the five existing RSL LifeCare hubs in operation around NSW in Wyong, Dee Why, Queanbeyan, Wagga Wagga and Nowra and the other two planned for Maitland and Tweed Heads.
For more information on the Richmond Veterans and Families Hub visit: https://www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/support/richmond-court-house-revitalisation/
Federal Minister for Veteran Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh said: “Our Veterans’ and Families’ Hub network ensures easy access to services and supports that Australia’s veterans and families deserve.
“There is a significant spread of veterans reaching from Richmond in the Hawkesbury region, south to Ingleburn and in order to best support them we’re developing a ‘hub and spoke’ network spanning that area to make sure services are easy to access and close to home for veterans across Sydney’s west.
Federal member for Macquarie Susan Templeman said she is pleased to see progress on delivering the promised one stop shop for veterans and Defence personnel and their families in Richmond, a central location for the Hawkesbury.
RSL LifeCare CEO, Janet Muir said: “Through this new hub, RSL LifeCare will be able to directly reach more than 20,000 local veterans and their loved ones with vital services - from DVA claims and advocacy, to financial assistance, employment support, wellbeing programs, and transitional accommodation.
“I thank the NSW Government and the Department of Veterans Affairs for helping bring this important vision to life. This remarkable courthouse, designed in 1877, holds deep historical significance for the community. It has stood as a symbol of justice for over a century – and now, it begins a new chapter as a place of support, connection and care for our veteran community.”
