Take part in the celebrations by toasting to such an important cause with CEO Belinda Wilson, Murray Bruce, and host, David Pembroke.

We at contentgroup would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who participated in the Trek and donated to the Bravery Trust. 

We would also like to thank all those who took a seat in the Run Ashore podcast studios to share stories close to the heart of the Royal Australia Navy; Belinda Wilson, Hon Matt Keogh MP, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Kristine Colliver, Commander Aaron Scott, Commander Michael Miller, Commanding officer Michael Nipperess, Rear Admiral (Retd) Simon Cullen, Captain (RAN) Viktor Pilicic, Colonel John C.Platt CSC (Retd), Brigadier (Retd) Bill Sowry and Murray Bruce. 

Although the Trek has come to a close, you can still donate to the cause until the 24th of November. To donate now: https://bit.ly/3A1Ebb7

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Three facts from this episode:

1. In late 1957 Sir David returned to England where, after attending specialist gunnery training, he undertook exchange service with the Royal Navy in the destroyer, HMS Battleaxe. 
2. During a successful command, Torrens escorted HMY Britannia from Norfolk Island to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in February during Queen Elizabeth II’s tour of the South-West Pacific.
3. Later in 1988 Martin received the New South Wales Father of the Year Award and in August he accepted the government’s offer to become the State’s 34th Governor. Sworn in on 20 January 1989, he was the first RAN officer to hold the position. In December he was appointed KCMG.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

For more on Sir David Martin Reserve: https://www.navy.gov.au/biography/rear-admiral-sir-david-james-martin

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Three facts from this episode:

1. The lighthouse and associated buildings were designed by James Barnet and built from 1881 to 1883.
2. The lighthouse became fully automated in 1976.
3. The lighthouse and associated site were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 and to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

For more on Macquarie Lighthouse: https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/en/our-story/harbour-history/history-of-macquarie-lightstation/

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Three facts from this episode:

1. Hornby Lighthouse was erected as a result of two quite tragic events; the sinking of the Dunbar and the sinking of the Catherine Adamson both in 1857.
2. The light was opened by Sir William Denison, Governor of New South Wales, in 1858. It was named after the family of Governor Dennison’s wife, whose father became Admiral Sir Phipps Hornby, Commander in Chief of the British Pacific Fleet in the 1860s. 
3. Dawson, the same architect who designed the lighthouse had also designed the lightkeepers cottages. Both are simple Georgian style sandstone cottages. The sandstone was quarried from the local cliff faces. 

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

For more on Hornby Lighthouse: https://lighthouses.org.au/nsw/hornby-lighthouse/

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Three key facts from this episode:

1. The role of Watson is to prepare Officers and Sailors of the Royal Australian Navy to go to sea and to be a part of the team that contributes to Fleet commitments and outcomes - "to fight and win at sea".
2. The first permanent military presence on South Head commenced in 1871 with the development of Artillery emplacements to defend the Port of Sydney. 
3. Today Watson has a ship’s company of 300 who are solely dedicated to providing the Fleet Commander Australia with personnel trained to perform war fighting roles at sea. 

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

For More on HMAS Watson: https://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/hmas-watson

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Three facts from this episode:

1. In the 1890s, a base was built at Chowder Bay for the Submarine Mining Corps. Mines were attached to underwater cables that stretched across the harbour from Chowder Bay. These mines were designed to detonate if an enemy ship entered the harbour, this was one of the first uses of electricity for such a purpose.
2. Eventually, technology rendered the underwater mines and cables obsolete, and the Submarine Mining Corps closed in 1922. 
3. After that, Chowder Bay became a depot and barracks for Army engineers, and in the 1980s, it was the site of the Army Maritime School. The Maritime School closed in 1997 and the military withdrew soon after.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

For more information on Chowder Bay: https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/en/our-story/harbour-history/history-of-chowder-bay/

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Three facts from this episode:

1. In 1945/46 the Royal Australian Artillery moved to North head and was based there until 1997 before moving to Puckapunyal in Victoria.
2. The quarantine station is also located on North Head. From the 1830s until 1984, migrant ships arriving in Sydney with suspected contagious disease stopped inside North head and offloaded passengers and crew into quarantine to protect local residents.
3. North Fort was strategically placed at the northern entrance to Sydney Harbour, the fort was part of a defence system that spanned 300km of coastline during World War II.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

If you would like to visit North Fort: https://www.harbourtrust.gov.au/en/see-and-do/tours/defence-of-sydney/

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Three facts from this episode:

1. HMAS Kuttabul is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base located in Potts Point in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. There are around 1500 personnel at HMAS Kuttabul.
2. The base is named for the steam ferry HMAS Kuttabul that was sunk while docked at Garden Island during a Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour in 1942.
3. Although Kuttabul is the main administrative part of Fleet Base East, Fleet Base East is also responsible for the Mine Counter Measures forces of the RAN stationed on the east coast.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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Three Facts from this episode:

1. In early 1788, Garden Island was the location where colonists first chose to grow crops. This undertaking helped to introduce European food species and cultivation techniques into the country.
2. Garden Island is the site of Australia's longest settled infrastructure.
3. In 1856 the Colonial Secretary at the time, wrote to the British Government suggesting Garden Island be used as a navy base. This was then approved by the British Government in 1859.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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Additional facts for this episode:

1. HMAS Penguin is the only Defence establishment left at Middle Head.
2. The Balmoral sewer tank was converted into a swimming pool, and with a couple of updates, it is still in use today. 
3. There are 12 heritage listed buildings on the base and three heritage structures which the swimming pool, our flagstaff and the Sewer Vent stack.
4. From 1949 until 1967 HMAS Penguin was home to the Royal Navy’s Fourth Submarine Squadron.
5. In 1954 HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip visited Penguin, this was the first time a reigning monarch had visited Australia. And in 1958, HRH Queen Elizabeth (the Queen’s mother) also visited Penguin.
6. During WW2 the Commando ‘Z’ Unit trained at Pittwater Annex in preparation for the famous ‘Operation Jaywick’ night raid conducted against Japanese ships in Singapore harbour on 26 September 1943.
7. HMAS Penguin turned 80 years old on the 14th of July this year.  

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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Three key facts from this episode:

1. Before being taken by Defence, HMAS Waterhen served as a quarry. Stones from HMAS Waterhen were then utilised to form the land bridge between Potts Point and Garden Island (Captain Cook Dockyard).
2. HMAS Waterhen is the home of the Royal Australian Navy's Mine Warfare and Mine Countermeasure which includes Clearance Diving capabilities. The Clearance diving team is composed of around 60 people.
3. HMAS Waterhen was named after the original Waterhen (I) which was one of the V Class Destroyers (Waterhen (I), Vampire (I), Vendetta (I) and Voyager (I)).

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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Three key facts from this episode:

1. Platypus was built as a dedicated submarine support base. She is named in honour of the first HMAS Platypus - which was a submarine depot ship.
2. With six submarines situated at the base, each submarine had a crew of around 70 personnel. At its peak, it is believe the base had close to a thousand people working on it.
3. The base was formally decommissioned in 1999 and is now open for an array of public use.

"Platypus was unique in that it was built to support those particular class of submarines... So with many of our bases, when the capability which it originally supported is moved on, we will reroll and redevelop that base. Platypus, we chose not to do that and I think it now serves as a particular piece of our history and preserved as memory of the history of our submarine squadron." - Michael Miller

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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In what is the first location of the series, Host of Run Ashore, Mark Cooper and Commander Aaron Scott explore the history of the Sydney Memorial Mast, its importance to the Royal Australian Navy and why it's location is significant.

Three key facts from this episode:

1. The HMAS Sydney I Memorial Mast came off the first ship that was named HMAS Sydney and is located at the tip of Bradley's Head - which is located halfway between the harbour entrance and Sydney harbour bridge.
2. After the First World War wrapped up, and the navy began reducing the size of its fleet, the mast was removed from it's ship when it was decommissioned in 1928 and was erected in its current location in 1934.
3. There have been five Sydney Ships throughout the years. Sydney III was the Navys first flat-top aircraft Carrier and was commissioned in 1948 and served with distinction until 1973.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this years Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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After leaving his naval career, Darrell and Kristine moved from Sydney to regional South Australia to start their new business venture. Unfortunately, not long after starting their business, Darrell was diagnosed with Cancer which required him to return to Sydney to receive treatment. Kristine put their house on the market and closed down their successful business in order to support Darrell's ongoing radiation treatments and recovery. 

To allow Kristine to be by Darrell's side, a Social Worker at St Vincents recommended she contact Bravery Trust. After one call to the Bravery Trust team and completing a short form, Bravery Trust provided financial assistance to cover the couples car registration, electricity, and other bills that they were unable to pay. Bravery Trust also provided financial assistance to cover other expenses for the next three months during which Darrell underwent 30 radiation treatments.

"We are so grateful to Bravery Trust, I cannot reconcile what would've happened to us, or where we would be now, without their help. No one should have to worry about finances and fight to financially survive, when you have a family member and partner fighting for their life. It is such an unfortunate and overwhelming experience. I am so thankful that Bravery Trust gave us the space we needed to focus on Darrell's health. Bravery Trust fills the gap where there was no other help available. They showed empathy and respect for the position we found ourselves in and their help made a traumatic experience less so. Feeling supported and heard at a time of crisis truly makes all the difference in your ability to survive, we can never express how thankful we are, other than to continue to support the exceptional work they do in helping veterans and their families." - Kristine Colliver 

In this episode, Belinda and Kristine also discuss the importance of this year's Trek.

To find out more information about Bravery Trust: https://www.braverytrust.org.au/

To donate to/ participate in this year's Trek: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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Bravery Trek celebrates the service of Australian veterans, specifically those who serve and have served during modern warfare – and raises vital funds to support veterans injured during service when they face hardship.

The Trek provides funding for food vouchers, housing, motor vehicle and medical expenses when veterans who have been injured, or sustained illness during service, fall on hard times. 70% of veterans who receive support from Bravery Trust are aged 50 years or younger.

2022's Trek is themed around the Royal Australian Navy and this series will follow the virtual route around Sydney Harbour which incorporates key Naval bases and sites of historical significance.

In our first episode, host, CEO of contentgroup, David Pembroke welcomes CEO of Bravery Trust, Belinda Wilson, and Hon Matt Keogh MP, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel. The trio discuss this year's Bravery Trek event and why getting out and about to support our Veterans is so important.

Information about this years event:

• Begins 10th October
• Ends 10th November
• Trek 57km (or double up) - the distance from North Head to South Head coincides with the sum of 57 ships, boats, submarines and bases in the Royal Australian Navy

To take the challenge head to: https://braverytrek.com.au/

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