Meet Mackay’s 16 year old Murray MacGroarty, who spent his holiday walking for the vets

Murray has crossed the finish line, ending his nine day journey to raise money and awareness for homeless vets. Have you heard Murray’s inspiring story yet? READ MORE.

A Mackay 16 year old has finished his epic walking trip to raise money for homeless veterans with family and friends and ex-servicemen and women applauding Murray MacGroarty as he crossed the road to Blue Water Quay at 4.00pm on Monday.

The journey, started during the June-July break, to walk the distance from Mackay to Townsville raised over $11,000 as of writing.

The army cadet and Holy Spirit College student decided to walk the equivalent distance between cities of 382 km on the Blue Water Trail over the course of nine days to raise funds for veterans experiencing homelessness.

“I went to the RSL looking to do something to help,” Mr MacGroarty said.

“They told me about the problems with veterans facing homelessness so I figured I’d help them with that.”

Today Mr MacGroarty’s journey, during which he has looped the city of Mackay dozens of times and handed out more than 25 survival kits to homeless people he’s encountered, came to an end.

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert called Mr MacGroarty’s achievement an inspiration drawing a comparison to Mackay RSL sub-branch president and Vietnam veteran Ken Higgins similar journey in 1997 which raised $5,000.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to put your sand shoes on, Ken, because Murray doubled it,” Mrs Gilbert said.

Mr Higgins has been one of Murray’s supporters on this journey.

“He’s done a magnificent job of alerting the public to homeless veterans,” Mr Higgins said.

“I just think he’s a wonderful young 16 year old.”

16 year old army cadet and high school student Murray MacGroarty has been walking for nine days straight to raise money and awareness for homeless vets. Photo: Fergus Gregg

Mr MacGroarty, who is passionate about veteran issues, decided upon homelessness as the focus of this journey.

“People need to be kinder to homeless,” he said.

“They do try their best to keep out of the way to make our day easier.”

East Timor veteran Ferret and Africa veteran Ziggy both lauded the achievement of Mr MacGroarty.

Ferret and Ziggy, two young veterans from the East Timor and African conflicts, were proud of Murray's accomplishment. Photo: Fergus Gregg

“I think it’s great that a young fella like that has got his own initiative to get off his arse and do something like this,” Ferret said.

“To actually commit to doing something such as this just outstanding,” Ziggy said.

“You know, I think the hardest thing is when you come back, is that you? You feel so alone, you feel lost,” Ferrt said.

“Things like this just goes to show those guys that there is still people that care.”

Ferret and Ziggy began counting the number of veterans they knew currently experiencing homelessness before running out of fingers.

“Yeah, we know a few,” Ziggy concluded.

Kath, also a veteran of East Timor emphasised the speed with which a veteran can find themselves homeless.

“You’re in the Defence Force you looked after 24/7,” she said.

“You’ve got a roof over your head, food in your belly and then all of a sudden you’re out.

“Without anything you’ve done wrong you can be facing impoverishment.”

Mr MacGroarty would like to follow in the footsteps of his family, which has a proud heritage of service in the ADF.

“I just love the culture, I love how it can help people, and I do like the community aspects of things,” he said.

Mackay RSL sub-branch president and Vietnam veteran Ken Higgins helped Murray with this idea, inspired by his own trek from Mackay to Townsville in the 90s. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Mr Higgins reckons there could be dozens of veterans potentially sleeping rough in Mackay right now, but has a trouble estimating that figure due to the sensitive nature of veteran homelessness.

“It’s probably a fairly private thing in lots of cases,” Mr Higgins said.

Mr Higgins believes that after the Vietnam War, the political nature of the conflicts Australia has fought in since has further isolated veterans from their families and support networks.

“It was a disgusting era, really, in lots of ways because of because of the complexity of politics,” he said.
“50 years on and we’re still doing the same thing to the Afghan vets.

“Lots of them aren’t getting looked after because lots of times it’s not physical injuries.”

Following Murray’s triumphant crossing of the finish line, there was be a BBQ celebration and every burger bought will add to the final tally of money raised.

“You don’t know where they’ve come from,” Mr MacGroarty said.

“I know a man who is an academic and theoretical physics and now he is just homeless like the rest of them.

“They’re just scraping by.”