NQ Reeling Veterans all about fishing for therapy for defence community, first responders

NQ Reeling Veterans is casting its net further into Queensland with new boats and sponsors, getting more veterans on the water to help with their mental health and mateship. How to join.

Reeling Veterans Queensland president Michael King with secretary Steve Lillie and vice president Scot Ruehland with a boat donated by a veteran at the Townsville Barra Fun Park. Picture: Evan Morgan

NQ Reeling Veterans is casting its net further into Queensland with new boats and sponsors, getting more veterans on the water to help with their mental health and mateship.

The volunteer organisation offers support to veterans and first responders through fishing and previously was under the umbrella of the original Northern Territory entity.

Queensland president Michael King said the group offered support through its waterborne activities and recently held its annual fishing fun day with hundreds at the Barra Fun Park.

“We cater to current ex-serving ADF and first responders and their families, and that’s by doing individual, group and family trips and big family events,” Mr King said.

The president said the group had almost doubled its membership in the last 12 months and needed to become a separate organisation to move forward.

“We’ve become so big and busy in Queensland with the need for our services that we’ve had to separate financially and as an incorporated association within Queensland to help us be able to progress further,” he said.

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“The great thing about that is we’re able to take ownership under our own incorporation of assets.

“In the new year, we have two new boats that are coming on board, and we’ve got one really big sponsor that’s come on board, which is Mike Carney Toyota group, which has helped us out with a vehicle the last six months, which has been awesome.

“They supporting us and donating a large amount for us to get another boat, so we will actually have three boats available in the new year.”

Mr King said there was a definite need for NQ Reeling Veterans in the community.

“A big thing that happens within the veteran space or first responder space is people tend to isolate when they separate from organisations,” he explained.

“They lose that sort of camaraderie and that bond and get very isolated. What we try and do is promote people being able to get out of the house and do activities.

“There’s a massive issue within the space of suicide and things like that, and a lot of that comes from people being isolated, and not having that peer to peer support or any sort of wellbeing.”

He said the group was based in Townsville but doing activities along the North Queensland coastline.

“We operate mainly out of Townsville, being a Garrison city, but we are trying to get more involved and do bits and pieces up and down the coast and involve other areas.

“Hopefully next year, when we’ve got the extra boats on hand, we’ll be able to actually do trips away.

Search NQ Reeling Veterans on Facebook to connect and find out more.

Originally published as NQ Reeling Veterans all about fishing for therapy for defence community, first responders