Yeppoon Sub Branch Inc.
Introduction
Yeppoon RSL Sub Branch is part of the Central Queensland District and offers a warm welcome to veterans and social members in the local area.
Every day, we utilise our valuable teams of volunteers to make a difference. Whether it be a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, weekly, monthly or special raffles, organising a working bee, organising an RSL Memorial event, restocking our bar, restocking our "Diggers Cafe", cleaning the RSL, manicuring the gardens & lawns, carrying out a Poppy Service for fallen veterans and ensuring compliance with OLGR, ACNC and other permitted RSL functions, we are accountable to our members and always ensure we can provide the finance to carry out our objectives. We have live music on the deck each Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, showcasing the best of local musos.
Join us and see what can be accomplished when you get an impassioned team to focus on change.
Diggers Cafe and Bar
The Yeppoon RSL Sub-Branch is one of the Capricorn Coast's most respected clubs offering live music on the deck each Friday and Sunday afternoon showcasing the best local artists.
The Diggers Cafe is a casual, licensed dining venue open for dinner between 5.30pm – 8.30pm Friday and Saturday and 5.30 – 7.00 Sunday’s. We also offer Diggers Cafe Snacks during our open hours. We have Tapas on offer during our opening ours and our fantastic dinner menu changes weekly.
How to find us
Cnr Normanby St and Hill St, Yeppoon QLD 4603 | PO Box 312 Yeppoon Qld 4703
Open Hours: Friday & Saturday 4pm till late | Sunday 2pm till late
P: 07 4939 4933 | E: secretary@yeppoon.rslqld.net.au | Facebook: Yeppoon RSL Club
History
Livingstone Shire Council (LSC) records confirm the Yeppoon RSL was in existence in November 1920 and it can be confidently accepted that the sub-branch was formed earlier that year. Few RSL sub-branches in Australia can have as long and distinguished a history as Yeppoon. No official minutes of the Yeppoon RSL earlier than 1938 are available. The earliest record is a letter to LSC in November 1920 asking that a portion of Hill Street abutting the Police Reserve be set aside as a site for the purpose of erecting a “Memorial Hall”.
On January 13th 1921, a similar request was made to the Department of Public Lands which identified the Hon. Secretary as H.F. Hetherington. The names of other office bearers of foundation members are not known.
The Yeppoon Honour Board was erected by finance raised by public subscriptions during the years 1917 to 1921. The amount raised was 53 pounds 2 shillings & 6 pence and provided a marble slab listing the 65 men from Yeppoon and district who served overseas during WW1. The marble slab was initially housed in a silky oak cabinet and hung in the waiting room of the Yeppoon railway station. In 1953, following the erection of the Cenotaph the marble slab was placed in the front of the cenotaph.
Our Volunteers
Our team of volunteers are the guardians of the Yeppoon RSL Sub-branch. This is “Our House” and we are committed to ensuring the health & well being of the RSL during our watch.
Our volunteers consist of ex-servicemen & women as well as non-service members who come from all walks of life and we work as a team to ensure we pass onto the next generation this living memorial of those who more than 100 years ago, gave their today for our tomorrow.
Our Executive Board is comprised of a President (must be an ex service person), Deputy President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and typically 4 or 5 board members. The board is elected by the membership annually in May at the AGM. The current board for the Yeppoon RSL Sub-branch is;
President: Bill Tahu
Deputy President: Darryl King
Treasurer: Greg Marshall-Smith
Secretary: Sharon King
Information
The Yeppoon Sub-Branch was established for the principal purpose of promoting the interests and welfare of former and serving members of the ADF and their dependents by;
- Assisting and caring for the sick, elderly and needy
- Preserving the memory and records of those who served, suffered, and died for the Commonwealth of Australia
- Encouraging the members of the League and citizens to serve the Nation with a spirit of self sacrifice and loyalty
- Provide welfare to the sick, wounded, helpless, vulnerable, aged, destitute and needy
- Nurturing of the youth of Australia to ensure that the strength, vitality and security of our Nation is preserved and enhanced
- Perpetuate the close and kindly ties of friendship created by a mutual service in the Australian Defence Force or in the forces of nations traditionally allied with Australia
- Maintain a proper standard of dignity and honour among all past and present members of the Defence Forces of the Nation
- Preserve the memory and records of those who suffered and died for Australia, remember in their honour, ANZAC Day, Long Tan, Remembrance Day
Membership to our house
If you live within 15kms of the RSL you must be a member or be signed in by a member
That is the Law
We have 2 types of members:
Service Members
$20 per year
Social Members
$10 per year of $20 for 5 years
All annual Social membership fees are renewable in Dec of each year.
Annual General Meetings: The AGM takes place on the second Sunday in May.
Members Meetings: Bi-monthly meetings take place at 11.00am on the second Sunday of every second month at the RSL Club.
Board Meetings: Bi-monthly Board meetings are held on the second Sunday of the month and prior to the bi-monthly General Meeting.
The Cenotaph
Yeppoon RSL Military Museum
Originating in the 1940's, the Yeppoon RSL Sub-branch Military Museum is an archival and object-based collection that documents the military history of Australian Army, Air Force and Navy through the lives and experiences of Capricorn Coast servicemen and women.
Yeppoon, and more broadly, the Capricorn Coast, has strong links with Australian military services, particularly the locally raised and highly decorated 42nd Battalion (Capricorn Regiment) of the Australian Infantry Force (AIF).
Beginning in the late 1940s in the RSL Hall the Military Museum has continued to grow and by 2007 it was moved to a dedicated museum behind the RSL with its collection holding over 5,500 objects and is truly a most impressive regional military collection. The collection contains archives including original photographs, personal possessions, documents, letters, journals, maps and ephemeral material relative predominantly to the experiences of Capricorn Coast residents while serving overseas (including Prisoners of War).
The sub-branch museum collection originates from the 1940s and has since accepted objects from the local community, acting as a repository for military memorabilia and heritage material.
Commemorative Days
- ANZAC Day
- Rimau Commemoration
- Korea Memorial Day
- VP Day
- Vietnam Veterans' Day
- Peacekeepers Day
- Remembrance Day
Services Offered
The Yeppoon RSL Sub Branch helps with information and assistance on any of the following:
- Service-related medical conditions
- Reassessment of accepted conditions
- Lodgment of appeals to the Veterans' Review Board and/or Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- War Widow/Widower benefits
- Function Room hire