Connection and support help ease family’s relocation

Relocating their family from Townsville to Ipswich was a big move for Jamie and Rebecca Flemett.

But connecting with the Ipswich Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre (VFWC) has proved to be one of the best things they did to gain support and broaden their local network, while staying connected to their military past.

A great life in Defence 

Jamie Flemett first joined the Army in 1984 and described his time in Defence as being “thoroughly enjoyable”.  

“I liked the structure of it. I liked knowing what I was going to do basically from day-to-day, and week-to-week. But there were also a lot of sudden things that would happen; I would get sent away at the drop of a hat on many occasions,” Jamie says. 

“I remember going to Canberra to help fight the bushfires when I was with 85 Transport. One day I’m at home and next day I’m getting a police escort through Canberra, driving a truck. 

“It was great fun; a great life. I really enjoyed it.” 

It was in the Army’s Transport unit that Jamie met Rebecca, who had joined the Army Reserves in 1995 before joining the regular Army for a stint, including an overseas posting.

Jamie and Rebecca Flemett met in the Army’s Transport unit.

“I was deployed overseas for six months to East Timor back in 2000,” Rebecca says.  

“I think the Army gave me a lot of good life experiences.” 

Rebecca and Jamie describe having “fortunate” experiences leaving the Army, which included staggered transitions for both. 

Rebecca transitioned from the regular Army back to the Reserves before eventually moving into a civilian role. Jamie first discharged in 1993, re-enlisted in 1999, and then discharged for the final time in 2008. 

Based in Townsville at the time, when Jamie left the Army for the second time, he was drawn to civilian roles that had similarities to his Defence experiences. 

“Being in transport, I did rider training and driver training, which I enjoyed,” Jamie says. 

“And because I enjoyed art, I got into tattooing. I was a tattooist for many years; I owned and operated my own shop with my family.” 

Jamie and Rebecca Flemett with their children Ross and Ivy at the Ipswich Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre.

Relocation forges new connections 

The family – including children Ross, 14, and Ivy, 10 – relocated to Ipswich in 2022. 

Rebecca first heard about Mates4Mates through her work. When the family realised they were living close to the Ipswich Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre, where Mates4Mates is co-located, they decided to explore what was available. 

“We had touched base with Mates4Mates in Townsville, but we started coming to the Centre when we moved to Ipswich,” Jamie says. 

“The first activity we ever did through Mates4Mates was archery tag. We just went down there to the park, and there were a whole lot of other families and Mates4Mates people there. I have never seen so many adults acting like little kids; it was fantastic. I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it, but I got out there and had a go and ended up having a great day. 

“It was a fun day for the whole family.” 

The family look over upcoming activities organised for veterans and their families by the Ipswich Centre.

Describing himself as reserved, Jamie acknowledges it can be daunting to step out of his comfort zone, meet new people and try new activities. But at the VFWC, he feels right at home. 

“You think it’s going to be scary to visit, but it turns out not to be. Everybody that we’ve met has been very open, warm and easy to talk to,” Jamie says. 

“One of the things I like about coming to the Centre is how welcoming they are. The first thing we get is ‘how are you going? How’s the family? Can we get you anything?’ I don’t always relax in social situations, but I do find this quite easy. 

“When we first moved here, it was nice to walk into the Centre and see a familiar face. It gave us something in common and helped me broaden my network, because we could talk about what we were doing with Mates4Mates.”

The Flemett family feel welcomed when they walk into the Ipswich Centre.

Invaluable support for the whole family 

For Rebecca, having their whole family welcomed and able to participate in activities together has been affirming. 

“It's nice to be around like-minded people with similar experiences and to be able to take your kids to the activities,” Rebecca says. 

“We came down to Brisbane for family reasons, and we found that the Ipswich Centre has been fantastic for different activities. We were able to do the online activities early on, which gave Ross, being homeschooled, that opportunity to meet people via those means. It just sort of opened up the world a little bit in regard to activities and being involved.” 

The family has also benefited from free access to professional services such as psychology, along with shared experiences including cooking classes. 

“We had wanted to do the Grandchester Steam Train excursion; when it came up as an option with Mates4Mates, we put our names down and were accepted for it and we had a great day,” Rebecca says. 

“It was informal and casual. We had train rides, food, drinks and we had good company. It was just a really good day.”

The Ipswich Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre includes a welcoming veterans’ lounge, where families can play games or chat with other veterans who visit the Centre. 

Even when they can’t attend in person, the family feels reassured knowing the Centre is there when they need it – something Jamie says is a huge help. 

“The fact that it’s there even if I’m not using it, in the back of my mind I know it’s there if I need it. That’s a massive crutch to be able to lean on,” Jamie says. 

“Through this support, my wife and I and our family have been able to access these Centres. We've done some amazing activities with them and just had wonderful support. So, for that, we thank you.” 

For the Flemett family, the Centre has become more than a place to attend activities – it is a source of connection, familiarity and support as they continue building life in Ipswich.