Answering the call of duty in Cooktown

On any given day, RSL Queensland’s Assets Maintenance Planner Andrew Kostyrka can find himself turfing out the trash at ANZAC House, repairing fences in Rockhampton, or reviewing a salt-rusted roof just a stone’s throw from the sweltering Coral Sea.

Responsible for overseeing and organising repairs at more than 50 RSL Queensland buildings – from Sub Branches to subsidised residential housing and even commercial centres – Andrew’s job takes him all over Queensland. It also means going above and beyond the call of duty to keep the beloved assets of the RSL family thriving.

Facilities Manager Matt Sparnon (left) with Assets Maintenance Planner Andrew Kostyrka (right) and members of the Cooktown RSL Sub Branch

Just last week, that call of duty meant waking up at 3.30am to catch a sunrise flight to Cairns with Facilities Manager Matt Sparnon, before driving four hours north to RSL Queensland’s most far flung Sub Branch in Cooktown.

Housed in a building that’s been a part of the landscape for more than a century, and nestled close to those scorching Coral Sea shores, Andrew and Matt scoped out the required maintenance work, organised inspections and took time to connect with members before driving south to Mareeba and onto Cairns as part of a two-day work trip.

“Cooktown is a truly lovely little place and the landscape on the way up is just amazing … you can see where millions of years ago the rivers carved their way through the countryside and it’s so picturesque,” Andrew said.

“Then you roll into this quaint little town and from there to Cooktown RSL Sub Branch. There’s quite a big community in this branch and they have put together a lovely military memorabilia museum. The building itself is about 100 years old and it has a wonderful historical significance.”

“A lot of people just don’t realise what the broader picture is of RSL Queensland properties, and a lot of people think we just look after ANZAC House and 100 Wickham Street. But we look after and support more than 50 sites from as far south as Tasmania, as far west as Roma and as far north as Darwin.”

A Japanese type 92 mountain gun on display at the Cooktown RSL Sub Branch

These trips, Andrew said, were often about far more than just assessing, fixing and organising ongoing maintenance for the buildings - but also maintaining vital connections with members and employees in some of the state’s most remote outposts.

“We even assist the tenants in cleaning, we conduct fire drills, and we always go the extra yard to help out,” he said.

“We have more contact with our tenants and our ex-serving members than most people in RSL Queensland and there wouldn’t be a day that goes by where we don’t speak to someone or help out a vet.

“And we do it support them and show our presence - but most importantly, because we care.”

Over the coming months, Andrew said, they’ll launch vital works to ensure the historical Cooktown Sub Branch continues to serve the community for another hundred years, with additional upcoming projects set to kick off in Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Emu Park. 

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