Disappearing Retreats

 

Pic courtesy Veterans' Retreats Australia

In the process of testing my homebuilt RV, I visited a veteran's retreat just outside Miles last week.

For ten years I'd driven past it, up and down the Warrego Highway, but because I was working on EQ's time, I was never able to take the 14km of gravel road to check it out.

It's worth a visit. The location is perfect for anyone wanting peace and solitude for a while. The owner is a veteran, and like most of us is approaching the age where managing such a site is difficult.

He'd like to sell it, but hasn't as yet found a buyer. It occurred to me that an ex-service organisation (the RSL) might consider it a worthwhile project.

There are many of these retreats scattered across the country. They typically offer cheap basic accommodation to veterans, but many are open to the general public. I've stayed at one or two over the years, as they provide an interesting option if you're not in a hurry.

I gave up hurrying on my 70th birthday.

The first retreat I'm aware of was Pandanus Park, set up by Les Hiddins of Bush Tucker Man fame. It's still listed as open, but subject to road conditions.

There is a website (a work in progress) which lists, state by state, retreats across the country.

It would be a great shame if these retreats shut down, but the inevitability is that they will, as we run out of veterans. If we run out of veterans, we have run out of wars, and that has to be a good thing.