Alaric Outback Retreat | Cause
Alaric Outback Retreat
Phone: +61 7 4530 1001
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25.01.2022 Check out a story about Alaric Outback Retreat in the latest edition of CONTACT magazine beginning on page 76 via the link below. https://www.contactairlandandsea.com///contact-64-out-now/
19.01.2022 Ok all the followers of Alaric Outback Retreat, could you please note the following statement from Edward Robinson. "Alaric Outback Retreat is no longer operating at Alaric Homestead . It is now closed.... The Scott Family [Owners ] have terminated our Memorandum of Understanding . We are currently in the process of removing our possessions from the Homestead and we hope to relocate to a nearby location soon IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE POSITIVE AT THIS TIME AND REMEMBER THE MANY THOUSANDS OF VETERANS , FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE EFFORTS OF A SMALL DEDICATED GROUP OF VETERANS SINCE 2006 TO PROVIDE A SAFE HAVEN IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND FROM THE STRESSES OF DAILY LIFE. WE SHALL RETURN.........." Ted Robinson President Alaric Outback Retreat 24 Feb 2020 EMAIL. [email protected] Phone Ted. 0438218345. This Facebook page will remain open for the moment but only for enquiries about any relocation, change of phone numbers that may take place. Ted is not the sort of guy that gives up on things. Stay tuned.
18.01.2022 Last minute cleanup by co-founder of Alaric Outback Retreat Ted Robinson before tomorrows Open Day at the homestead property near Quilpie. Alaric Outback Retreat is a not for profit registered charity run entirely by volunteers, who themselves are veterans. The organisation does not have any paid employees and survives entirely on donations from small businesses, corporations, RSL clubs, individuals & visitors to the Retreat. The ongoing aim of management is to provide a secu...re and relaxing retreat and advancing the social welfare of all service people, including current and former members of the Australian and Allied Defence Forces, State and Federal Police, Fire Services, Ambulance, State Emergency Services and their respective families. "How many people has it helped, I don't know but I met ONE," says Ted. There are no organised formal activities at Alaric and guests are free to do as little, or as much as they wish and are welcome to stay for a day, a week, or longer if they so desire. Special guests this opening day include Alan 'Sparrow' Christie, one of the first 'tunnel rats' in Vietnam. Alan will be on hand to talk to media and guests about their individual and shared experiences with the effects of PTSD and depression on post war veterans. Also attending will be Damien Schofield, the founder and manager of 'The Younger Heroes' a three-day physical and psychological training camp designed to reconnect veterans, and those that have served in forces, with their children. Damien will be attending the Open Day at Alaric Outback Retreat near Quilpie tomorrow on Friday 25 October.
17.01.2022 Why Alaric Outback Retreat matters...
17.01.2022 It is with regret to announce that the Not For Profit organisation Alaric Outback Retreat Homestead has been closed at the request of the owners, the Scott family, who asked the NFP organisation to vacate the homestead. "Alaric Outback Retreat", has plans to re-open as soon as possible under a new name at a nearby location and is currently undertaking the necessary measures of changing property registrations, insurances and other legalities required for such NFP organisations... such as themselves to operate legally. The good news is that the relaxed care and camaraderie offered and experienced at Alaric will continue as soon as possible and hopes are that it will restart as soon as possible under the new name.(Post Covid etc) Please be patient, the organisers and founders are working as quickly as possible to continue this charitable service to all war veterans, emergency workers, ambulance and fire fighters etc. If you have any enquiries, please message the Alaric Outback retreat FB page here before it closes/changes it's name - or preferably email me at [email protected] and I'll get one of the organisers to reply as soon as possible. Thanks.
16.01.2022 Didn't realise boats had handbreaks - Navy guys showing off a bit!
13.01.2022 Keep a lookout on the budgies while you are in the Outback. These murmurations are spectacular to see.
13.01.2022 A story and pics I made about Alaric Outback Retreat, now a retreat for all first responders suffering from PTSD and the like to rest recover and relax, co-founded by my good friend and former boss Ted Robinson and his mate Len Thompson OAM. The duo spent many years at the nearby town of Adavale in a corrugated iron hut getting away from it all which became very popular with other Vietnam Veterans. Then Alaric Outback Retreat evolved-read via link below.... Story begins on Page 76 https://www.contactairlandandsea.com///contact-64-out-now/ Thanks to editor Brian Hartigan and staff at CONTACT
13.01.2022 Damien Schofield is the founder and manager of "The Younger Heroes' a three day physical and psychological training camp designed to reconnect veterans and those that have served the nation with their children. The Younger Heroes program aims to build resilience in those familial relationships through shared effort and open communication. Damien will be attending the Open Day at Alaric Outback Retreat near Quilpie on Friday 25 October. Damien is the son of a Vietnam Veteran a...nd is a health and fitness professional who has extensive training in both group and individual physical therapy techniques, having studied under Dr Arne Rubinstein and former big wave pro-surfer from the Sunshine Coast and ocean adventurer Mark Visser. Damien’s professional career has included work with professional sports people and other high performance groups, working broadly with those experiencing problems related to drug dependence and misuse, as well as those suffering mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. One of Damien’s key strengths is the ability to design and deliver evidence based, best practice and holistic programs tailored to the specific needs of the individual or group. Damian alongside one of the first 'tunnel rats' in Vietnam, Alan 'Sparrow' Christie, will be on hand to talk to media and guests about their individual and shared experiences with the effects of PTSD and depression on post war veterans. Come along and experience the warm, calm isolation that is Alaric Outback Retreat. See more
12.01.2022 Click on the story below to get the link to the tale of Alaric Outback Retreat, published in QRSL News this month.
11.01.2022 Yup, any ideas guys?
11.01.2022 Rain at Alaric has re-boosted the Retreats tank supply as well as top up the creek near the fire pit. A pelican arrived at Alaric and swam around for a while so lookout yabbies, fish and prawns! About pelicans from website Nature:... "For those who didn't know, the Australian pelican is built for long-distance travel. One of the largest pelicans in the pelican family, with a light skeleton and a wingspan of over eight feet, it can be airborne all day and deep into the night, riding far and high on rising thermals. When rare weather systems bring heavy rains, huge numbers of Australian pelicans abandon the sea and coastal waters and embark on a mass pilgrimage to a place a thousand miles inland. It’s the last place you would look for one of their kind the Australian Outback, one of the driest, hottest places on the planet. This pelican can be heading for Lake Eyre, an empty, salt-crusted lake bed that covers an area the size of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, combined. It lies 50 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point in Australia, a vast drainage basin in the heart of desert. The floods from the rains are headed here, too, filling dry riverbeds with water which will transform this desolate place into pelican heaven. With the water comes a host of new life that offers a feast to the birds fish and frogs, crustaceans and shrimp. The pelicans settle in at Lake Eyre for as long as the water lasts, to court and breed and raise a new generation in this unlikely sanctuary. But what exactly triggers their journey? How do they find their way? How do they know what is waiting for them? And where do they go when they leave?" There are more than 230 species of birds to be seen around Alaric Outback Retreat and Quilpie Shire, so bring a pair of binoculars out or a long lens for your camera when you come out to Rest Relax and Recover. Look out for some posts about birds soon.
09.01.2022 The week following Christmas through to the 2nd of January was a total disaster for the Alaric Outback Retreat. A crack in one of the major water tanks occurred which necessitated it being emptied before repairs could begin. Water is needed to keep the gardens and fruit trees going, plus the normal household requirements. ... Water had to be pumped directly into the lead tank bypassing the secondary sediment tank and as the water from the creek was depleting swiftly through a lack of rain, what was being pumped to our tanks was extremely muddy. The result of this was the pump, from the tanks to the gardens and house, became very silted resulting in the burn-out of the primary house and garden pump. The lead tank was also heavily stilted to above the outlet valve. Two old and aged, ex jungle fighters, Ted Robinson and Alan Christie, who are basically city boys were way out of their depth. Salvation and rescue came from sprightly 65 year old woman " Rhyna of Quilpie. " Rhyna is the ex Quilpie postmistress, a Veteran of 15 years in the police force who has had her own brushes with P.T.S.D. and is a member of Alaric. Rhyna stepped in, took control and almost single handedly emptied and cleaned the tanks, sitting atop them in the searing 46 degrees heat with a gurney and brush for 3 days. Rhyna then reconnected all the pipes to a new pump bought up from Brisbane and also shifted the pumping operation from the creek to the large dam which lies further east of the homestead. Because the pump and lines had not been used for a period of time, the inlet valve had to be cleaned, relocated and secured, plus the line primed by hand before any water could be pumped. During this time all we could do was assist and feel totally humbled by her tenacity, work ethic and ability to resolve the most complex rural Outback problems. Ted and myself, Alan Christie, cannot praise this woman enough. Rhyna's attitude is one that epitomises the members of our organization- willing to assist in any way whenever she can.
07.01.2022 Ted Robinson is the caretaker at Alaric and got snapped cooking his second cake in preparation for visitors attending the upcoming Open Day at Alaric Outback Retreat on October 25. His lesson from this cake was that when making icing, 20 ml is just not 200 ml or perhaps the other way around, he wasn't really sure. However, Ted reckons he saved the day by throwing 3/4 of it away and adding heaps of custard powder and after stirring for 10 minutes realised he had to heat it u...p-problem solved. Ted is now looking for tasters so head on out to Quilpie and give him your opinion!
07.01.2022 A Worthwhile trip Story and photographs by John Francis OAM They say it takes a village to raise child. Well, I have a variation on that and it took a lot shorter time.... Recently we had the pleasure of taking our 12 year-old grandson Wil to Alaric Station for a week of his school holidays. Naturally electronic devices, ear buds (headphones) and other favoured gear were packed along with his clothes for the much anticipated trip. After a 16 hour drive from our home to Alaric Homestead, we began to settle in and see what was in store for the week. I am happy to report the ‘devices’ did not reappear until well into the return journey home. Wil was able to do the things we considered as normal activities back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s growing up in rural Australia. Riding in the back of a ute, gathering wood for the campfire, yabbying, exploring, learning to drive, sitting around a campfire and spinning yarns, fending for oneself in the kitchen, getting dirty and dusty, identifying birdlife, drinking un-carbonated water, seeing the critically endangered wallabies and just sitting on a high point to watch the sun go down below the horizon followed by a profusion of countless stars under the night sky to wonder at. At weeks end we took home a well-adjusted confident young man with a myriad tales to tell his mates, with a promise we would take him there again in the not too distant future.
05.01.2022 Coming to the Sunshine Coast.
02.01.2022 Guest speaker at Alaric Open Day and original 'Tunnel Rat' Alan Christie with Roger Volz ,Fire Brigade Captain of Quilpie, and also a Manual Arts Teacher and Quilpie Shire Councillor, owner of Alaric Jim Scott, and founder and manager of The Younger Heroes, Damien Schofield.
01.01.2022 Near Alaric Outback Retreat live a small colony of mammals Petrogale Xanthopus Celeris otherwise known as the yellow-footed rock-wallaby. To describe them as cute would be an understatement. The colours and patterns on these critters are Armani- like. Unfortunately they are listed as vulnerable as foxes and other animals threaten their habitats as well as their lives.... The early rises or afternoon wanderers at Alaric can see them after a short drive but will only get a glimpse if they edge close and quietly in a small gorge nearby. You have to be quiet though as they spook easily and hop across the uneven rocky surfaces like it was flat. Their tail looks very long. This guy stayed and I got a few clicks before the sound spooked him and he disappeared. pic Nic Falconer
