Why this Vietnam War veteran opened a new wellbeing centre in Coffs Harbour

Clarification: An earlier version of this story stated the Veterans’ Wellbeing Network had helped 600 veterans and families to date. The group has supported more than 3,000 and Kelloway himself has helped about 600.

After struggling for decades with undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Vietnam War veteran Richard Kelloway knows just how tough it can be to find and get support. 

Now, the Sawtell local is behind a new veterans’ wellbeing centre in Coffs Harbour, designed to help veterans and their families navigate support services.

Origins from the 60s: Richard Kelloway (AM, OBE, MiD) served in the Royal Australian Airforce during the Vietnam War in 1968 and 1969. 

• It wasn’t until 2004 that Kelloway received a PTSD diagnosis – something he says he had unknowingly lived with since the war.

Getting support takes a lot: Following his diagnosis, Kelloway battled through his first compensation claim with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). The “complex” experience led him to found the Veterans Wellbeing Network Mid North Coast (VWN). Kelloway calls it a “wellbeing focussed advocacy service”.

• “I recognised having gone through that claims process that my own life gave me some understanding that might be very, very useful in helping other young couples avoid the pitfalls that I had taken myself and put my previous families through. It inspired me to do something,” Kelloway said. 

Volunteer power: Kelloway’s network has grown to about 30 volunteer advocates from 11 ex-Services Clubs across the region. The VWN has a presence from Taree to Wauchope and up to Coffs Harbour.

• Kelloway said the group had helped more than 3,000 veterans and families by assisting with support offered by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and other service providers.

• New centre to support veterans: Last month, Kelloway officially opened the new veteran network centre in Coffs Harbour. And after years of helping local veterans himself, he said the launch is his cue to hang up his hat and concentrate on spending quality time with his wife and family.

• “I guess I leave a legacy for [the advocates] to now use to the very best of their ability into the future,” Kelloway said.

• Nine advocates from seven ex-services organisations, including Coffs Coast Legacy, are currently working from the new veterans centre, acting as a one-stop shop for veterans and their families. 

What’s on offer: Volunteer advocates with the Veterans Wellbeing Network act as a referral service. 

• Volunteers meet with a veteran and identify what they need before linking them to relevant service providers and helping to gather information required to lodge a compensation claim with the DVA.

• “All of the information that is needed for wellbeing is also needed for compensation,” Kelloway said.

• Advocates also help direct veterans and their families to the various health and other specialists they need to visit in order to get medical evidence that they have a condition, before claiming funding for treatment and further support.

Multi-room build: The new Coffs Harbour centre includes two consultation rooms and one meeting room, and an information kiosk with three cubicles and computers. The private rooms have video conferencing facilities that can be used for remote specialist appointments and video calls with friends and relatives. 

People are welcome to come in and simply lodge their own claim.

• “If they come across something they are unsure about, they can just knock on a door, say ‘could you help me with this for a moment’, get help on the spot and away they go,” Kelloway said.

Number of veterans: According to the 2021 census, there are 191,500 veterans living on the Mid North Coast from Port Macquarie-Hastings to Coffs Harbour LGAs. There are about 65,000 veterans living in the City of Coffs Harbour.

• The new Coffs Coast Veterans Wellbeing Centre is located across from the ex-Services Club on Vernon Street in Coffs Harbour. It operates Monday to Friday from 9am until 3pm providing free support to veterans and their families.

Helplines: If this story has raised any issues for you, please contact a 24-hour helpline:

• Defence all hours support line: 1800 628 036;

• Defence Member and Family: 1800 624 608;

• Safe Zone Support, Open Arms: 1800 142 072 (a free and anonymous counselling line for all current and ex-serving ADF personnel, veterans and their families);

• Lifeline: 13 11 14;

• MensLine: 1300 789 978;

• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636.

Thumbnail: (L) Richard Kalloway at the official opening of the new Veterans’ Wellbeing Network Coffs Coast Centre on January 29 2026 (R) Kalloway during the Vietnam War as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) in a United States Air Force Cessna 0-1 Birddog. Pictures supplied.