Keeping Townsville’s veterans moving

At RSL Queensland’s Townsville Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre located in Aitkenvale, the Physical Rehabilitation team has become one of the most integral parts of that support network – not just for physical recovery, but for the sense of routine, purpose and community that so many veterans can lose when they leave behind the structure of life in the military. 

Cathy Rowe is one of the Accredited Exercise Physiologists in Townsville. Her path into the field began early, playing sport as a teenager and studying physical education in high school, but it was a family experience that really gave her the push.  

"My grandma had a stroke that left her really weak on one side. I became involved in her rehabilitation process, and my interest grew from there," she says.  

Combined with a family connection to Defence – her grandfather served in the RAAF and her father in the Army Reserves – Cathy eventually found her niche supporting the veteran community.

Accredited Exercise Physiologist at Townsville Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre, Cathy Rowe.

Meeting veterans where they are 

Following a career of pushing their bodies to the limit, veterans can walk through the Centre doors with a variety of issues, including musculoskeletal pain and injury, chronic pain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and mental health conditions. 

Working with veterans, however, is rarely straightforward. “Veterans come with a lot of layers. It could be physical layers, psychological layers, or often, both of them,” Cathy says.  

“Much of the job is about listening first. Most people just want to be heard. So, I give them that space to tell their story if they want to.” 

Sessions might shift entirely depending on how someone feels that day. Sometimes it's a quiet, repetitive exercise while a client offloads; other times it's a hard workout that pushes them physically with a few words of reassurance along the way that what they are doing is safe and that they are okay. 

The team runs a mix of group programs – Functional Fitness, Strong and Steady, a Pilates-style Mat Movement class, and Strength Fundamentals – alongside one-on-one sessions, with referral pathways covering veterans with a White Card or Gold Card; family members through Medicare's chronic condition management plan; and even current serving members.  

The exercise physiology team also works in collaboration with the Centre's psychology, counselling and social work teams, sharing weekly clinical catch-ups and monthly supervision sessions. "There's really good evidence behind combining therapies to support veterans – or any person really," Cathy explains. 

Cathy works with veteran, Grant Thomas in the Centre’s rehabilitation gym.

A tailored approach  

For veteran Grant Thomas, the Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre in Townsville has been a core part of his transition back to civilian life.  

Grant served in the Australian Army Band Corps for 20 years, primarily with 1RAR Band in Townsville. After his cardiologist warned him to start exercising, and recurring knee bursitis left him bedridden for days at a time, Grant found his way to the Centre, years after performing with 1RAR Band at the Centre’s official opening. 

"I told them what was happening with my bursitis and how my knees were really playing up. My main concern was that I didn’t want to end up immobile," Grant recalls.  

Cathy worked with Grant to build a program that not only addressed his injuries, but also built strength, flexibility and improved movement. Grant now trains up to four times a week around his ‘gigging’ schedule.

More than a gym 

Grant says the Centre has many benefits beyond the gym floor and encourages fellow veterans to give it a try.  

“I appreciate what the Centre has provided me as a veteran, and also my family,” Grant says. 

That quiet, steady impact is something that Cathy hopes becomes synonymous with the Centre, and its place in the veteran ecosystem. 

“The Centre is a non-judgmental space where people can connect and have a conversation with someone who understands. We have a range of programs, classes and activities so there’s something for everyone,” she says. 

For veterans or family members still on the fence about reaching out, Cathy's advice is simple: "Just come in for a chat. There's no obligation to get a referral straight away, but if you’re open to receiving help, we will be there."  

As Grant puts it, “Sometimes all it takes is someone showing you what you're still capable of.”