Our Legacy
From William Hawkins’ founding vision in 1932 to generations of advocacy and service, Veteran Housing Australia established a responsibility to stand beside veterans long after service ended. From the beginning, the organisation was guided by a simple but powerful principle — do good by stealth — delivering practical support with dignity, humility, and without fanfare. That principle continues to shape the work carried forward today.
That principle continues to shape the work carried forward today, now proudly under the name Veteran Housing Australia (VHA). Veteran Housing Australia was rebranded into Veteran Housing Australia in the 2020s to better reflect its’s mission by directly addressing one of the most significant drivers of veteran vulnerability: housing insecurity. — working toward a future where veteran homelessness no longer exists, and where every veteran has access to a safe place to sleep.
Through decades of direct support, advocacy, and community engagement, we developed a deep understanding of the challenges veterans face once they leave their uniform behind. While these challenges often included health concerns, relationship breakdown, unemployment, and the complexities of transitioning to civilian life, one issue consistently emerged as central to every outcome. When housing was unstable, insecure, or unaffordable, progress in all other areas was fragile. Veterans experiencing housing stress were more likely to face declining health, disconnection from family and community, difficulty engaging with support services, and barriers to employment, education, and long-term independence.
Veteran Housing Australia is Australia’s only registered community housing provider (CHP) dedicated exclusively to veterans and their families.
As the lead organisation addressing veteran homelessness in Australia, VHA translates decades of insight, advocacy, and welfare experience into long-term and crisis housing solutions designed specifically for veterans and their families. We believe every veteran deserves a safe place to sleep. Without secure, stable housing, it becomes far more difficult for veterans and their families to address health challenges, rebuild relationships, find employment, or reconnect with their community. Housing stability is not just important — it is foundational.
Vision:
To end Veteran homelessness in Australia.
Mission:
As the lead organisation addressing veteran homelessness, we will implement the housing first model, provide secure housing and referral services to meet the needs of veterans and their families.
Foreword Story by R. Miller, CEO 2026
For the uninitiated reader, a “Runner” was a soldier, normally a private whose job was to literally run messages from headquarters to the front, and back as required. The iconic Australian movie Gallipoli with Mel Gibson shows the fictional Archy Hamilton as a runner, as does the British film 1917. A runner’s job is incredibly dangerous, as it involves movement through communication trenches which were often not as well fortified as fighting trenches and often exposed, and as a man runs to the front to deliver a message, he has no idea if they are now in enemy hands. The story about Lou Cazaly as written by our founder W. L Hawkins speaks to the courage and fortitude of Lou in two ways. In addition to likely exhaustion from acting as a runner for the earlier attack, he concedes his rest period to “young snowy” (Lou was 41 at the time), while at the same time accepting the incredible risk of heading back out. Like many soldiers Lou’s bravery was never mentioned in Military honours and awards, but is indicative of the everyday courage of the Anzacs. It is perhaps not surprising that this incident had such a profound impact on our Founder.
Lou survived the war and returned to Australia. Married in 1930, he sadly lost his wife and unborn child the following year. He would pass in 1945 and is laid to rest at Pakenham Cemetery.
As our founder states in his story below “I shall never forget these men”, and he did not, nor shall we.
Lest we Forget
"Lou Cazaly – Runner” A Carry On Origin Story
During the operations which led to the capture of Peronne by Australian troops – referred to in most official records as the Battle of Peronne – the men of my own Battalion (the 59th A.I.F. ) were under fire continuously for five days and nights, from 31st August to 4th September, 1918.
Throughout this period they were exposed to every type of enemy weapon – heavy and incessant shell fire, with shells carrying tear-gas, machine-gun fire from all directions, aerial bombing and aerial gunfire.
On the night of 3rd September, as soon as darkness fell, the Battalion Headquarters unit was transferred from a position behind the ramparts at Peronne to a group of dugouts directly in rear of what would then be our new line of advance, since Peronne itself had been cleared of the enemy, who was now on the run, burning his way back over the distant ridge.
On this particular day we had “hopped over” at 5.15 a.m., and after a gruelling day of warfare, while the Companies were still “taking it” in the line, several members of the Headquarters staff, including the Commanding Officer and the Adjutant, decided to get some sleep. It was my intention to do likewise, along with an Artillery Liaison Officer (Lt. F.B. Sharp, M.C.) with whom I had worked throughout the day.
But for me it was not to be, since the C.O., before turning in, instructed me to “get up to the line again to secure the latest dispositions.”
It was midnight at that moment, and my chief concern was the thought of detailing a couple of runners to accompany me on what I knew full well would be a hazardous journey (as, indeed, it proved to be).
The night was extremely dark in the immediate vicinity, but, in the distance, the town of Peronne was ablaze with the fury which the enemy was pouring into it in retaliation for having been, that day, dislodged. But, apart from the town itself, the surrounding terrain was also being pounded with everything the enemy could use.
My instructions, throughout the operations, were that two runners must be taken on each trip to the line, one at a given distance in front and the other at the rear. However, although quite contrary to the order, in view of the special conditions then prevailing, I decided to take one only.
Our Battalion runners that night were housed in a deep dugout which had to be entered by means of a narrow stairway.
With much regret I approached the entrance and called down the tunnel, “Is the runner on duty there?”
There was a brief pause, and then came the reply in a slow deep voice, “All right, sir, I’m coming.”
I thought I recognised the voice as that of one of our older men, who had been on duty all day.
When he arrived at the top of the steps of the dugout my thoughts were confirmed – it was Lou Cazaly, who had been with me since 5 a.m.
Immediately I put the question: “What does this mean, Cazaly? You’ve been on duty all day!”
Then came Lou’s answer – “Yes, sir, I know that! As a matter of fact, young Snowy is on duty, but he was fast asleep and I didn’t have the heart to wake him.”
I have never forgotten the effect which these words had upon Out there, in the inky blackness of that terrible night, my soul was deeply stirred.
me.
I turned aside and made a solemn vow, saying almost audibly, “I shall never forget these men.”
A little more than ten years later the opportunity came for its fulfilment.
Lou Cazaly – the Great Depression, and the Carry On Club were links of the one chain.
Honouring the past.
Building the future.
From William Hawkins’ founding vision to generations of advocacy, Veteran Housing Australia has stood beside veterans long after service ends—guided by a proud legacy of presidents who’ve served the veteran community.
Veteran Housing Australia continues forward in that responsibility, now proudly under the name Veteran Housing Australia — working toward a future where veteran homelessness no longer exists, and where every veteran has access to a safe place to sleep.
From legacy to leadership in housing
Veteran Housing Australia was rebranded into Veteran Housing Australia in the 2020s to better reflect its’s mission by directly addressing one of the most significant drivers of veteran vulnerability: housing insecurity.
As the lead organisation addressing veteran homelessness in Australia, Veteran Housing Australia translates decades of insight, advocacy, and welfare experience into long-term, supportive and crisis housing solutions designed specifically for veterans and their families.
Guided by a Housing First approach, we prioritise access to safe, secure housing as the foundation for recovery, wellbeing, and independence. This is not a departure from Veteran Housing Australia’s purpose — it is the next chapter of a shared responsibility.
Lessons learned through service
Through decades of direct support, advocacy, and community engagement, Veteran Housing Australia developed a deep understanding of the challenges veterans face once they leave their uniform behind. While these challenges often included health concerns, relationship breakdown, unemployment, and the complexities of transition to civilian life, one issue consistently emerged as central to every outcome.
When housing was unstable, insecure, or unaffordable, progress in all other areas was fragile.
Veterans experiencing housing stress were more likely to face declining health, disconnection from family and community, difficulty engaging with support services, and barriers to employment, education, and long-term independence. Time and again, Veteran Housing Australia saw veterans determined to move forward — yet held back by the absence of a safe, stable place to sleep.
These insights highlighted a clear and urgent need for systemic change.