OUR Teams
Become a Buddy Up Member and find a Team near you!
FIND YOUR LOCAL TEAM
Perth
Rockingham
Adelaide SA
Geelong VIC
Launceston
Hobart TAS
Melbourne VIC
Canberra
Forster
Brisbane
Sunshine Coast
Townsville
Gold Coast
Darwin
PERTH,WA
Jane Inglis is our Perth Chapter Leader. Jane joined the Australian Army at the age of 23 and served in Transport and as an instructor at Kapooka. After 14 years’ service, she was medically discharged in April 2005.
Jane strongly suggests you keep some connections post-service life through friends or Ex-Service Organisations like Buddy Up. They understand you - get involved. Find your tribe. She says you get those good endorphins when you connect with others, which feels good and motivates you to do more. Her tip is just to do what you can and don’t overcommit.
ROCKINGHAM,WA
Lynzey, a doting mum of three (two of whom she now homeschools), wife to a fellow Ex Serving Navy Veteran, and cat mum to two ratbag Ragdoll kitties, is at the helm of female leadership for frontline workers suffering from mental illness, bringing both advocacy and awareness to the space. She believes in the incredible power of healing through sharing and teaches a trauma-sensitive, slow Vinyasa practice in a strictly voluntary capacity.
After a hugely successful career in the Navy and serving 15 years, Lynzey's career plan was turned on its head when she was medically retired in 2019 mostly due to her PTSD and she found herself at rock bottom. Lynzey committed herself to her heal, grow + inspire mantra and began a journey of recovery. BUA found her while she was beginning her trauma-sensitive yoga and when the time was right provided the space and community she had been missing since leaving the military.
Lynzey loves spending time in nature, being creative, the arts, and making real connections with like-minded people and you can see this from the variety of events she has hosted as an Event Leader for both Perth and Rockingham Chapters.
Adelaide,SA
Matt is our Team Leader for Adelaide, South Australia. Matt is an enthusiastic ideas man. He has community engagement running through his veins with an entrepreneurial heartbeat! With two decades policing in both hemispheres Matt values the importance of BUA’s pillars to support personal growth and family wellbeing. Matt has a keen interest in having fun in the outdoors; from the hills to the ocean but especially it involves water and a bit of adventure!
GEELONG, VIC
Eve’s background is in social services, having worked for many years supporting the well-being of others in a number of diverse community settings. Eve is also passionate about volunteering and sense of community and purpose that it offers to all involved.
Eve feels privileged to be working with the Defence Force and First Responder community in Victoria and to see Buddy Up Australia continue to grow and flourish for the benefit of our exceptionally valued members and volunteers.
HOBART, TAS
Naomi is a passionate explorer of science, history, and culture. Her diverse work history includes handling dinosaur bones, uncovering archaeological marvels, delivering exhibitions, facilitating events, and preserving cultural treasures – all fuelling her zest for life.
Beyond her professional endeavours, Naomi's heart beats for community engagement. She's lent her time to volunteer organisations spanning archives to fishing clubs. An animal enthusiast, she finds solace in exploring with her dog and enjoying cozy moments with her cat over a cuppa and a book. She is excited to be the Program Coordinator in Tasmania and is on the lookout for people to coordinate events across the state.
MELBOURNE, VIC
Eve’s background is in social services, having worked for many years supporting the well-being of others in a number of diverse community settings. Eve is also passionate about volunteering and sense of community and purpose that it offers to all involved.
Eve feels privileged to be working with the Defence Force and First Responder community in Victoria and to see Buddy Up Australia continue to grow and flourish for the benefit of our exceptionally valued members and volunteers.
CANBERRA,ACT
Bek Milne runs the show in Canberra.
Bek has a military background and is a keen State Emergency Services volunteer. More of a road runner than trails, you can convince Bek to hike if there are some photo opportunities on offer. Bek LOVES parkrun and would love to hang out with you at any of the ACT or surrounding events and grab a coffee and breaky afterwards, preferably with bacon on it. park run offers something for everyone because if you don’t run, you can walk or volunteer.
BRISBANE,QLD
A dedicated volunteer with Buddy Up Australia since 2018, Mark is passionate about fostering community well-being and strong connections. Having had an extensive career in the Australian Defence Force and then transitioning into community services, Mark promotes resilience and active lifestyles. Committed to supporting veterans, first responders, and building a healthier community through teamwork and compassion.
TOWNSVILLE,QLD
Tina Innes played a special role in Buddy Up Australia from the very beginning, being one of the three Founding Directors of the organisation. Tina stepped down as a Director in 2022 to travel Australia and upon her return reconnected with the organisation and the timing was right for Tina to reconnect on a deeper operational level as the new Program Manager. Tina brings a wealth of experience in leadership and management to the organisation. Along with her in-depth knowledge of Buddy Up Australia and military background, we are very excited to welcome Tina to the team. Tina will be based in Western Australia.
FORSTER,NSW
Jess Karnaghan and Rebecca Gallagher are the joint chapter leaders in Forster on the Mid North Coast NSW.
Jess served as a Police Officer for over thirteen years, where her career included being trained as a peer support officer and mental health advocate. In 2015, she completed a diploma of Life Coaching and practitioner training in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and in 2020 resigned from the Police to work in her own business supporting people with mindset and emotional wellbeing workshops and life coaching. Jess loves adventure, travelling, being in nature, meditation and is excited to be a part of the Buddy Up leadership team.
Rebecca served in the NZ Army as a Medic for 9 years, her career including varied roles in healthcare provision and leadership positions. After leaving the military and moving to Forster in 2020 with her dog for a fresh start, she has worked alongside people with disability and has developed a passion for mental health support. She is also an avid animal lover; working for a local animal rescue and is in training to become a veterinary nurse. Rebecca loves being in nature and is excited to be involved with Buddy Up Australia in order to help support and grow our community.
GOLD COAST,QLD
Tina Innes played a special role in Buddy Up Australia from the very beginning, being one of the three Founding Directors of the organisation. Tina stepped down as a Director in 2022 to travel Australia and upon her return reconnected with the organisation and the timing was right for Tina to reconnect on a deeper operational level as the new Program Manager. Tina brings a wealth of experience in leadership and management to the organisation. Along with her in-depth knowledge of Buddy Up Australia and military background, we are very excited to welcome Tina to the team. Tina will be based in Western Australia.
DARWIN,NT
Tina Innes played a special role in Buddy Up Australia from the very beginning, being one of the three Founding Directors of the organisation. Tina stepped down as a Director in 2022 to travel Australia and upon her return reconnected with the organisation and the timing was right for Tina to reconnect on a deeper operational level as the new Program Manager. Tina brings a wealth of experience in leadership and management to the organisation. Along with her in-depth knowledge of Buddy Up Australia and military background, we are very excited to welcome Tina to the team. Tina will be based in Western Australia.
Check out the map below to find your nearest Team. By clicking on each number you are able to see who is the leader for each Team location.
Buddy Up Australia also has a ‘National Team’ connecting members virtually who are not within close proximity to a physical Team location.
Our events can include everything from expeditions, yoga, fishing trips, scuba diving, family BBQs and much more! Let us know if you have an idea of an event you’d like us to run. Our Events are made possible by the support and contribution from our awesome team of Event Leaders!
Find out more about becoming a volunteer with Buddy Up Australia and start making a difference in the lives of those who have served our country and community.