SURFin’s mental
Army veteran Rob Knox rides his own surfboard, a present from his proud son – watched by Veteran Surf Project guru Rusty Moran. Photos by Levi Cahill Photography
The Veteran Surf Project is helping former service members restore balance – on surfboards, as well as in their mental health. The Australian-first program, which is the brainchild of former professional big-wave surfer Rusty Moran and with the backing of Keith Payne VC, uses surfing as therapy on the wounds of veterans suffering from depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “It’s mental-health therapy disguised as having fun,” Rusty says. 64
The free program at Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa, south of Sydney, has just completed its first year with grant funding from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. In its first year, the Veteran Surf Project has done a classic ‘under promise and over achieve’, with more than 1300 veteran attendances by more than 100 veteran participants. Each participant in the surf program is also a participant in a research study with the University of Western Sydney, filling out mental-health CONTACT Air Land & Sea – Issue 72 – December 2021
