The Pro Patria (Wagga Wagga) Property Trust has been established and it purchased the monastery from the Carmelite's for $1.5 million, which will then be leased to the Pro Patria committee to allow them to provide breakthrough therapies.

"Wagga itself being the home of the solider, we'd now like to make it the haven of the soldier," said veteran and Pro Patria board member Jason Frost.

"We have a lot of ex-defence people in this region and obviously there's a lot of services that have been lacking for a very long time."

IN OTHER NEWS:

The group will initially look at providing additional mental and physical health treatments, as well as additional GP access for vets.

But in the future hope to incorporate alternative treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and medicinal cannabis.

The monastery and memorial shrine, also known as 'The Carmel of Our Lady Queen of Peace', was founded in 1966 but closed in 2019 due to dwindling numbers of nuns entering the order.

Carmelite nun Sister Maria Hughes said that the monastery's next phase closely aligns with its Carmelite roots.

"It is an answer to Carmelite prayers beyond expectations," Sister Maria said.

It will provide a base where "Pro Patria can grow into their identity" and mission, which is not unlike the Carmelite's - "essentially concerned with the wellbeing of the human person, spiritually and physically".

Sister Maria likened Pro Patria, with their tree logo, to the olive tree in the monastery garden, which she was speaking in front of.

The olive tree grew from a sapling, "planted and nurtured in solid shale" and in its "prolific expression" symbolises what can be achieved from small beginnings.

Pro Patria is a response to generations of government and institutional ignorance to the plight of our armed forces, and people in need more broadly, she said.

"The government and its inability to respond and engage with the people in their horrific need," she said.

"We have our government sending our service people to war and when they come back, where is the duty of care?

"We need to now engage with the fragility of our human condition."

The Pro Patria Property Trust chair Gordon Saggers said that the monastery purchase allows Wagga to become home to the first facility of its kind in Australia.

"We don't have a template to follow, it's unique."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: