A former Australian Navy servicewoman, who has dedicated two decades to supporting fellow veterans, has become the winner of Australia's largest-ever prize home giveaway. The winner, identified as Gail, claimed a $15.5 million luxury property complex located on the Sunshine Coast.
Gail, whose family has a history of military service with her stepfather a Vietnam veteran and her husband an Army medic, served in the Navy herself and maintained strong connections with former colleagues. After leaving the service to raise her family in country Victoria, she continued her support for veterans and their families by purchasing tickets in the Dream Home Art Union lottery.
The grand prize includes an entire complex of four beachfront apartments overlooking Kings Beach. Alongside the apartments, Gail also received $280,000 in gold, $525,000 worth of furniture and electrical appliances, a travel voucher, and the first year of rates, water, and body corporate costs.
Organizers faced challenges in contacting Gail to deliver the news due to a nationwide Telstra outage. When she eventually returned the call using a neighbor's phone, she expressed disbelief and immense gratitude.
"This is the only thing I support," Gail told lottery general manager Ben Sawkins. "I was in the Navy myself, so I've been supporting RSL Queensland by buying tickets for the past 20 years. This is my little contribution. You have no idea how this is going to change our lives."
Gail and her family visited Queensland to inspect the properties, where she became emotional reflecting on the win. The windfall is expected to alleviate financial pressures for her family, enabling her to help her two adult children enter the housing market. It will also allow her husband, who has worked as a FIFO (Fly-in, Fly-out) worker for seven years, to return home.
Beyond her personal benefit, Gail plans to pursue a long-held dream of creating handcrafted gifts for individuals experiencing mental illness, stating, "I just want to share my joy with everybody else."
Proceeds from the Dream Home Art Union lottery support RSL Queensland's programs for veterans and their families. In 2025, these programs assisted 7,563 veterans and their families with health and wellbeing initiatives, secured 267 jobs, and helped 227 veterans and families find safe and permanent accommodation.