The Burleigh Bugle has been an information source for members of the Burleigh Heads RSL Sub-Branch for many years. Originally, the Bugle, as it is usually called, was a monthly publication. In recent times, it dropped down to bi-monthly and then quarterly.

In recent years, due to the escalation in the costs of production and the reluctance of members to provide either their time or their input, it has been becoming less and less useful as a timely information tool.

Burleigh Heads RSL Sub-Branch President, Chris Keating, stated in his recent president's report, "The secretary and I have found that the Burleigh Bugle has been duplicating much news that had already been circulated by other publications, i.e., Vet affairs News, RSL Care, VVCS news and Qld RSL News."

Additionally, the ever increasing production and direct dissemination of information from the Department of Veterans' Affairs and other Federal, State and Local government authorities has rendered much of what the Bugle carried redundant.

Finally, as we all know, the Internet and the World Wide Web became available to us in 1991. More and more people, our members included, have turned to the web for their information, especially in the past 5 years. People quickly realized that the web provided up-to-the-minute information at the click of a mouse. Even government departments saw the value of this on-line tool and have taken to providing information first through this medium or through e-mail.

This sub-branch also recognized the value of the web as an information dissemination medium and launched its own web-site on 1st September 2005. The web-site has attracted a steadily increasing patronage, receiving over 32,000 visitors during the month of November 2009 and well over 270,000 for the current year. While the Burleigh Bugle is coming to an end, the Burleigh Heads RSL Sub-branch web-site will continue to provide the membership with the latest and most current information in addition to a complete chronology and history of news, events and happenings of interest. Visit us at www.burleighheadsrsl.com

As a side comment here, it is perhaps worth noting that one of the few organizations to go truly backward and not thoroughly embrace web use is our very own state branch, Queensland RSL headquarters, who spent a lot of time and money producing not one but two fine and fancy new replacements for their original web-site, presumably for the benefit of all (?), but who then go back to distributing their main publication, RSL News, in printed form by mail long before getting around to making it available on their web-site for those who are not lucky enough to receive the printed version - those who choose to live overseas and those who are indeed overseas serving their country and might one day consider being a member of the RSL community. Is it any wonder that RSLs across the country are struggling to attract new membership and thereby survive?

And so it is that you find yourself reading this final edition of The Burleigh Bugle and in so doing, say 'Goodbye' to what had been an integral part of the sub-branch membership communication network while hearing in your hearts, those sobering chords of the 'Last Post'.