Hardworking Aussie veteran comes forward to claim $15million Lotto prize

By KYLIE STEVENS, SENIOR BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 03:37, 11 August 2026 | Updated: 03:47, 11 August 2026 A former Navy servicewoman who has spent two decades supporting fellow veterans has become Australia's newest multi-millionaire in a life-changing windfall. Following in the footsteps of her stepfather, who served in Vietnam, and her Army medic husband, a Borneo war veteran, Gail served in the Navy, where she formed lifelong friendships. After leaving the Navy to raise her family in country Victoria, Gail continued to support Australian veterans and their families as a regular VIP ticket holder in the Dream Home Art Union lottery draws. But she never imagined that support would one day change her and her family's lives. Gail is the winner of Australia's biggest-ever prize home giveaway. The $15.5 million 'beachfront Sunshine Coast Kingdom' includes an entire complex consisting of four luxurious apartments overlooking Kings Beach. Gail also won $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. Getting hold of Gail to advise her of the life-changing news was a challenge for lottery organisers on the day of Telstra's nationwide outage. Navy veteran Gail (pictured with her husband) is the winner of Australia's biggest-ever prize-home giveaway in history Gail fought back tears when she and her family recently travelled to Queensland to inspect her new homes (one pictured) She won $15.5million 'beachfront Sunshine Coast Kingdom' - an entire complex consisting of four luxurious apartments overlooking Kings Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast Gail thought the organisation was calling to check her details when she returned the call using her neighbour's phone. 'I can't believe this is happening to me,' a shocked Gail told Dream Home Art Union lotteries general manager Ben Sawkins after learning the news. 'This is the only thing I support. '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 fought back tears when she and her family recently travelled to Queensland to inspect their new homes. She looks forward to easing the financial pressures facing her family and helping her two adult children enter the housing market, which until now had been an impossible dream. The windfall will also clear Gail's mortgage and allow her husband to return home after seven years as a FIFO worker. The prize included $525,000 in furniture and electrical appliances for new new homes Gail fought back tears when she and her family recently travelled to Queensland to inspect her new homes Gail has spent the last two decades supporting fellow veterans through the Dream Home Art Union lottery draws Gail also hopes to pursue her dream in handcrafting gifts for people battling mental illness.  'I just want to share my joy with everybody else,' she said. Dream Home Art Union tickets support RSL Queensland programs for veterans and their families. Proceeds went towards helping 7,563 veterans and their families improve their health and wellbeing in 2025, while 267 jobs were secured. Another 227 veterans and families were helped into safe and permanent accommodation.