The ACT Government’s Urban Treescapes team and the ACT Office of Mental Health have partnered with the Blue Tree Project to help spark important conversations about mental health and suicide prevention. In May they launched their Blue Tree Project by painting a tree along Hindmarsh Drive in Lyons. By spreading the paint and spreading the message ‘it’s OK to not be OK’ they’re helping to break down the stigma that’s still around mental health.
The Founder and CEO of the Blue Tree Project, Kendall Whyte, travelled to Canberra from Western Australia to help with the tree painting. The Blue Tree’s ethos aligns with the ACT Government’s vision for a kind, connected and informed community working together to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of all.
Canberra’s tree joins 975 other registered blue trees across Australia and internationally. An ecological survey showed no nesting birds or other wildlife would be disturbed by the painters. The tree was not living, did not contain significant habitat elements, and the paint used was non-toxic. To find out more about this project see Canberra’s blue tree.
If you or someone you know isn’t OK then start the conversation. More information.
