July 29th, 2025Blue trees offering mental health resilience
A striking blue tree, made of steel and created by Overwrought at Blampied, has been erected in the grounds of the St Peter’s Catholic Church in Daylesford.
Parish spokesperson Leonie Keynes said Blue Trees was a national movement that used the powerful image of a painted blue tree to spark conversations around mental health and remind people they are not alone.
The St Peter’s initiative is between the church, St Michael’s Primary School, also in Daylesford and Call Your Mates Hepburn.
“The tree must be dead to be painted blue, which you see in some parts of the Hepburn Shire, but as the Daylesford church grounds had no dead trees, we opted for the steel one,” Leonie said.
“The parish along with the school collaborated to sponsor the steel, blue tree. The blue tree serves as a visible reminder to check in with each other, to speak up and to keep the conversation going around mental health.”
Call Your Mates Hepburn is a local volunteer group dedicated to improving mental health support and connection in rural communities.
On its website, Call Your Mates says no-one should be left without the mental health support they need.
“Based in the Hepburn Shire, we are dedicated to ensuring that people in our community can access additional mental health care when they need it most.
“We are committed to fostering a stronger, healthier community where mental health support is available to everyone. Because sometimes, all it takes is a check-in, a conversation, and a little extra support to make a world of difference.”
Link: www.callyourmateshepburn.org
If you or someone you know needs help (most available 24/7):
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Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes
