The sight of two trees painted blue located on the eastern side of the New England Highway just north of the United Etonvale petrol station has caught the attention of motorists with a keen eye.
One tree has signs with ‘IT’S OK TO SAY I’M NOT OK’ and ‘R U OK?’ and the other has ‘R U OK’ painted on it.
Painting the trees blue is not a random act but rather something that has been happening all over Australia as part of the Blue Tree Project.
The Blue Tree Project’s mission is to help spark difficult conversations and encourage people to speak up when battling mental health concerns.
They hope by spreading the paint and spreading the message that “it’s OK to not be OK”, they can help break down the stigma that is still largely attached to mental health.
There are now over 900 such Blue Trees in Australia, with fresh trees being painted all the time.
Other blue trees have popped up in Clifton, Toowoomba, Kingsthorpe and many other towns across the Downs.
Anyone can become involved by painting a tree, as long as they own the land or have permission from the landowner.
The tree to be painted should be dead so as to not have an adverse effect on the natural habitat and wildlife.
For more information about the Blue Tree Project visit bluetreeproject.com.au.
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 2 February 2023.
