Dalby women Chloe Smith, Anna Willcocks and Emily Beil unite to advocate for mental health action in regional Queensland
From the moment Anna Willcocks received a call from her best friend, she could sense the devastation in her voice. Friend Chloe Smith was also shattered when she got her tragic news. Now three friends are united in action. SPECIAL REPORT
Dalby
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From the moment Anna Willcocks received a call from her best friend Emily Beil one Sunday night in February, she could sense the devastation in her voice.
As Anna spoke to Emily from her new home on a North Queensland cattle station, she revealed heartbreaking news – Emily’s brother Harrison had died by suicide.
“She let me know what happened, I was quite literally speechless,” Anna said.
“It was a big shock and being so far away it felt really awful that I couldn’t be right there to support them.”
Friend Chloe Smith was also shattered when she got the tragic news at her Sunshine Coast home.
“Emily just said ‘He’s gone’, and I said ‘Gone where? What’s he doing?” she said.
“I knew he had struggles. It was really hard to hear, especially as he was someone who seemed so bright in life.”
Harrison’s shock passing sent ripples of sorrow through the Dalby community, which was already grieving from the suicide of 19-year-old Venus Everly just weeks prior.
Devastated by these losses, Anna and Chloe returned to their hometown of Dalby to be by Emily’s side and determined to prevent further deaths.
“We sat down to have a conversation and thought ‘Can we really do this?’ And we decided we had to,”Anna said.
The three women have now formed The Green Dot Foundation to promote mental health awareness as well as raise funds for more services in rural areas.
“Our research shows that for those living in non-metro areas, more than a quarter had to wait four to six weeks to see a psychologist or psychiatrist, while approximately one in seven waited seven weeks or more to access mental health support,” he said.
The rate of suicide and self-harm attempts are highest in the most remote and regional areas.
The Burnett region, for example, has the highest suicide rate in Queensland with 71 deaths over the past five years - or a death rate of 30.4 people per 100,000.
Toowoomba has had 127 deaths or 16.9 deaths per 100,000 from 2017-2021.
Far North Queensland has had 33 deaths or 23.2 deaths per 100,000, while Outback North Queensland has had 32 deaths, 20.2 deaths per 100,000. The Central Highlands has recorded 33 deaths, 23.4 per 100,000.
SUICIDE DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA MAPPED (2017-2021)
‘WE REALLY WANT TO SHINE A LIGHT’
Now the three friends are hoping to bridge the gap between their hometown and services.
“(The Green Dot Foundation) is a safe space for anyone no matter boy or girl,” Chloe said.
“We really want to shine a light more so on Dalby and how rural areas and towns struggle so much in providing help for young adults with mental health.
“We want to try and bring something to Dalby where there’s more to do, rather than going to the pub and playing the pokies. That’s really all there is to do as a young adult.”
There are two areas the newly-formed foundation wants to focus on – finding ways to connect young adults without alcohol or gambling, and improving the region’s “terrible” mental health services.
DESPERATE SHORTAGE OF YOUTH OPTIONS
Chloe, who lived in Dalby her whole life prior to moving to the Coast, said there was a lack of activities available for young adults in the Western Downs.
“(Dalby) used to have a cinema and a bowling alley, it was something fun that young adults could go and do that you don’t have to drink while doing it,” she said.
The project was later cancelled due to structural failings, and Western Downs Regional Council demolished the building.
Anna said because of a gap in activities for young people, many of them turned to alcohol and gambling in their free time.
“Particularly in Dalby there’s not a lot to do, (people) spend their money on alcohol and they get caught up in vicious cycles that can bring a negative impact to your mental health,” she said.
“When you go to the pub you see so many people sitting in the pokies room, looking so disappointed when they don’t win.
“It’s different for everyone but at some point everyone’s witnessed someone whose been let down by pokies or whose (exploited) alcohol.”
‘I GREW UP WITH ANXIETY AS A KID’
Adding to the problem is a lack of mental health services in the Western Downs.
From the remaining residents who engage in mental health services, 29.16 per cent use telehealth or online methods.
“I grew up with anxiety as a kid, and I was only made aware of two psychologists that would see children otherwise you have to go to Toowoomba,” Chloe said.
“There needs to be more in rural areas, if Dalby only has two (that see children), does that mean Tara has any?”
Anna said after seeing the devastating loss of three young people, the friends knew there was a gap in mental health services in the region.
“We think there’s not as much help as there could be, we want to help as much as we can and bring more understanding to everyone and help close that gap by raising funds,” she said.
‘WE KNEW WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING’
The friends said the foundation had already sparked a great deal of interest from local businesses and people in town.
They are hoping to organise an event like a colour run or a golf day in the near future.
“People have been wanting to be sponsors for the foundation when the time comes,” Anna said.
“Particularly with the business side of things. We’ve also had people reach out to say ‘Thank you’ for starting it and they’ve reached out with their own stories.
“We are still young, but we know we need to do something.”
People can follow the foundation on Instagram at @thegreendotfoundation and on Facebook @The Green Dot Foundation.
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