Macleay Island in crisis as residents rally to address suicide death toll at weekend forum

A Queensland island community claim they have been left without support, after five local men took their own lives in just six months.

A Moreton Bay island community, where five men died from suicide in six months, will gather in mourning this weekend to search for solutions to the crisis.

Macleay Island was rocked this year when a 26-year-old man, died in July, hours after leaving friends on a fun Friday night out.

He was the fifth man to die from suicide on the bay islands this year after James Allen, 43, died in February and Brendan Faneco died in April.

A fourth man took his life in May and a fifth died at the beginning of the year.

When the 26-year-old died, his friends who had been out for dinner with him hours before he died, made a pact to bring mental health services to the bay islands.

Residents of the island, less than 20 minutes by ferry from the mainland at Redland Bay, blamed the address, isolation and overstretched mental health services for the high suicide rate.

Concerned residents organised the forum claiming the suicide rate was because the islands have been ignored by authorities, leaving men with nowhere to turn.

Friends of one of the mourned men, Adrienne Carswell said she was pleased to hear of the forum.

“I know the men I’m friends with have been trying to talk more openly and have been more supportive of each other since his death,” she said.

“I hope it helps. We’re all still hurting.”

Island resident and student paramedic Adrienne Carswell was a firm friend of a man who died from suicide and welcomed the weekend forum.

The group of friends helped paved the way for Redlands MP Kim Richards, the Suicide Prevention Network along with Redlands Suicide Bereavement Group, Headspace Capalaba and Relationships Australia to organise a pocket pamphlet of contacts for people to ring in emergencies.

Dozens of people are expected to converge on Macleay Island for the forum which will focus on male suicide and mental health issues.

Former Labor leader and prime minister Julia Gillard, now an ambassador for Beyond Blue, was invited.

Ms Richards told state parliament the bay island was at a disadvantage as it was isolated and its mental health services were already overstretched which have led to the high suicide rate.

She said she came up with the emergency pocket pamphlet project after the neighbouring Logan council had success with a similar portable list of emergency phone numbers.

“We have had some tragic incidents this year of young men suiciding, and we really hope this day helps to bring the community together and provide them with information that will help them access services,” she told parliament.

“It will be good to have this strong community day together.”

The forum will hear from Relationships Australia’s David McAnalen, who will tell his powerful story about how he broke his destructive gambling addiction and is now helping to counsel others.

It will be at the Macleay Island Progress Hall on Saturday from 9am to 12.30pm and will include a sausage sizzle, face painting and children’s activities.

Originally published as Macleay Island in crisis as residents rally to address suicide death toll at weekend forum