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<\/p>\nA VICTORIAN man has completed a journey of over 300 kilometres on foot, which took him through part of Moorabool Shire, to raise awareness for mental health issues.<\/p>\n
Queenscliff artist David Beaumont set off from the You Yangs on Saturday 13 April, reaching his final destination of Wycheproof 11 days later.<\/p>\n
Driven by the young men in regional communities he knows who have taken their lives, Mr Beaumont said speaking with people from the towns he passed through, and hearing their experiences, had been \u201ca humbling, sobering experience\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI finished the journey last Wednesday (24 April),\u201d Mr Beaumont said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was worth every step of the way. I\u2019ve known, personally and through friends, a number of young men who have sadly taken their lives over the last few years.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe data indicates that young men in rural settings are around twice as likely to take their lives as those in urban settings\u2026so the walk was a bit about getting a sense of what was going on, and also raising some awareness in those communities as I passed through and spoke with people in.\u201d<\/p>\n
The walk took Mr Beaumont through Ballan, Daylesford, Maldon, Inglewood, Newbridge, Wedderburn, and Charlton, before he finally reached Wycheproof.<\/p>\n
He walked an average of between 27 and 30 kilometres a day.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI spoke with dozens and dozens of people along the way. Almost everyone was either directly affected, or knew someone secondhand that had taken their life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pretty full-on, it\u2019s concerning. It\u2019s not entirely causal, but post-COVID I think there\u2019s a sense of isolation in rural communities, especially for young men who maybe don\u2019t have a group of mates, aren\u2019t into footy, things like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult in rural settings. So it was about connecting, and acknowledging and remembering those young people who have taken their lives\u2026letting people who are grieving know they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not something you\u2019ve done or haven\u2019t done\u2026it\u2019s sadly not a common thing, but people aren\u2019t alone in their grief. Other people have experienced it too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile that doesn\u2019t take away the grief, it may at least help take away that sense of isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you feel you need to talk to someone about your mental health, you can get support 24\/7 from Lifeline online or on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A VICTORIAN man has completed a journey of over 300 kilometres on foot, which took him through part of Moorabool Shire, to raise awareness for mental health issues. Queenscliff artist David Beaumont set off from the You Yangs on Saturday 13 April, reaching his final destination of Wycheproof 11 days later. Driven by the young […]<\/p>\n