You may know the Blue Tree Project from the sky-blue trunks you drive past on the highway, but inmates and staff from correctional centres around the state are finding their own way to contribute to the mental health project. 

Last week, correctional centres put the paint brushes down just in time for World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), having created 50 blue trees around New South Wales in honour of the day. 

*PHOTO COURTESY CSNSW.

The project began in February this year and Senior Assistant Superintendent Jane Cox was impressed that they reached the ‘outrageous’ target of 50.

 “The idea is that you can paint dead blue trees in memory of someone or just to hopefully spark some conversations about mental health.’

While the project usually takes shape by painting dead trees in paddocks on the side of the road to raise a conversation about mental health, local prisons had to get creative with the project, with many works of art confined to correctional centres around the state. 

The mission prompted incredible works of art, with trees taking shape as murals on walls and sculptures of every material possible. 

“Newer centres like Macquarie (Correction Centre at Wellington) don’t really have trees, certainly no dead ones. So, inmates painted a mural on the wall under the overseeing of officers,” she said. 

Ms Cox says that while inmates were involved with the project, it was targeted at assisting staff. 

“We work in a job that is challenging, very challenging. We want to try and protect the mental health of our staff,” said Ms Cox.  

The project follows the tragic deaths by suicide of corrective services staff across the state.

Accompanying the trees is a program known as ‘Stand Taller’, encouraging staff to talk, ask, listen, and refer, as well as a staff Resilience Program. 

Originally launched in WA in 2018 by a woman in memory of her brother who had taken his life, the Blue Tree Project has gained momentum around the country, sparking difficult conversations, and raising awareness of mental health and suicide prevention. 

For Correctional Services NSW, the project was proposed by a staff member who was grieving the loss of her son. 

“People will see the blue trees and go ‘wow, why would somebody paint a tree blue?’. And that then opens that conversation about mental health.” 

“Hopefully we’ll try to remove some of the stigma and let people know that it’s actually okay not to be okay, and it’s okay to talk about mental health.”