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Blue tree a ‘symbol of hope’ on Yea suicide awareness walk

By Billie Davern

Sep 14, 2026

It was a peaceful morning in Yea on Sunday, September 13 as a large group of walkers stepped together to the big blue tree to remember and reflect.

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Eight years after losing her son to suicide, Jacky Gilbee, founder of the Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk, continues to walk in his honour and inspire others to do the same for their loved ones.

This year’s event was attended by special guest Kendall Whyte, who founded the Blue Tree Project after her brother, Jayden, died by suicide in 2018.

Goulburn Valley Suicide Awareness Walk founder Jacky Gilbee shows Blue Tree Project founder Kendall Whyte the Yea landmark. Photo by Billie Davern

The project has seen over 1600 dead trees across Australia, and the world, painted blue to act as a visual reminder to check in with your mates, and yourself.

Ms Whyte made the trip from Western Australia to attend the walk and see Yea’s very own blue tree, which is located on a property adjacent to the Two Bridges.

Walkers gathered at the Yea Railway Station in the morning before taking off on the Rail Trail loop to hear Ms Whyte’s story.

Walkers stride along the Great Victorian Rail Trail. Photo by Billie Davern

“Sadly, the Blue Tree Project started from tragedy after I lost my brother, Jayden, to suicide in November 2018,” she said.

She told the crowd that Jayden and a friend had painted a dead tree blue on their family’s property as a “practical joke”, and after hearing this story at Jayden’s funeral, Ms Whyte’s cousin and her brother’s friend set off to find “the biggest, baddest tree they could”.

They painted the tree blue as a tribute and as a “way to start the conversation in our close-knit community”.

The blue tree offers an opportunity for connection. Photo by Billie Davern

“Once they finished it, (Jayden’s friend) Simon posted a photo on Facebook. What happened next was really surprising,” she said.

“The post went vital and we saw hundreds and thousands of people reacting to it.

“Before we knew it, we had people sharing photos in the comments section of blue trees they had painted.”

Ryder, Belinda, Bodhi and Harley Humphreys take young pup Teddy on the walk. Photo by Billie Davern

Now, the many blue trees scattered across the globe are important “symbols of hope”.

“They’re visual reminders for us that pop up sometimes in the most unexpected places,” Ms Whyte said.

“They act as that visual reminder that we sometimes need in our lives to check in with a mate who’s maybe going through a rough time, to check in with our loved ones, and, most importantly, to check in on ourselves.”

As walkers descended on the Rail Trail loop, they took time to learn the stories of those beside them and keep the memories of those no longer here alive, all while the big blue tree was in the background.