Ten years ago, mum Debbie Jackson co-created a safe space to talk about suicide after losing her son. Photo: Supplied.
More than 300 walkers, riders and volunteers will take on the Cape’s red dirt for the 10th Conquer the Corrugations mental health walk on 28-29 September.
After losing a son to a mental health battle, event co-founder Debbie Jackson said she needed a space to talk about the tragedy and find a community.
“When we lost Dillon, it was really hard; I found it very, very lonely, because when we tried to talk to people, you could see the bodies just shut down,” she said.
“They get the look of ‘oh my god, she’s going to talk about her dead son again’, and so you just didn’t talk about it much.”
The 42-kilometre walk began as an event to honour her son, and started with 60 walkers filled with grief and confusion from a tragedy.
Today, it has evolved and grown into a support network for people across Cape York, as well as Victoria and East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, where similar annual events are also held.
“Everyone put their two cents’ worth in and it became something,” Ms Jackson reflected.
“It’s amazing because people come up and they just want to open up – they just want someone to hear their story.
“You may only see these people once a year, but it’s like you were all talking last week.”
In addition to the two days of walking and talking, a range of activity tents – including tutu-making, meditation, drumming and drama – will be on offer at the event’s base at 28 Mile Lagoon.
Ms Jackson said with Conquer the Corrugations being a completely free event to participate in, its continuation was thanks to its sponsors.
Participants will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the event in style on Sunday night when they wash off the red dust and frock up in a ballgown for the Diamonds in the Dust gala to honour the event’s supporters.
“I think the big thing is to acknowledge everyone that’s really supported us from the get-go,” Ms Jackson said.
“We’ve got sponsors that have come on that have all been touched by losing somebody to suicide.”
