The Blue Tree Project at CYC

When a dead tree at CYC Phillip Island Adventure Resort needed attention, our team decided not to remove it. Instead, they painted it blue and created a place to sit, talk and reflect, supporting important conversations about mental health.

Turning a Dead Tree Into a Symbol of Hope

Sometimes, something as simple as a tree can start an important conversation.

When a dead tree at CYC Phillip Island Adventure Resort would ordinarily have been removed, our team saw an opportunity to do something different.

Instead, the tree was painted bright blue in support of the Blue Tree Project, transforming it into a visible reminder of the importance of speaking up, checking in with one another and having open conversations about mental health.

A chair has also been placed beneath the tree, creating a space where people can sit, chat and reflect.

Together, the tree and chair provide a simple invitation to slow down, connect with someone and make space for conversations that matter.

What Is the Blue Tree Project?

Blue trees have become striking symbols of hope, encouraging people to speak up about mental health and check in with those around them.

Blue Tree Project is a mental health charity that began in 2019 following the tragic loss of Jayden Whyte, a much-loved son, brother and friend, to suicide in 2018.

What began as a grassroots initiative in regional Western Australia has since grown into a widely recognised movement, with blue trees becoming powerful symbols in communities around the world.

Each tree helps create awareness and encourages conversations that can help positively change attitudes towards mental health.

Why Paint a Tree Blue?

The bright blue trees are designed to stand out.

They make people stop, take notice and, importantly, ask questions.

Why is that tree blue?

That simple question creates an opportunity to talk about mental health, something that can sometimes be difficult to bring up in everyday conversation.

By painting the tree at CYC Phillip Island Adventure Resort, our team wanted to contribute to those conversations and help share the message that mental health matters.

A Place to Sit, Chat and Reflect

Sometimes making space for a conversation is where it all begins.

The chair beneath our blue tree is an important part of what the space represents.

It is a place to sit for a moment and reflect. A place to have a conversation with a friend. A place to check in with someone and ask how they are really going.

We hope it encourages campers, guests, staff and visitors to take a moment out of their day and remember the importance of looking after themselves and the people around them.

Mental health conversations do not always need to be complicated. Sometimes they can begin by simply sitting beside someone, listening and giving them the space to talk.

Creating Space for Conversation

At CYC, we believe strongly in creating places where people can experience genuine community, connection and belonging.

Whether young people are visiting us on a school camp, attending a CYC Holiday Camp, or families and groups are spending time together at the resort, relationships are at the heart of the camp experience.

Our blue tree and the chair beneath it are another reminder of the importance of looking out for the people around us, making time to listen and creating space for honest conversations.

More Than Just a Tree

What could have simply been removed has instead become something meaningful.

The blue tree at CYC Phillip Island Adventure Resort now stands as a symbol of hope and a reminder that conversations about mental health matter.

We hope that when people see it, they stop for a moment, sit down, ask why it is blue and discover the important message behind it.

Because sometimes a simple conversation can make a bigger difference than we realise.

Learn More About the Blue Tree Project

Find out more about the Blue Tree Project, the story behind the movement and how blue trees are helping spark conversations about mental health in communities around the world.

Discover the Blue Tree Project