Eumundi Voice Magazine
Fortnightly local views and news
Eumundi Voice is a free, fortnightly 32-36 page colour magazine with up to 4,500 copies published and delivered to letterboxes and community distribution points across Eumundi and surrounds.
Published by Eumundi Rotary Initiatives Ltd trading as Eumundi Voice, the magazine is a true community publication offering what’s on, what’s new in town, council and police reports, environment, youth, sport, heritage, travel and more. Find out about local businesses who provide our community with a wide range of products and services so you can ‘buy local and support local’.
100% of surplus funds, after production and overhead costs are deducted, are given back as donations to charities within our community to support worthwhile projects and activities.
A dedicated team of volunteers deliver Eumundi Voice every second Thursday in Eumundi and further afield to Verrierdale, Doonan, Belli Park, Kenilworth, Eerwah Vale, North Arm, Cooroy, Kin Kin, Yandina, Pomona and Noosa.
We thank our contributors and advertisers for their continuing support.
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100% of surplus funds, after production and overhead costs are deducted, are given back as donations to charities within our community to support worthwhile projects and activities.
October was Mental Health Month, and new research from Mental Health Australia has revealed a growing gap between how much Australians value social connection and how connected they actually feel.
The nationally representative Essential Report found that 64% of Australians believed society was becoming more disconnected, while only 21% said they felt very connected to their friends, family, neighbours or community. Nearly 1 in 5 people (19%) reported feeling disconnected from others, and 30% felt less connected than they had a decade earlier.
Despite these findings, most Australians recognise the importance of connection and belonging. Around 64% said feeling connected had a positive impact on their mental health, while 57% believed being part of a community helps them cope during challenging or stressful times.
To mark Mental Health Month 2026, Mental Health Australia launched their #TogetherWeThrive campaign, which highlights the vital role connection, belonging and community wellbeing play in supporting mental health.
Mental Health Australia CEO Carolyn Nikoloski said that social connection remains a crucial protective factor for mental wellbeing, particularly during periods of uncertainty and ongoing cost-of-living pressures. She encouraged Australians to focus on simple acts of kindness and connection, emphasising that even small interactions can strengthen a sense of belonging and support within communities.
The survey also revealed that many Australians remained reluctant to discuss mental health challenges in the workplace. Only 29% said they would feel comfortable telling their employer they were struggling, compared with 67% who would feel comfortable talking to friends.
For mental health support contact:
🟦 Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support) Lifeline Queensland
🟦 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
🟦 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
🟦 MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78
🟦 Kids Helpline Official: 1800 55 1800
🟦 Emergency assistance: Call 000 if there is an immediate risk to life or safety. ...
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Katie Pershouse and her sister Izzy Clarke recently painted a tree blue in honour of their nephew and son Dylan, who died by suicide last year at 25yrs of age. Located at 39 Beddington Rd, Doonan, the striking blue tree is impossible to miss.
Katie first noticed blue trees whilst travelling in Mackay and Townsville in 2022. Curious about their meaning she discovered The Blue Tree Project, a mental health charity established in 2019 following the tragic loss of Jayden Whyte to suicide in 2018. The movement’s origins trace back to a tree Jayden and a friend had painted blue years earlier as a prank. What began as a grassroots initiative in regional Western Australia has since become a globally recognised charity, with 1,696 blue trees around the world.
Inspired by the project, Katie hoped to establish a blue tree in her hometown of Cooroy to encourage conversations about mental health that many struggle to have. While searching for a suitable tree, Katie received the devastating news from her sister Izzy, that Dylan had taken his life. Her search for a tree to paint became very personal.
Early in 2026, Katie was invited to speak to the Noosa Women's Shed about her goal. One of the Shed’s members, Eleanor MacDonald, proposed painting a tree on her property in Doonan. Eleanor and her husband Richard – a mental health nurse – have a long-standing interest in recognising and dealing with mental health issues.
John Blythe, Renelle Klease and Rebekah Olsen from Monkey Business Tree Service volunteered their time and machinery to help ensure the very tall tree was stable. Katie and Izzy painted the tree on 1 October, which marked the start of Qld Mental Health Month.
Katie said, “The Doonan blue tree will act as a powerful symbol that encourages someone to ask a question, start a conversation or perhaps reach out to someone who may be struggling.”
Izzy hopes people who pass the Doonan tree will see more than its vivid colour.
“For our family, it will carry Dylan’s memory,” she said. “But I also hope it will stand for every person who is struggling silently and every family who has experienced the devastating loss of someone they love to suicide.” ...
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Lately, when shopping at Bunnings, I have been reminded of the old-time hardware stores we used to have. While it is helpful in this day and age that red-coated helpers can locate exactly what you are looking for just by looking at their phones, it just isn’t the same as talking to “an old-fashioned hardware man”.
I remember going into the old-time store and asking for "a 2-inch bolt with nut” then following the gent to the bolt section, where he would select exactly what I needed and sell me just that one bolt. He would always ask, “What are you using it for?” in case there was a better option I hadn’t considered.
We would then head back to the counter, he’d place it in a brown paper bag (fully recyclable) and charge me 16c or some other minuscule amount.
Hardware men were born somewhere in a back area of the storage where the fencing materials were – and they remained in the business for the rest of their lives. When you walked in the front door, they greeted you as someone who was valued to them. After all, they probably knew your eldest son from the football field after school.
Well, those days are still available to us. Just take a short drive to Pomona, our Hinterland town and drop into the local hardware store. You won’t find many packets of screws with an uneven number hot-sealed in plastic only a pair of tin snips can open … and find you have to buy 2 packets to make pairs and then have 4 left over. Just ask the “hardware man” for what you need.
As you leave the store with your brown bag clutched firmly in your hand, you’ll have a feeling of satisfaction and know the pleasure of a visit to old-time hardware store. ...
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