Mental health consultant Sarah McFarlane-Eagle said the project, hosted by Walking Feat, was based on an online map marked with the locations of project supporters by fire-related icons.  

“By putting your postcode in a match lights up,” Ms McFarlane-Eagle said. 

“When five matches light up in your town, they turn into a candle. 

“Five candles turn into a bonfire. That means that you’ll agree that we demand an improved mental health landscape.

“That we believe in the rights and dignity of all people bereaved by suicide with a lived experience mental health issues.

“Forty-five per cent of Australians will experience a mental health issue at some time. Seven people a day complete suicide in Australia, and that figure is rising.

“We are in solidarity - we need a visual representation that this is an important and essential issue for Australia.”

The project aims to cover the whole country, but Ms McFarlane-Eagle decided to kick off the project in her home region. 

“People in New Zealand were itching to put their postcodes in, but I said ‘no, we’re starting in New England’,” she said.

The launch was held in conjunction with the Light Up New England Forum, which brought together mental health workers and those living with mental illness to review progress in the Partners in Recovery program. 

Since launching two years ago, the program received more than 300 referrals of residents in the region living with a mental health issues. 

At the forum it was revealed the New England arm of the program topped the national average for reaching people in need. 

New England Partners in Recovery manager for RichmondPRA Scott Sears said 73 percent of local people targeted for support under PIR have been reached.

One third of people assisted locally are Aboriginal compared to 11 percent nationally.