Afallen tree in the grounds of Millicent Hospital was eagerly painted blue on Sunday morning as a mental health gesture.


The aim of the Blue Tree project is to encourage people to start the difficult conversations and open up if they are suffering from depression and/or anxiety.


With the backing of Millicent Hospital, the paint was applied by 30 volunteers comprising the public, hospital staff, Mental Health team counsellors and members of the Wattle Range Suicide Prevention Network.


The latter group undertook as similar Blue Tree project in 2022 at The Domain playground in Millicent.


A Network spokesperson said they were so grateful for the support they had from the hospital to make this happen.


“Some hospital staff even spent some break time from their work to pick up a paint brush,” the spokesperson said.


“Thank you for the sausage sizzle the Millicent Hospital provided for us all after the job was completed.”


Hundreds of other property owners across the nation have also applied blue paint to dead trees in recent years.


The local Blue Tree project participants include the Vestas maintenance workers at the Lake Bonney windfarm, KCA Millicent Mill and Member for MacKillop Nick McBride whose Conmurra Station straddles the Princes Highway midway between Millicent and Kingston.


Later in the day at dusk, the WRSPN arranged for the nearby concrete water tower to be bathed in blue light thanks to high-powered flood lamps.


Support for this event came from SA Water and Vestas.