Harmony Day celebrated at Narrabri Fish Farm

Narrabri Fish Farm was the perfect location to stage Wahgunyah Housing Aboriginal Corporation’s Harmony Day on Monday, March 21.

Harmony Day is a concept launched in 1999 and is celebrated annually throughout Australia, coinciding with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Organiser of the day Kate Briggs was delighted with the turnout for the event.

“I have wanted to connect our awesome community for some time, and I thought Harmony Day would be the perfect opportunity.

“We wanted to bring Elders and younger ones together along with service providers to meet, mingle and familiarise with who is who in our Narrabri community on a grassroot level rather than professional.

“Wahgunyah would like to thank all the support we received in making the day as enjoyable and relaxing as it was,” she said.

“Our biggest thank you and appreciation should go to Rick and Sharmaine Cunningham and his crew from the Narrabri Fish Farm for hosting the event. Your hospitality was far and beyond anything we could have hoped for, with the meals and location perfect.

“The Walkabout Barber and Walkabout Beautiful, Brian, and his dedicated team – the smiles you all put on everyone’s dials was amazing and your inspirational talk touched everyone that attended.

“Steven Booby for sharing knowledge at the opening acknowledgment and smoking ceremony.

“Everyone involved felt fresh and ready for a great day.

“Thank you to Clinton Lamb and his lads for their dancing and music. Everyone loves a good shake a leg.

“I should acknowledge Aboriginal Affairs for their support to make this day possible. And lastly, Spider and Jeanelle for their bus services to and from the event.”

Walkabout Bus proprietor Brian Dowd’s inspirational speech to the crowd certainly had everyone hanging on to his every word.

He is a professionally trained trauma specialist who uses his mobile barber shop as a safe space to offer mental health first aid.

Trained in trauma counselling after recovering from attempting to take his own life, Mr Dowd’s service combines haircuts with mental health first aid for communities by travelling around Australia.

We all know to expect a good chat when we visit the hairdresser. But for Walkabout Barber Brian Dowd, it’s more about listening.

Brian travels from town to town along the east coast of the country cutting hair and counselling those in his chair, not charging a cent for his services.

In 2000, at just 27 years of age, the then-young aspiring NRL player attempted to take his own life.

He spent the next three years doing what he describes as “saving his own life”, by undergoing a range of rehabilitation programs and workshops.

Mr Dowd put himself through university to become a trauma specialist by trade.

“I came out the other end standing on my own two feet, so I said, ‘Now I’ve saved my life I want to help other people save theirs’,” he said.

Balancing his work on the road as a trauma counsellor with his son’s regular haircuts became a challenge Mr Dowd met by opening up a barbershop.

It allowed him to keep using his counselling skills, while being around to give his son a haircut when needed.

Mr Dowd soon realised that many in need of his skills — both as a barber and trauma specialist — lived far away.

So, the next venture was born – his shop became mobile, and Walkabout Barber Enterprises began.

Initially converting a trailer for the purpose, he has been hitting the road with other young Indigenous men, providing communities with the latest hairstyles along with mental health first aid.

Eventually, the acquisition of a bus meant that trips were undertaken in comfort and style.

“Women have been going to hairdressers for a long time and it’s like their counselling session,” he said.

“A lot of men are finding the barber chair a magical chair, they can sit in and let their guard down”.

For Mr Dowd, it is a win-win scenario that has taken him into the heart and minds of communities across Australia, and importantly has made access to mental health support less intimidating.

If you or someone you know needs help, call: • Emergency on 000 (or 112 from a mobile phone); • Lifeline on 13 11 14; • Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800; • MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978; • Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467; • Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 and • Headspace on 1800 650 890.