In December 2021, we learned that the very same Mitch Power had tragically died by suicide at age 22. His sudden death sent the town of Bombala, New South Wales, into shock and mourning over the loss. His friends and family had no clue that he was suffering from any mental health challenges. This silence highlights a serious problem in rural Australia, where it is difficult to have these unfortunate conversations. To celebrate Mitch’s life and legacy, the first Mitch Power Quick Shear event was held in 2022. This timely moment brought incredible attention to the broader mental health crisis and fell on what would’ve been his birthday.
Shearers from near and far came to compete in the event. It turned a day of athletic rivalry into a powerful platform for raising awareness about mental health. Together we participated, cheered and honored Mitch’s memory while making a statement that we need to have real conversations about mental health.
Community Response and Support Initiatives
Just like the rest of the Bombala community, they were shattered to lose Mitch. This tragedy launched a worthy and profound movement dedicated to addressing the crisis of young men’s mental health. Tracy Power, Mitch’s mother, expressed her hope that sharing her son’s story would encourage others to speak up. She noted that there is immense societal pressure on men to be stoic, which causes so many men to suffer in silence.
“I don’t know whether Mitch didn’t feel like he wanted to burden anyone, but it’s not a burden. You’ve got to speak up,” – Tracy Power
Mitch’s friend Leigh Hickey, an experienced shearer, cut sheep for a decade and recalled happy times side by side with Mitch. Hickey remembered that Mitch was the kind of person who made friends quickly no matter where he traveled. He took special pride in his focus on addressing the nation’s mental health crisis. Yet countless individuals slip through the cracks, only to be discovered too late.
“Unfortunately, the ones that are normally lost are the ones that don’t say anything,” – Leigh Hickey
The community’s response has featured mental health talk nights to help continue the conversation. These events are designed to foster an environment in which attendees feel safe sharing their obstacles and looking for solutions.
The Launch of sHedway Charity
In 2023, Carol Mudford founded sHedway, a mental health and suicide prevention charity. Through her project, she sought to address the support gap that existed in Bombala and the surrounding rural communities. Mudford understands firsthand the specific struggles of those who call remote areas home. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found that suicide rates in these areas are significantly higher than in their urban counterparts.
Mudford’s mission is to increase access to support services across rural Australia. They emphasize the important necessity of supporting more projects like sHedway. The journey is hardly over. With volunteers now spread across the nation, she’s still working on raising awareness and resources for those who need it most.
“Our goal is to see everyone working in the shearing sheds looking after their mental health as well as a shearer will look after their shearing gear,” – Carol Mudford
Mudford makes sure to convey her intimate ties to the issue at hand. She is beginning to heal, but she definitely still misses Mitch’s warmth every day. She is therefore hopeful that events such as the Mitch Power Quick Shear can enable this type of change to occur and lives to be saved.
“If one person takes something out of it and it saves one person’s life on that particular day from that event, then that’s one family that’s happy,” – Tracy Power
Continuing the Conversation
The inaugural Mitch Power Quick Shear champion, it was an edge of the seat competition. It shined a light on just how urgently we need to combat mental health stigma. Many participants echoed sentiments similar to those expressed by Hickey, who voiced a commitment to preventing further tragedies within their community.
“If I can stop one more person from dying, then I’ve done something,” – Leigh Hickey
This collective effort highlights the urgency of addressing mental health issues among young men, particularly in rural Australia. The journey from Mitch’s death to the realization of his vision has memorialized his life in some profound ways. They have sparked important discussions to help others who might be hurting in secret.
Together, the Bombala community is mobilising. They are calling for a continued and careful watch over the ways we talk about mental health. As they work towards creating an inclusive environment where individuals feel safe to express their struggles, they hope to inspire others facing similar challenges.
