"The fact is, people in Katherine don't talk about it," Bryan Walters said.

"Men are still marred with the macho mentality."

On average, men live four years less than women, have more accidents and are more likely to take their own lives.

The isolation and lack of services which come from living in a remote location, such as Katherine, can worsen those statistics further.

The small group tackling men's health issues convened in 2017.

They had plans to start a Men's Shed to provide a place of refuge for isolated men to work shoulder to shoulder.

At the same time, one of the men, Bryan Walters, was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

"The [Men's Shed] is specifically for men's health and having had a prime example whack you in the face certainly highlights it's real," vice president of the Men's Shed, Mr Walters said.

"It was frustrating and really scary.

"It brought everything to a head and it gave us extra motivation to make sure men in Katherine had somewhere to talk and learn about the importance of keeping up with health."

For Bryan Walters the shed has become a place where he can encourage men to play an active part in maintaining good health.

Having tackled both bowel cancer and Benign prostatic hyperplasia, he knows first hand the importance of regular check-ups at the doctor.

"Check-ups saved my life," he said.

"It might seem embarrassing, but it is well worth it."

He said the network which stood strong behind him through his battle was a support like no other, and is something he wishes to pass on.

"At the Men's Shed there is a lot of free talk and general chit chat," Mr Walters said, "it normalises [talking about health] and takes the stigma away."

"When my prostate specific antigen jumped (rising levels of PSA are associated with prostate cancer) I went to see others to glean information, which took the anxiety out of it all.

"Hearing from people who had had treatments and a positive outcome really eased my fears."

Mr Walters said his discussions at the Men's Shed with new and old members have encouraged many to take account of their health.

The Australian Men's Shed Association is reminding Australian men their 'annual service' is due this Men's Health Week using the male health initiative Spanner in the Works?

"Spanner in the Works? provides men with an accessible platform to understand the importance of maintaining a proactive approach to their health - likening the human body to a vehicle or piece of machinery," AMSA executive officer David Helmers said.

"Most blokes understand the consequences of poor vehicle maintenance and are usually quite particular about maintaining their machinery.

"However when it comes to looking after their most important piece of machinery - themselves - men often overlook preventative maintenance and an annual service."

The male health initiative was launched by AMSA to provide Men's Shed members with a non-threatening platform advocating for a proactive approach to positive health and wellbeing, as well as an annual check-up with a local GP.

"There's still a great deal of stigma around many men's health issues," Mr Helmers said.

"Men's Health Week is an opportunity for us to encourage men to take notice and play an active part in maintaining good health and wellbeing."

Visit www.malehealth.org.au to find out more about Spanner in the Works?

The Katherine Men's Shed, located on Rapide St, Katherine, is open on Thursday and Sunday afternoons.

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday at 6am from the Katherine Times. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, sign up here.