About a half-hour drive from Katherine, on the straight road south stands a single painted blue tree.
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A standout among sea of paper bark, no one quite knows who painted it.
It has even left the Mayor of Mataranka puzzled.
Painted high into the leafless branches just metres off the busy highway, it is among many dotting rural parts of Australia.
But, quite possibly, it is the first in the Northern Territory.
The original blue tree dates back to 2014, but the Blue Tree Project didn't come into being until this year, following the untimely death of Jayden Whyte who took his own life at 29.
It is a visual reminder we all have blue days and a conversation starter on the importance of mental health.
"By spreading the paint and spreading the message that 'it's OK to not be OK', we can help break down the stigma that's still largely attached to mental health," is the project's key message.
Hundreds of advocates have taken on the mammoth challenge, and the blue tree count is now up to 309.
When the Katherine Times first inquired about the Stuart Highway tree, we were directed to a family from Perth who had driven across the Nullarbor with bucket of blue paint and plans to use it.
"Myself, husband and two kids decided to do a bucket list trip and painting a tree was high on it," Tammie Burke said.
She had heard about the Blue Tree Project and noticed she hadn't seen any on the drive through the Northern Territory.
"The project is close to my husband who has lost a couple of friends," she said, "so it is important to us to raise that awareness as much as possible."
The family picked a tree at Kings Canyon, more than 1500 kilometres away, and before the last lick of paint was applied, it was starting much-needed conversations.
"Visitors came to help and we noticed people were opening up about their own experiences while painting."
That tree was painted on October 3 of 2019.
Roper Gulf Mayor, and Mataranka resident, Judy MacFarlane first noticed the tree closer to Katherine months ago.
"It is a bit like the ant-hills covered in clothes, we don't know who does them or why."
She said it has taken months for people in the small town of Mataranka, with a population of about 350, to start taking notice, but its slowly happening, especially now she starting the conversation herself.
"Mental health is a huge issue all over Australia, so if it raises awareness that is a good thing," she said.
"It is eye catching and it makes people think about what it means."
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