Broome's Australia Post Office tackles loneliness crisis with free postcards
Broome's Australia Post Office and Beyond Blue are tackling the mental health and loneliness crisis by offering free postcards to customer to help encourage connection.
This year, households across Western Australia are set to receive nearly 800,000 Connection Postcards, as part of a national campaign, where five million prepaid Connection Postcards are being delivered to letterboxes across the country.
Australia Post Community and Stakeholder Engagement general manager Nicky Tracey said it was about encouraging Australians to pause, pick up a pen, and reach out to someone they care about.
'We're proud to partner with Beyond Blue and for the fifth consecutive year to connect more people with mental health information and with each other,' she said.
'What we know is that people still feel a much deeper emotional connection when they receive a letter or postcard. And that's why we want to encourage people to write to one another, to improve connection.'
Created by regional Australian artist, Jocelyn Proust, the illustration on the cards includes two fairy wrens in a vibrant natural setting to signify the power of communication for connection and begins with the words, 'sharing this postcard because I care'.
Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said the initiative is a reminder of the power of connection and how small acts of kindness can have a big impact on our mental health.
'Research shows that everyday micro interactions like saying hello to people in our local neighbourhood as we're walking the dog or popping into the shops can help us feel less lonely and more connected,' she said.
'Our partnership with Australia Post and the Connection Postcards embodies those small but mighty moments by encouraging Australians to let someone know they're thinking about them.
'Australia Post's large network helps us reach regional and rural communities, where people are more likely to experience loneliness, which can affect their mental health, and where access to support is often limited.'
A recent study by Beyond Blue in 2024 found one in three people in Australia have reported feeling lonely and 30 per cent of people said loneliness or a lack of connection caused distress last year — ranking just behind financial pressure, relationship challenges, and housing stress.
Since its launch in 2020, the Connection Postcards initiative has seen Australia Post distribute 21 million postcards.
The postcards are now available at Broome Post Office.
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