They say it takes a village to raise a child. So when someone takes their life, it can shatter an entire community.
The long shadow of suicide is familiar to those who live in the idyllic fishing and tourist towns on Tasmania's east coast.
Here "everyone knows everybody and if you don't know someone, you know somebody who does", Break O'Day Mayor Mick Tucker said.
"Suicides are absolutely horrific at any level in any community, but in little regional communities like ours, it's quite devastating," he said.
Mr Tucker said locals wanted to do "everything that's humanly possible" to prevent suicides.
And that requires a community-wide effort after they lose one of their own.
Breaking the chains of trauma
In the wake of a suicide, those left behind are at a higher risk of taking their own lives.
But Tasmania's east coasters refuse to let their towns be torn apart by trauma, so they have embraced an approach known as "postvention".
Crisis support officer Hayley Gilbert said within 24 hours of a suicide, community members met to discuss what was needed to support friends and family.
"In times of crisis, people's functionality is hugely impaired with trauma so many individuals don't have the ability to seek the services they actually need," she said.
"Which means there has been no resolution or ongoing personal care for these individuals, which means then they're just left to run the gauntlet themselves."
Counselling services are vital, but for those grappling with tragedy, everyday tasks can seem impossible.
Ms Gilbert said that was why the community had developed a directory of locals willing to volunteer whatever skills they had to help those struggling with loss.
"They are personal, individual offers of help," she said.
"[For instance,] I haven't been to the supermarket for a week because everybody's talking about me, so someone can go get my groceries. The dog hasn't been walked. I need a GP appointment but I can't get in and I don't want to go by myself.
"People are available to help people through this time. It's not just about specialised services."
Hot meals for cold hearts
Casey Musicka from St Helens Neighbourhood House volunteered to cook hot meals for those dealing with loss.
"So they don't have to worry about going out or getting organised for groceries, dealing with public questions or feeling like everyone is staring at me," she said.
"You're having a tough go? Let's hear about it. Let's hear what's really playing on your mind and what you might need to just get through that next little while."
Support officers can also tap into existing community groups to harness the diverse skills of their members.
St Helens Marine Rescue secretary John Sullivan said his organisation had used its on-water expertise and equipment to prevent a suicide.
But he said engaging established local networks also promoted positive mental health in the long term.
"So being a community group, we can actually provide that support for them for a long period of time."
Break O'Day also runs a mobile coffee van that travels the region to provide a "safe space" to discuss mental health issues, with resources on hand and an aim to normalise the process of seeking help.
A future without funding
These initiatives are just some of many being built in regional communities across Australia thanks to funding from the National Suicide Prevention Trial.
Locals like East Coast Football Club president Stephen Walley hope the networks built today will protect the people of tomorrow.
"We're creating a community where we have a greater awareness and greater capacity to engage in conversations and support," he said.
"A thriving community, for me, is one where people feel genuinely connected and supported and that wellbeing is considered a really, really positive thing."
Ms Musicka, who has been the program officer of the suicide prevention trial, said the "grassroots" approach ensured their hard work would not disappear when funding ran out.
"We really focused on sustainability, what we could put in place here for the long-term without funding, without a need for big grants, that could run on volunteer power, the smell of an oily rag," she said.
"All of the east coast is really happy to take care of their own. They don't want to need outside help. So when there's that chance to all pull together and give back, they're really happy to do that."
