Suicide prevention organisation MATES is bringing back the MATES Big Lap for April 2026, which invites Australians to get active, connect with others and support suicide prevention across the construction, mining, energy and manufacturing industries.
In its fourth year, the national movement encourages participants to walk, run, ride, wheel or move however they can because conversations about mental health happen more naturally when people are side-by-side rather than face-to-face.
The initiative brings together workers, workplaces, families and communities to strengthen connections and raise funds for life-saving support services delivered by MATES.
Participants will be able to track their activity via the MATES Big Lap app. Nationally, the event aims to bring together more than 1,200 participants and collectively over 75km which is the equivalent of nine big laps around Australia.
MATES says the number nine is considered significant as it reflects the number of people lost to suicide each day.
As Mining.com.au reported in honour of R U OK? Day, 75% of those who commit suicide are men aged between 40 and 59 years.
These figures are alarming for the mining sector where suicide rates are 80% higher than the national average, as reported by MATES in Mining.
Australia’s fly-in fly-out (FIFO) and drive-in drive-out (DIDO) models – while necessary for operational efficiency – have been linked to increased stress and elevated suicide rates, as reported.
According to a report by Drill Down, a study from 2011 to 2019 indicated that male mining workers in Australia experienced suicide rates ranging 11-25% per 100,000 workers, with an adjusted estimate closer to 25% per 100,000.
MATES’ 2026 event builds on previous years with a stronger focus on accessibility and engagement. The registration fee has been redacted to $10 to remove barriers to entry and make participation easier for individuals.
CEO Jørgen Gullestrup says the event works because it creates the right environment for people to talk.
“Every metre of kilometre is not just exercise, it’s an opportunity to check in with a mate, and that can save a life,” Gullestrup says.
MATES is a not-for-profit charity established in 2008 to reduce suicide across construction, mining, energy and manufacturing industries.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: MATES
