Chris Mason begins 723km walk to support Indigenous mental health

Chris Mason, a Ngemba man, has embarked on a 723-kilometre trek known as the ‘Long Walk Home’ to raise awareness for Indigenous mental health and the loss of culture. The march began at the Brewarrina Fish Traps and is scheduled to pass through Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, and the Blue Mountains before reaching Penrith.

Mason’s journey is rooted in his personal history of intergenerational trauma stemming from the Stolen Generations. After being placed under the Aboriginal Protection Board as an infant and moved to western Sydney, he struggled with drug and alcohol dependency, antisocial behavior, and incarceration. He describes his trek as a mission to support Indigenous youth and a tribute to the men who saved his life during a past overdose.