Still Here

04/03/2026

Something powerful is arriving in East Gippsland on March 20th.

If you can stand with us, be there. Your presence matters. This is about honouring the men we’ve lost fathers, sons, brothers, mates and showing that their lives are not forgotten.

For too long, the struggles of young men have been carried out quietly. Situational distress buried. Pain masked. Silence normalised. It’s time to step out of the shadows and into the light.
This event isn’t just a gathering, it’s a statement from the community.

Will you stand shoulder to shoulder to change the story?

Blue hearts in the chat for our hosts Victorian Men's Shed Assocation 💙🪽💙.
.
Sale Victoria. MARCH 20TH.
10 am till 3pm.
🤩🤩

02/02/2026

We are beyond grateful to the team at Marban Music for their incredible generosity. They recently donated $60 through our "Uncapped" project!

That $60 isn't just a donation; it represents hundreds of cans and bottles saved by businesses and community members and exchanged for fuel towards The Still Here Project. These funds go directly toward our mission: engaging in the difficult conversations that matter and raising vital awareness for those struggling with su***de or suicidal ideation.

​In our community, we believe no feeling should stay "bottled up." Every 10c helps us show up, listen, and support those who need it most.

​How You Can Help:
Do you have empty cans or bottles taking up space?
Don't bin them, let them start a conversation!

We Collect: Reach out to us via DM and we will arrange a time to collect them from you.

The Impact: Your recycling helps us keep the main project "Still Here" Still going for anyone reaching out for peer led support in the community.

Huge thanks again to Marban Music for leading the way. Please show your support to them by following their page linked.

Let’s keep crushing the silence together. 🤝♻️ 😎 🎸

For a direct donation, please PM us for banking details.

​

26/01/2026

Days like this can feel heavy in quiet ways.
it can look like a bbq, few beers, spending time with family and close friends. For others, it’s a day that can carry grief, loss, or memories that don’t sit easily often covered through forced smiles to keep the dynamics calm.

Sometimes it happens all at once, in the middle of the same gathering. A lot of pain can be hidden. Passed down through the silence and what people learned to carry alone.

So while we’re together today,
it’s worth remembering that not everyone around your table is okay. Maybe you know someone could be struggling from some news recently or has been acting a little sadder than usual...

Check on your mates.🦘
Not in a big noticeable way...
Just through the quiet moments of the day, the somber parts that drop their guard a little. Being Australian is all about looking after your buddies.

Offer to drive them home (responsibly) Follow up with them tomorrow. Let them know you're there. Have an open mind, It could help someone from feeling alone in it.

What would you say to a friend that's doing it tough?

Happy Australia Day everyone!


aussie cricket
LookingOutForEachOther australia

25/01/2026

Days like this can feel heavy in quiet ways.
it can look like a bbq, few beers, spending time with family and close friends. For others, it’s a day that can carry grief, loss, or memories that don’t sit easily often covered through forced smiles to keep the dynamics calm.

Sometimes it happens all at once, in the middle of the same gathering. A lot of pain can be hidden. Passed down through the silence and what people learned to carry alone.

So while we’re together today,
it’s worth remembering that not everyone around your table is okay. Maybe you know someone could be struggling from some news recently or has been acting a little sadder than usual...

Check on your mates.🦘
Not in a big noticeable way...
Just through the quiet moments of the day, the somber parts that drop their guard a little. Being Australian is all about looking after your buddies.

Offer to drive them home (responsibly) Follow up with them tomorrow. Let them know you're there. Have an open mind, It could help someone from feeling alone in it.

What would you say to a friend that's doing it tough?

Happy Australia Day everyone!

18/01/2026

Welcome Sophie Green

Welcome Sophie Green (she/they)

The Gippsland Pride Committee is delighted to welcome Sophie Green (she/they) to the team as our new part-time Community and Projects Manager.

Sophie brings a wealth of experience across community and volunteer activation, and professional services administration, alongside many years of volunteering, volunteer leadership, and community involvement. They have a strong understanding of how organisations work behind the scenes and a genuine commitment to listening, learning, and supporting community connection. Sophie will be sharing more about themselves in a short video we’ll be posting in the coming weeks.

This role has been made possible through LGBTQIA+ Sector Strengthening funding from the Victorian Government, alongside critical operational support through our continuing partnership with Aussie Broadband. As a result, Gippsland Pride is equipped with a three-day-a-week professional capacity to help strengthen and support the work of our volunteer-led organisation.

At its heart, Sophie’s role is about connection, coordination, and sustainability. It exists to support Gippsland Pride to grow responsibly, improve how we manage information and communication, and make it easier for our community to connect with us.

Sophie will be coordinating our new Gippsland-wide volunteer program, managing information and queries to ensure they are handled professionally, respectfully, and with strong privacy at the fore, and overseeing the hello@gippslandpride.com inbox and Gippsland Pride phone.

They will often be a friendly first point of contact, helping people navigate queries and connect with the right services, resources, or information. When the answer isn’t immediately clear, Sophie will help research and identify pathways through our partnerships across the LGBTQIA+ and ally sectors. Sophie also plays an important role in gathering and sharing information with the Gippsland Pride Committee to support thoughtful, informed decision-making.

You’ll likely see Sophie at some of our events, where they’ll support activities day to day. The creation and delivery of events remains firmly with our Gippsland Pride Committee, our event partners, and our growing volunteer community. More information about volunteering in your region or at specific events will be shared soon.

This role is not intended to be a mental health response or support service. Instead, Sophie has a critical function in learning about, maintaining, and sharing referral pathways and information about local and accessible LGBTQIA+ mental health and wellbeing supports, helping people connect with appropriately qualified services when needed.

What Sophie does bring is wonderful capacity to ensure processes and information are handled carefully and connections are made where possible. This includes supporting the development of the Gippsland Pride Resource Directory, a significant piece of work that will help improve visibility and access to services across the region.

Alongside the Committee, Sophie is supporting James and Daniel with the website rebuild, strengthening and growing partnerships, developing an annual calendar of events, and assisting with grant applications to help secure Gippsland Pride’s future.

Looking ahead, Sophie’s appointment also supports our longer-term goal of opening accessible hub drop-in hours, complemented by appropriately qualified mental health support workers. We’ll share more as these plans continue to develop.

Gippsland is a large and complex region, with many communities, organisations, and relationships. We ask for your support and patience as Sophie continues to learn, build connections, and balance the scope of a three-day-a-week role within this landscape.

For general enquiries, you’re welcome to contact Sophie at hello@gippslandpride.com.

Once Sophie has had time to settle in, we’re also looking forward to reopening Cuppa and Chats, which many of you may remember from Daniel Bryen’s time with Gippsland Pride.

We’re genuinely excited to have Sophie on board and grateful for the continued support of our community as we keep building Gippsland Pride together.

Meet Sophie at Midsumma Carnival (we'll have a Gippsland Pride Picnic area set up near the carnival stalls from 11am - 3pm) or at an informal afternoon tea in Bairnsdale next Tuesday 20th January at the Bairnsdale Club from 2.30PM, supported by Switchboard Victoria and Pride in Ageing - Connecting older LGBTI Victorians

Gippsland PrideInc fans

18/01/2026

Our first community collaboration event began the day in a special way.

Ten locals gathered at Slipway Shed #2, some picking up a brush for the first time in years. Everyone chose their own path: a girl riding a whale beneath a serene moonlit beach or a solid, grounded anchor, both reflecting our beautiful coastal scenery and the quiet resilience of our town.

After the recent heatwaves and floods, it was a welcome chance to focus on something positive and become fully immersed in the artwork. Painting lets us express ourselves on canvas. Colours mix and stir old memories, some good, some difficult. People surprised themselves and each other with what they created. One simple image took on ten completely different forms.

It reminded us that the most powerful moments often come from the simplest actions: showing up, trying something new, and sharing a relaxed space together. No agenda. Just connection through creativity.

We are deeply grateful to Bohdi Taylor Artist for hosting and guiding everyone with patience and skill, and for welcoming us into her world. She is a true hidden gem of East Gippsland.

We also thank Gippsland Jersey for the delicious signature drinks that kept everyone going. Your support for local farmers is appreciated by all.

Community does not always need to be big or serious. Sometimes it is paint on your fingers, a finished piece you are proud of, and the knowledge that there is a place in East Gippsland where people are still here for each other.
We are grateful for every single person who came. More of these moments are coming soon.
The Still Here Project
East Gippsland’s quiet response to life’s ups and downs

Please contact us if you'd like to collaborate with us

Also please consider us for your next donation, our mission is to reduce stigma and provide a safe peer-led space for those struggling.

Thank you

14/01/2026

Glad to see the Zerosu***de community awareness program bringing to Victorian towns. This is an important message for communities to get behind and support. It's time we take these statistics seriously.

11/01/2026

Silence can feel like safety.
For many, it was learned slowly
through not wanting to be too much,
too loud,
too heavy.

But staying quiet for a long time
comes at a cost.
This is part of breaking the silence.
Gently. Honestly. Together.
Still Here.

08/01/2026

Men are often taught to stay quiet.
To push through.
To carry it alone.

But silence doesn’t mean strength,
it often means there was no safe place to speak.

Breaking the silence isn’t weakness.
It’s choosing connection over isolation.

If you’re a man holding more than you’re letting on,
you’re not alone here.

Still Here.

08/01/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DP4nk9fDMq9/?igsh=MTI5cG1leG9pOWhlNQ==

07/01/2026

Silence can feel like protection when things become heavy.
But you don’t have to carry it alone.

There are people who are ready to listen, without fixing, judging, or rushing. At Still Here, we hold space for these conversations with care and respect..