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Reflecting on a Powerful Mental Health Week 2026 with MIFANT

14 hours ago
3 min read

The theme of Mental Health Week 2026 was Small Steps. It is a good fit for how most people actually get through hard times. Not in one big turnaround, but in small things done often, with people around you who stick around.


Here is a look back at how we marked the week in Darwin.


Opening the Week at MiPlace Hub

On Monday 5 October, service providers, government stakeholders, and people with lived experience spent the evening in one room at MiPlace Hub to open Mental Health Week. Guests also voted for their favourite Colour Hunting NT photos on the night.



The Storyteller Chef, Zach Green, told the room that you do not have to wait until things are at their worst for your pain to matter. His own healing did not arrive in one big moment. It came in small steps, through family, country, and the people who stayed beside him.


Thank you to Zach for sharing his story with us. Thank you also to the NT Mental Health Coalition, Steve Edgington MLA, Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling, NT Health, ACRS Community Services, and everyone else who came along for the evening.


Congratulations to the Colour Hunting NT Winners

Colour Hunting NT was our photo competition for Mental Health Week. People chose a colour, went looking for it in their everyday lives, and photographed it four times. Entries came in from Darwin all the way to Tennant Creek.


First place went to Amanda from Darwin, who chose golden hues. She was drawn to the warm earth colours of the Top End, where the golds, tans, and ochres reflect the landscape, wildlife, and pastoral life.



Second place went to Mick from Darwin, who chose green and found “so many variations to choose from.”



Third place went to Vasemaca from Tennant Creek, who chose brown. She wrote that it “represents strength, grounding and healing” and found it in Tennant Creek’s rocks, wildlife, and everyday life.



We were so impressed with the entries. Thank you to everyone who took part for the effort you put in and for joining us.


MiPlace Hub Open Day

On Wednesday 7 October, we opened the door of MiPlace Hub to the wider Darwin community. The morning brought music, a BBQ lunch, and the Colour Hunting NT award presentation.



For a lot of visitors, it was their first time inside MiPlace Hub. A sausage and some music make it a lot easier to walk in, have a look around, and ask a question without feeling like you are signing up for anything.



Looking Ahead

Mental Health Week is one week in the year. MiPlace Hub is open every weekday, and the people you met during the week are the same people you will find there.


If you have not been to MiPlace Hub yet, come in and say hello. You do not need a referral or a diagnosis. Showing up is the first small step, and often the hardest one.


Want to Know More About Mental Health Support in Darwin?

MIFANT provides mental health support, psychosocial recovery coaching, peer support, and carer support services across Darwin, Alice Springs, and Tennant Creek. If you are in Darwin, our team can also talk you through what the NDIS pathway looks like.


If you or someone you care for wants to explore what support might look like, we would love to hear from you.


Phone: (08) 8948 1051 or 1800 985 944


You can also find us at MiPlace Hub, 2/273 Bagot Road, Coconut Grove, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 1:00pm.


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