News

Friday Night for mates and men’s health

By Corowa Free Press

Sep 10, 2025

Friday Night has returned for the first time in more than 12 months offering men a place to be welcomed, in search of support or to give it, without judgement, without the need for a referral, without any cost.

When Bill Clinton signed legislation in 1994 establishing National Men’s Health Week in the United States, he did so with the intention of raising awareness for men’s health, including mental health, and to challenge the stigma that often prevents men from seeking help.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Here in Australia in 2003, 30 men grew moustaches for 30 days to raise awareness for men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer and depression, and Movember was born.

Fast forward to 2025 and these bastions for men’s health have done much to advance awareness and provide health and therapeutic services to combat these issues, yet male suicides remain absurdly high.

Between 2000 and 2021 globally, suicide deaths decreased from 762,000 to 717,000, but in Australia total deaths rose from 2,360 to 3,144, with a staggering 75 per cent of those being male.

For all the resources and awareness thrown at this epidemic across the last 30 years, one factor remains that we haven’t broken through: the stigma that men seeking help for mental health is a weakness.

Here in Corowa a group is trying to buck this trend and offer an alternative way forward.

Friday Night is the brainchild of David Harrison.

It’s original iteration, Friday Night @ The Station, began as an Amaranth Foundation project in 2020 to offer men a safe place to gather and break free, if only for a moment, from the rigours of life.

Held on the platform of the old Corowa Railway Station each Friday night year-round, and by the comfort of a fire in winter, it was a place you could bring your trials and tribulations, share your life and your stories, and listen to those of others.

It was a way to be welcomed into a circle of men, in search of support or to give it, without judgement, without the need for a referral, without any cost.

It was a way forward, with no strings attached.

On Friday, September 5, with assistance from local icon Leo Anic, Anne Wescott of the Corowa Country Women’s Association, and support from Corowa Lions Club, Friday Night returned for the first time in more than 12 months to a modest but jovial crowd.

But there are some table manners to observe, gentlemen, with no debating politics, religion, race or other controversial subjects.

“It’s a place for blokes to come together for support, not to start a debate; respect will be given,” David said.

Bring your favourite beverage and some gold coins for the snags supplied by the Lions Club, and you might just be lucky enough to catch a rendition of The Man from Snowy River, by Corowa’s own Dave “Banjo” Harrison.