This May, Ben Starick will walk alongside his team, Team Shananigans, covering 30 kilometres along the Mornington Peninsula coastline with Coastrek, raising vital funds for Beyond Blue — one kilometre for every year since losing his younger brother Joel.
For Ben, this isn’t just a coastal walk — it’s a deeply personal journey of remembrance, connection and hope, and a way to carry Joel’s memory forward in a way that might help others. 
Ben's Story
On 14 April 2026, it will be 30 years since my younger brother Joel took his life. He was 15, just one month short of his 16th birthday.
There was no warning, no goodbye. Just a phone call that split life into before and after.
In the years since, life has gone on. But grief does not run on a schedule. It shifts and changes shape over time. Sometimes it sits quietly in the background. Other times, it finds you when you least expect it.
I have often wondered what Joel went through in those final days and who he might have become. That thought never really leaves you.
What has changed is how I see the world and how I connect with people. Carrying this grief has taught me just how many are fighting battles you cannot see and how much something small can matter: a kind word, a gentle check-in or simply being present.
That is a big part of why I am committed to supporting mental health and raising awareness for Beyond Blue. Conversations matter, feeling seen matters and sometimes knowing you are not alone can make all the difference.
Last year, I shared my story on ABC Radio Melbourne, where Raf Epstein read my Changing Track piece about 1996, leaving home, losing my brother and the music that stayed with me. Hearing it brought home just how important it is to keep having these conversations openly and with integrity.
This year, I am marking the anniversary of Joel’s passing in a different way. I will be walking Coastrek on the Mornington Peninsula. 30 kilometres: one for each year since Joel died. And one day after his birthday.
I will be doing Coastrek as part of Team Shananigans, alongside my long-term high school friend and Deb partner Shannon, who I have known since we were 15, together with her sister Tanya and her friend Nic (who I have only recently met). There is something special about that mix of long-standing friendships and new connections, all coming together for the same purpose.
For me, this walk is a way to remember Joel, to stay connected to him and to carry his memory forward in a way that might help others. Fundraising for Beyond Blue is part of that. If sharing Joel’s story encourages even one person to reach out, to check-in on someone or to feel a little less alone, then it matters.
Over time, I’ve realised that mental health is something you nurture every day. What matters most to me is caring for my own wellbeing and supporting those around me by being present, staying active, talking openly and checking in on others.
Thirty years on, the message I keep coming back to is simple, but it carries weight: You are enough. If today feels heavy or things feel harder than they should, you are not alone. There are people who care, who will listen and who want you here.
Today I am thinking of Joel, always. And walking forward with him close to my heart.
Coastrek and Beyond Blue share a powerful common belief: that physical activity, time in nature and genuine human connection are vital to mental health and wellbeing. Funds raised by trekkers go towards the 24/7 Beyond Blue Support Service, which provides free one-on-one support from a compassionate team of mental health professionals.
Support Team Shananigans
To support Ben, Shannon, Tanya and Nic and help raise funds for the Beyond Blue 24/7 Support Service, you can donate to their team here: https://www.coastrek.com.au/fundraisers/Shananigans
Or sign up to one of Coastrek’s hiking challenges around Australia: www.coastrek.com.au
Every step you take with Coastrek can make a real impact on your own mental health and wellbeing — and help ensure support is there when it’s needed most, for yourself, for those you love, and for everyone in Australia.
Further information is available here: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support
Or contact the Beyond Blue 24/7 Support Service on 1300 22 46 36.
