MEDIA ALERT 5 September @ 12.00pm - midday Sydney memorial and harbourside sunflower ceremony to honour lives lost to suicide
Wesley Mission
MEDIA ALERT 5 September @ 12.00pm – midday
Sydney memorial and harbourside sunflower ceremony to honour lives lost to suicide
📅 Saturday 5 September 2026
🕛 12.00pm / midday
📍 ACO On The Pier, Pier 2/3, 13A Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay
People impacted by suicide will come together by Sydney Harbour today for the Wesley LifeForce Sydney Suicide Memorial Service, a faith-informed gathering to remember loved ones and stand alongside those living with suicide loss.
New research* commissioned by Wesley Mission, reveals 55 per cent of Australians believe people who lose someone to suicide do not receive enough support during their grieving process.
The finding comes as latest figures show 925 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths in NSW in 2025.** Nationally, 3,326 Australians died by suicide in 2024, around nine people every day.***
Wesley Mission CEO, Rev Stu Cameron, says the memorial provides a place for people to remember, reflect and connect with others who understand suicide loss.
“Grief after suicide can be profound and long-lasting. There is no timeline for it and no single way to navigate it. Today is about remembering the people we have lost and standing alongside those who continue to carry that loss. No one should have to carry that grief alone.”
The service will include music and stories of lived experience before people gather by the harbour to scatter sunflowers on the water in memory of those who have died. Sunflowers symbolise hope, strength and resilience.
Available for interview:
- Wesley Mission CEO Rev Stu Cameron
- Wesley Mission Executive General Manager, Education, Harm Prevention & Social Enterprise and suicide prevention expert, Andy Moore
- Lived experience of suicide bereavement, Andrew Carroll
Andrew is a proud Gamilaroi man from Walgett, where the Barwon and Namoi rivers meet in north-western New South Wales. Andrew is deeply connected to his community, culture, and family. Today, he has generously chosen to share his personal story of loss following the death of his son. Through his courage and openness, Andrew hopes to honour his son's memory, raise awareness, and remind us of the importance of connection, understanding, and support.
Media contact: Anne Holt 0418 628 342 (preferred) or [email protected]
* McCrindle research commissioned by Wesley Mission. Nationally representative survey of 1,010 Australians aged 18–80, conducted 4–13 August 2026. ** Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, NSW Suicide Monitoring System. *** Australian Bureau of Statistics, Causes of Death, Australia, 2024.