Kinetic delivers new life to mobile barber championing First Nations mental health

Walkabout Barber, a mobile mental health service providing free haircuts and trauma counselling to First Nations communities across Australia, has received a major boost today with the handover of a new purpose-built bus from Australasian transport company Kinetic.

Founded by Brian Dowd, a former NRL hopeful turned trauma counsellor, Walkabout Barber combines professional haircuts with mental health first aid.

Since its inception in 2019, Walkabout Barber has provided more than 4,000 free haircuts and visited over 150 communities across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

The new bus offers a culturally safe environment where members of First Nations communities can open up and seek mental and spiritual support and care with barbers who are trained trauma specialists.

"What started as Brian learning to cut his autistic son's hair has grown into an essential service that's visited hundreds of communities and helped thousands of people," said Kinetic Managing Director (Australia) Matthew Campbell.

"When we heard their bus had reached the end of its life, we knew we had to step in."

The custom-fitted bus, representing an investment of over $300,000 by Kinetic, will replace Walkabout Barber's previous vehicle, which recently reached the end of its service life after helping thousands of Australians access free haircuts and trauma counselling.

The initiative reflects Kinetic’s broader commitment to reconciliation by helping the foundation provide access, opportunity, and wellbeing for all Australians. Walkabout Barber has become a vital mental health service, especially in remote areas.

"This project has been a labour of love for our Melbourne-based team," said Mr Campbell.

"We've spent months ensuring every detail of this bus is perfect – from the mechanical overhaul to the custom fit-out that has transformed it into a fully-functional mobile barber shop and welcoming counselling space."

The initiative has become a lifeline for many, particularly in remote areas where mental health services – particularly those targeted toward Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – are limited.

"We are simply blown away by the generosity of Kinetic and everyone else who has been involved in this heartwarming and lifesaving project,” said Brian Dowd, founder of Walkabout Barber.

“Words cannot describe how blessed we feel, and what a difference this new bus is going to make in the lives of every individual that we engage with, across this sacred land that we call Australia.

"The only way that we can ever pay Kinetic back for this random act of kindness is to pay that kindness forward with a shoulder to lean on, a set of ears to listen, and to provide every client with a professional service that doesn't just make them look good on the outside, but makes them feel worthy on the inside one haircut or beauty service at a time"

The new vehicle, Walkabout Barber’s largest yet, features high-end barber shop equipment including wash basins, four workstations for haircuts, a slide-out barbecue, refrigeration, and air conditioning.

The new bus will also feature hairdressing and beauty therapy equipment, with two dedicated workstations for beauty treatments, enabling Walkabout Barber to offer care and counselling suited to women – a new and important service for the organisation.

With the new bus, Walkabout Barber expects to reach up 60 rural, remote and city locations annually across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, providing services to approximately 120 people per day.

The team includes qualified barbers, trauma specialists, a beauty therapist, a hairdresser, and a dedicated bus driver, with a focus on providing employment opportunities to First Nations peoples.