Booralee Big Bash builds bonds in Botany

When 58 year old Tony Pengue decided to organise the Booralee Big Bash (BBB), a day of friendly community cricket and family fun in Sydney’s Botany to raise funds and awareness for mental fitness, it was an event 30 years in the making.

That’s how long Tony had been keeping his mental health struggles to himself. Tony’s story began as a 19 year old in the 1990s when a good mate took his life. Five years later, Tony tried to as well.

“Back then, not many people knew how bad it was to not talk about mental health and how it affected you. You couldn’t talk about it, especially as a man, so you kept it to yourself and it would build up and get the better of you. I know, because it happened to me.”

Tony was about to turn 25, a year after his dad had died. He had a lot going on, and his worries were chewing him up inside.

“I called it the black dog back then, and I met him that night. I’m lucky, I came through it. I was in intensive care for a few days. I kept it all to myself, not even my mum knew. She was in Italy.”

It took until 2018 - and the loss of another young life, 25 year old Matt from his son’s rugby league team - for Tony to open up about his experience. 

“My son and I said let’s put a team together and play one season to honour Matt and his family,” Tony remembers.

“We did a mental health workshop and a lot of boys were opening up to things that had happened to them. And I thought, you know what, after 30 years, it’s time for me to open up.

“People were shocked because they thought I had the perfect life. It was a load off my shoulders to talk about it for the first time.”

One season became two before covid put an end to the team’s comeback, but there was no stopping Tony.

“We couldn’t keep losing people. We had to do something. So I came up with the idea of the Booralee Big Bash.”

Tony shared his idea with fellow committee members at his local cricket association.

“The committee said ‘We will back you’. Then someone asked, what charity? I said, Gotcha4Life. I’d heard (Gotcha4Life founder) Gus Worland mention Gotcha4Life a few times on Triple M. It was always in the back of my mind. Gus talked about breaking down the old stereotypes, of males not feeling they can talk. That’s what I wanted to do too.”

Tony drew on his village and put together a team to support him. Other members of the Bayside community who had been touched by suicide came forward to help, including Norm, a close friend from the local tennis club, who had lost his 40 year old son.

Sharon, a mum whose 19 year old son played for a local cricket club before taking his life, believed in the cause so much she co-founded the BBB with Tony.

“She heard about it, contacted me, and asked, ‘Can I be part of it?’ She wanted to raise awareness and funds to help others to talk and reach out when they need it. She’s amazing.”

The broader community got involved too. Bayside Council provided funding, helped with permits, and promoted the event in newsletters and on Facebook with links to the donations page.

Local businesses, sporting clubs, shops and restaurants donated dozens of prizes and vouchers for the raffle, from pizzas to a weekend away at Berry donated by one of Tony’s footy teammates. Local butcher Michael donated the sausages and cooked in the canteen all day on the big day.

Booralee Park was buzzing when local cricket, rugby league, AFL and soccer teams from Botany, Clovelly, Coogee, Randwick, Mascot, Pagewood, Southern Sydney, the Captain Cook Hotel and Newtown came together for BBB2.

“We had special rules - everyone bats, everyone bowls, everyone is participating. It’s about getting together as a community and raising awareness and funds for Gotcha4Life and getting people to talk, especially if something was bothering them.

“We looked out for everyone, not just those who wanted to play cricket. We had an obstacle course, jumping castles, face painting for the kids, a barbecue. People from Gotcha4Life were there if anyone wanted to reach out. People could just rock up and enjoy a snag and a chat.”

 Rock up they did, with more than 250 people turning out.

BBB1 had been a great success in 2023, raising $6,000 - enough for 150 people to attend life changing and sometimes life saving Gotcha4Life mental fitness workshops.

BBB2 was even bigger, adding $7,250 for 180 more people to attend a workshop where they’ll learn to build their emotional muscle, stay connected, open up to others, and put their hand up for support when they need it.

“That’s what I want, people doing these workshops so they know they can talk about it. I had kept it bottled up, but I was given a second chance and I have to help as many people as I can so they don’t go through what I and others have.”

As Tony and his team’s fundraising target grows, so is community support.

“We’ve set a goal for $10,000 next year. We’ve got some real good backing. The local businesses know about it now and want to support it. Gotcha4Life is amazing, they’ve been there for us. Bayside Council have been unbelievable.

“Someone in one of the football teams on the day is general manager of mental health hospitals in the region. He came into the canteen and said ‘Mate, I love what you’re doing, I want to get involved next year’.”

“I have been dealing with mental heath challenges for most of my life and I have learnt to deal with it. I like to plan ahead, so when I feel flat, I have something to look forward to.

“When you plan ahead, you have the whole year to look forward to something. And when you have done that, you plan another thing.”

Like, say, Booralee Big Bash 3, in February 2025.