Albury councillor David Thurley relates personal experience of loss from 58 years ago ahead of Winter Solstice commemoration

He told Tuesday's council meeting what unfolded while he was studying for his science degree in Hobart in the 1960s.

"I remember 58 years ago a fellow university student sat alone in the laboratory one night and drank a chemical solution that killed him," Cr Thurley said.

"Sadly no-one spoke about it and his death seemed to be of no consequence."

Cr Thurley told The Border Mail on Wednesday it was the first time he had spoken publicly of the tragedy with the only response from the university to lock away the potassium cyanide and little discussion among students.

"I just thought it was time to be a bit more public about this stuff and that's what the Bakers are doing by exposing their trauma and saying 'let's start to talk about this'," he said referring to fellow councillor Stuart Baker and his wife Annette who founded the Winter Solstice event to acknowledge suicide after the death of their daughter Mary.

This year's function will be staged next Tuesday.

Cr Baker told The Border Mail he welcomed the public support of Cr Thurley who lauded him and his family for helping lift the stigma around suicide.

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"He was quite emotional in what he said and it was appreciated by me," Cr Baker said.

"I didn't know it was coming, I had no warnings."

Cr Thurley also spoke of the need for more government funding and addressed the council about the impact of mental illness on stressed farmers and the importance of a different approach.

"In a small community like Walla, Walbundrie, Henty, Corryong, people will hear and see things and will talk," he said.

"We need to remove the stigma and help our neighbours as we would do if they had cancer for example,"

Mayor Kylie King, who participated in Tuesday's meeting remotely while recovering from COVID, used the same session, urgent business, to congratulate deputy mayor Steve Bowen on his Order of Australia Medal announced on Monday.

"He certainly has a passion for helping people and contributing, so congratulations and well done," Cr King said.

Cr Bowen, who was chairing the meeting in the chamber, replied: "I'm not sure whether that qualifies for urgent business."

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