A barber stepped off a plane on Mornington Island and walked straight into a line for haircuts.

Queensland barber Jon James visited the island off northern Australia as part of the Fade Wellbeing Barbering Program run by North West Remote Health. He was there to run barber workshops in a community that had recently lost several men to suicide and was dealing with unemployment.

James had spent the previous six months volunteering at haircutting workshops across Queensland. On Mornington Island, he said locals quickly took to the work.

“I couldn’t believe how quickly they picked up barbering,” James said. “They’re like, ‘Let’s go further.’ And then they were doing skin fades straight up, and then they were doing them on their own.”

North West Remote Health sent James to Mornington Island with 20 professional barber kits to hand out to workshop participants after the program.

During the visit, a local asked if he would help prepare a bride and groom for their wedding day. James said his students cut the hair of wedding guests while he worked with the wedding party, who later invited him to attend.

“To be part of that emotionally, and be asked to attend the wedding after, it was incredibly humbling. I’m so grateful that I had that opportunity.”

James said he would like to return and see what comes of the new skills, including the possibility of new salons.

“They’re so remote and not many outsiders come in there, and they’re just so welcoming. That really means the world.”

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