GLENEAGLE father Brendan Fairhall helped launch the national Man With a Pram Fathers Day event on June 29.
The event was presented by a Queensland-based, national program called Dads Group Inc, which has created over 100 support groups across Australia for young and expectant dads.
Mr Fairhall, a 2007 graduate of Beaudesert State High School, said the groups were like mums groups but for dads and while the Beaudesert group was fairly new, they were hoping more men would join their ranks.
"The group is about dads getting out with their babies, hanging out with other dads and just doing life," he said.
"The Man With a Pram walk on Saturday will serve two purposes- to raise awareness of mental health issues among dads and men as well as letting people know about Dads Group Inc."
Mr Fairhall said he found about the support group at the Brisbane Pregnancy, Babies and Children Expo when his wife Leanne was pregnant with their four-month-old son.
He said baby Roman Murry Evan Fairhall was born in Logan Hospital with Beaudesert midwife Kellie Clark in attendance.
"Having support from other dads was a massive help, even before Roman was born and especially during the 'new dad freak out'," he said.
"It was awesome having support from those guys."
Mr Fairhall said he was grateful to live in a supportive community too.
"I work for a not-for-profit organisation and when Leanne was off work we had very little income," he said.
"Most of the clothes we had for our baby came from the kindness of Community Help and Support Facebook page."
Mr Fairhall said he was happy to be able to pay it forward.
"I'm at a stage now where I'm starting to help dads newer than I am and it really works because it's not about sitting down with a counsellor, which most men don't want.
"It's about catch ups where you take your babies and the mums actually get a break too."
Dads Group Inc developed the program to provide regular social opportunities and help dads who felt lonely, anxious, or overwhelmed.
They said hundreds of dads would walk together on Fathers Day, Sunday, September 1 with their kids in prams.
Dads will make a donation to join the walks in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Perth - as well as in smaller regional areas, with money raised to support new father and family programs in each community through DGI's partnerships with local and not- for-profit partners.
The Brisbane walk this Saturday will start at 8.30am in front of The Gardens Club in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens for a 1.5km walk to Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Mount Coolum DGI founder, chief executive and father-of-three Tom Docking said he set up the first dads group five years ago during his wife Kate's first pregnancy.
"I went looking for support programs for expectant and new dads and there was just nothing," he said.
"And I just thought 'how can there be all this support geared towards new mums but nothing for new dads?'."
DGI is looking for partners and sponsors to help them connect with more young dads.
Those interested are invited to sign up for an event or create a new one at manwithapram.com
For more information see dadsgroup.org
