When poet, field officer and former Brisbane Broncos mascot Justin Geange moved from New Zealand to Logan in 1994, it wasn’t just a change of address, it was the beginning of a lifelong connection to a community that would shape his family, purpose and legacy.
Mr Geange is one of the first local legends being showcased as part of a Logan City Council campaign to position the city as a multicultural community full of innovation and opportunity.
“We started renting here and loved it so much we bought our first house in Meadowbrook,” Mr Leange said.
“Now we’re in Daisy Hill and I love what we have here. The people, the forest at our doorstep – it’s a pretty cool place to live.”
But behind the easy-going smile and warm humour is a man who has walked through darkness and emerged with a mission to help others find the light.
“I dedicate myself to helping people who are doing it tough,” Mr Geange said.
“Mental health and suicide prevention, that’s where my heart is. It’s personal, I’ve lived it.”
Diagnosed with bipolar type 2 later in life, Mr Geange has navigated the complexities of mental illness for years, both in New Zealand and in Logan.
“I’ve been a visitor and an occupant of the Logan psych unit, but those experiences have shaped my purpose. But I’m still standing, baby, and that’s not sad, that is absolutely flippin’ awesome,” he said.
Despite his upbeat attitude, Mr Geange says he’s deeply mindful many others do not get a second chance and to those people, he sends his heartfelt thoughts and condolences.
Today, the father of two works as a field officer for MATES in Construction, a national organisation dedicated to suicide prevention in the building industry. His role is as practical as it is powerful and he visits construction sites, delivers training, and starts life-saving conversations.
“One of the ways we start the conversation is through toolbox talks where we remind people what we already do well in our industry, helping a mate out,” he said.
“If someone is struggling with a heavy load, we jump in. But what if that load is emotional? What if it’s mental? We teach people how to notice, how to ask, and how to connect their mates to help.”
Mr Geange’s work is deeply personal, and every conversation he has and every site he visits is a chance to hold hope for someone else who is struggling.
“Yesterday a guy pulled me aside during a break. He was struggling with family stuff and using unhealthy coping strategies. We sat, we talked, and I reminded him he’s not alone. That’s what this is about, creating space for people to be vulnerable.”
Mr Geange’s passion for connection doesn’t stop at the job site. He is also a poet, using slam and bush poetry to process his own experiences and reach others.
In 2025, he published a book of bush poetry titled Holding Hope for my MATES and donates 50 per cent of the profits to MATES in Construction.
“Poetry’s been a godsend for my mental health. It gets the thoughts out of my head and onto the page. My poems are about grief, loss, mental health, but they always end in hope. Because I’m still here to deliver them,” he said.
Accolades for his poetry have come thick and fast, and in 2025 Justin won the Logan heat of the Australia Slam Poetry for the third consecutive year. He’s also won best modern poem at the National Bush Poetry Championships and came third in the humorous original poem section.
Mr Geange said his creative journey began unexpectedly after he responded to a poem shared on a podcast.
“It felt good to get my thoughts out,” he said. “Now I write a poem a week. Slam poetry when I’m cranky, bush poetry when I’m reflective. It’s cathartic.”
Putting a smile on people’s faces is one of Mr Geange’s superpowers, and he used to be a mascot for the Brisbane Broncos; appearing on Australia’s Got Talent dressed as the beloved horse.
While making people laugh makes Mr Geange feel amazing, it is his family that he lives for.
“My priority has always been whānau,” he said, using the Māori word for ‘family’.
“My beautiful wife, my two daughters – they’re my world. Stuff comes and goes, but family is forever.
“One of my daughters is an artist and she’s had exhibitions at the Logan Art Gallery. The other’s still in school but already working locally. Logan’s given them space to grow.”
And it’s not just his immediate family that Mr Geange cherishes, it’s the entire Logan community and the melting pot of cultures that call the fast-growing city in Australia home.
“We’ve been through cyclones, through COVID, and I’ve never been prouder than seeing neighbours step up for each other. That’s what Logan does best – connection,” he said.
“There are over 230 cultures here living side by side. If you want authenticity, come to Logan. People here will give you the shirt off their back, that’s the kind of community we are.”
“I hold that hope for others,” he said. “Because someone once held it for me.”
