What do public courses cost?
Prices vary by provider and format, so check before you book. These are the examples I found:
| Example | Price per person |
|---|---|
| General range reported by The Daily Aus | $250 to $400 |
| Our Minds at Work, two-day course, Zetland (February 2026) | $395 |
| Master Builders ACT, face to face, Fyshwick (not Sydney, but a useful comparison) | $506 standard, $455 for members, lower with a funding discount |
Public courses suit one or two people. They're the cheapest way to get someone trained, and you don't need to organise a room.
What does a private group session cost?
You pay for the session instead of per seat. Here's my pricing, with no extras in Greater Sydney:
| Group | Price (+ GST) | Per person at full group |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace, up to 15 | $4,950 | $330 |
| Workplace, 20 people | $6,425 | About $321 |
| Clubs, community groups and not-for-profits, up to 15 | $3,300 | $220 |
That includes a 15-minute planning call, training at your site, the manual for everyone, and travel in Greater Sydney. Outside Sydney, travel and accommodation are charged at cost. If your team's average rating comes in under 4.5 out of 5 on MHFA Australia's survey, I refund a quarter of the fee.
When is a private session cheaper?
At $395 a seat, a $4,950 session breaks even at about 13 people. That's a rough guide, because public prices don't always say whether GST is included. Under 10 people, public seats will nearly always be cheaper on price alone.
Price per head isn't the only thing to weigh. With a private session, nobody has to travel and you pick the timing. Everyone also hears the same thing in the same room, and can talk about what's really going on in your workplace, which is harder in a room full of strangers.
What other costs should I budget for?
The biggest one is usually people's time. If you're paying people for that time or covering their shifts, count it. Ask any provider upfront what the format involves, including any e-learning. Accreditation lasts three years, and a refresher renews it, so that's another cost down the track.
Is there any funding or free training?
There are a few options, and it's worth checking before you spend:
- The NSW Government funds free workplace mental health workshops through the Black Dog Institute, for privately owned NSW businesses with fewer than 200 employees and not-for-profits of any size. They're shorter than this course and aren't the same thing.
- Mental Health First Aid Australia says the Standard course is currently free for members of the veteran community aged 18 or older.
- Clubs and community groups can sometimes cover training with council or state community grants, so check what's open near you.
Why do prices differ so much?
Most of the difference comes down to format and who's delivering it. A public course spreads the cost across a room of strangers. A private session pays for an instructor to come to you and shape the examples to your work. Before you compare quotes, check it's the accredited Standard course from a licensed instructor, what's included, and whether travel's extra.