A big blue bus is touring the nation to address the broad gaps in recognition, acceptance and treatment of mental health issues, but some advocates say it may not be enough.

Australian mental health organisation Beyondblue kicked-off a 16-month educational spree last week, traversing the most remote regions to tackle issues including depression and anxiety in areas where mental health services are often severely lacking.

The Beyondblue bus is making itself known wherever it goes, providing a new kind of awareness for the side of health so often ignored, but some experts are worried that awareness will be all it brings.

Despite some concerns, Beyondblue says the bus tour is part of an ongoing range of efforts to help millions of people find a better state of mind.

Former Australian of the year and mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry said in an interview over the weekend that behind the bus, permanent help should follow.

“We've seen that with youth mental health, we had to develop a special stream of care called Headspace, which provides a one stop shop for young people,” Professor McGorry said.

“But the same principle applies for people in different communities in rural and regional Australia, where you can't just expect the same style and culture and set of attitudes in a service will work in those areas in the same way as they work in the inner cities of Sydney and Melbourne.”

Alison Fairleigh, from North Queensland’s Mental Illness Fellowship agrees, saying that full-time practitioners would be the greatest boost for regional mental health.

“A great big bus that yells and screams mental health is not the way that we address stigma within our rural communities and a lot of people are going to feel very reluctant to approach.,” she told the ABC.

“A road show coming in and then they leave again, it really doesn't solve a lot of the issues that we have and it certainly is not the method that people within a lot of rural settings feel comfortable to go and seek information or seek help.”

Professor McGorry also said large parts of the country are woefully under-staffed for the mental side of healthcare.

“In a rural area there might be a general practitioner, or if you're lucky a rural counsellor or two, but that's just not acceptable really in terms of quality,” Dr McGorry said.

The chief executive of Beyondblue, Kate Carnell says the bus is a small but visible part of Beyondblue’s broad approach.

“We're partnering with Medicare locals right around Australia, all 61 of them, to focus on what the needs are particular areas,” she said.

“So it's absolutely true that the requirements and mental health issues in parts of Australia are quite different.

“The road show activities aren't just sort of parking and saying, 'come up here'. What we're doing is we're having community based events: community barbecues, school breakfast assemblies, youth street parties and then meetings with local communities.

“We're focussing quite heavily on mental health friendly workplaces.

“So we'll be having meetings with local Chambers of Commerce, areas that have lots of mums and bubs we'll be having lots of morning teas with new parents to talk about things like post natal depression.

“So there's a range of different things that we'll be doing in different areas but we will also be having the bus out there for people who want to come and have a chat and learn a little bit more from our professional staff. That'll be available too.”

Beyondblue has created the following video about the tour and the preparation of its big blue bus;