In light of the substantial increase in suicide rates among Australian youth over the past decade, the author examines several challenges to effective prevention among this population, including lack of knowledge about best practices, economic troubles, scarcity of up-to-date data, & lack of systematic program evaluations. Central issues of suicide prevention are identified, & a recent initiative in rural youth suicide prevention is outlined. Opportunities for informing & educating the community about suicide & its prevention are also highlighted. (8 refs)