Nearly two years after Bianca’s tragic death, Mark and Michelle Jones are using their grief for good

It is tragically unfair that Bianca Jones is not around to see her parents Mark and Michelle channel their grief into something remarkable.

The Melbourne teenager, 19, had big dreams of being an “agent of change” before her death from methanol poisoning on a trip of a lifetime with her best friend Holly Morton-Bowles.

Bianca’s heartbroken father Mark knew his daughter would inevitably bring positive change into the world.

But he never imagined it would be after her death.

“Bianca cared about people. She protected people. She loved her mates and she was going to make a difference in this world,” Mark told nine.com.au.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t think it was going to be like this.

“But she would want – in fact, she would insist – that we used the example of her passing as a clear demonstration to give people guidance of what not to do and to make sure that people are aware of the dangers.”

In partnership with DrinkWise, Mark and Michelle returned to their daughter’s alma mater, Mentone Girls Grammar, to give an emotional and impactful speech to students and parents about drinking responsibly and the dangers of methanol poisoning.

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Bianca and her best friend Holly were among six people who died after drinking methanol-tainted alcohol at a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, in November 2024.

Both died surrounded by their families in Thai hospitals.

Less than two years on, Mark struggles to articulate just how much this loss rocked he and wife Michelle’s world.

“No one should ever have to bury their child,” he said.

“The last thing we want is for other people to go through what we’re going through.”

Before Bianca and Holly stepped foot in Laos, the national conversation around the dangers of methanol poisoning abroad was limited.

Mark said he had long discussions with Bianca about the risks associated with travelling and drinking.

“But we didn’t know about methanol,” he said.

“We certainly encouraged Bianca to drink responsibly, but we didn’t go to the level where we advised her on the [dangers] that now see as simple things.

“We would have warned her to stay well clear away from bootleg alcohol.”

In Bianca’s absence, Mark is teaching other young people about this very real danger.

It was “almost surreal” to their daughter’s former campus under these circumstances.

“It was tough... the last time we were there, was for a funeral,” he said.

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They spoke candidly about the trust and clear communication that should exist between a parent and child around alcohol ahead of Schoolies and trips abroad.

They know young Australians will party and enjoy a drink overseas.

So Mark and Michelle used Bianca’s story to impart a warning about tainted spirits.

“If where you’re going is giving away free shots or really cheap drinks and cocktails, if it seems too good to be true here, it will be,” Mark said.

“If you buy it here, [in Australia] you know it is a genuine product. It goes through a rigid process.

“But if you’re buying overseas, do a five to 10 second check.

“They’ll copy the labels and stick them on their own to make it look like it is a genuine product.

“Oftentimes, these labels have mistakes in them or simple variances to what the actual label has.”

After Bianca and Holly’s death, DrinkWise and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) rolled out an awareness campaign and safety advice targeting methanol poisoning.

DrinkWise chief executive Simon Strahan is championing this message ahead of a mass schoolies departure overseas.

“We can’t speak highly enough of both Mark, Michelle, as well Sam [Morton] and Shaun [Bowles], in terms of they’ve chosen to take the worst thing that can happen to a family and turn it into something that might protect others,” he said.

“Methanol poisoning is an issue that many people knew nothing about prior to Bianca and Holly passing away.

“I think now an understanding of those very real risks, an understanding of things to look out for in terms of signs and symptoms of methanol poisoning, is critically important for those that are heading on schoolies, particularly overseas.”

Mark is pleased that national awareness remains high.

He refuses to let this conversation fade away.

’“I’m incredibly glad of it. But I’m incredibly disappointed it was not before Bianca went overseas,” he said.

“We will continue to show up and support these campaigns for as long as we are relevant.

“I said in my first interview after Bianca passed, when I was in front of the cameras for the first time, I was in Thailand... I said the passing of our daughter will not be for nothing.”