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Charlotte's last interview

In her last interview Charlotte Dawson spoke candidly about making a "fresh start" – but according to those close to her it was masking sadness and fear.

The interview, which aired exclusively on Sunday Night, was filmed during her stay in Bali just six weeks before she died. She had visited a well-known spiritual healer and taken time out after quitting Australia's Next Top Model.

With the help of Charlottes family and friends, Sunday Night pieced together her struggle with depression and the tragic events that took place in the lead up to her death.

"She was fearful because when she was trying to put the positive spin on it and the bright eyes, talk of the future, the eyebrows going up — that was Charlotte performing," good friend Alex Perry told Sunday Night.

The footage was meant to show Charlotte entering a new phase of her life and taking time to recover from the depression she had suffered for 13 years, but financial troubles and recent unemployment were taking their toll.

"I have to love myself. I don't have a partner. I don't have my mother or father. I don't have any family in Australia. I don't have anything. I don't have that shoulder to cry on at night,' she said in the interview.

Her good friend Billy Allen said he was used to Charlotte dropping in to visit him in Bali whenever she needed an escape from Australia.

Since finishing up her work in Australia, Charlotte had been working on a homewares range with Allen, Charlotte Dawson Home. It is now on sale and 80 percent of the proceeds will go to Dawson' preferred charities - Lifeline, Community Brave, ACON, Angels Goals and The Smile Foundation.

"Her words were, she needed "to get out of Sydney". Those were her exact words. She rang out of the blue and said "I need to get out of Sydney does that suit you?" And I said jump on a plane," Allen told Sunday Night.

Charlotte is survived by two sisters who live in New Zealand and Perry said she had long grieved for the baby she aborted during her marriage to swimmer Scott Miller.

"Those things that we value, your marriage or your relationship. The roof over your head, the child that you want to have – I can’t think of three bigger things in life than that, [and they were] gone," Perry told Sunday Night.

Her adoptive sister Vicky spoke emotionally of meeting Charlotte for the first time and how she suffered abuse from a neighbor as a girl.

"We were lucky to have her in our lives and were very proud she was our sister, and we hope something good can come of her death and speak more openly of depression and child abuse, and maybe trolls won't tweet horrible things," Vicky said.

While staying at her Allen's home in Bali, Charlotte said she was focused on overcoming her past hurdles. She had realised the threat of social media all too late during the height of her fame and suffered at the hands of internet bullies.

"I thought there was manners involved I thought there was etiquette involved but there’s not and it’s a real problem and people are killing themselves because of it," she said.

It was those threats that drove her to attempt suicide in 2012.

"That's human filth," Alex Perry told Sunday Night.

"That you as a human being think that's okay to type that to another person? I'm not bullying you, I'm just saying I think you're a piece of sh*t."

"You know I could look at it one way and say I’m looking down, I’m looking down the barrel of an unemployment gun and the bullet’s gone off, " Charlotte said in the interview, "I could think of it that way, or I could think of it, this is a brand new fresh start."

Visit the website for Alex Perry's suicide prevention fundraiser.

If you suffer from depression call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit the Beyondblue website

Please help people like Charlotte by signing the Charlotte's Law petition to change cyber-bullying legislation.