The Kokoda Challenge, an annual charity walk that honours the legacy of the Australian Diggers who fought in the Kokoda Campaign of World War II, is set to return to Kenilworth on Anzac Day weekend, April 22.
The event, which saw more than 1800 participants hike distances of up to 48 km on the 80th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign, raised over $380,000 for local youth programs in its first year on the Sunshine Coast in 2022.
Teams of two to five people traverse through Imbil State Forest from Kenilworth, some choosing to trail run the 18km, 30km and 48km course that consists of over 1700 metres of elevation.
The Kokoda Youth Foundation, the organisation behind the event, is expecting even more teams to take on the trails this year in support of its mission to change the lives of local youth through mentoring programs.
“In 2022, we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the 1942 Kokoda Campaign, which was a momentous occasion for us,” chief executive officer Johllene Elson said.
“It is our mission to keep the legacy of our Kokoda Diggers alive, and the Kokoda Challenge is a powerful way for teams to learn about the history of the campaign and the sacrifices made by our soldiers.“
Last year’s 48km trail, was described by participants as one of the hardest things they’ve ever done, including crossing a knee-high creek, scaling mountains with peaks of 400 metres, and a 20-hour time limit to reach the finish line.
In 2022, the final team completed the challenge in 19.5 hours, starting at 7am on Saturday and finishing at 2:30am on Sunday without sleeping.
In the lead-up to the event, teams participate in fundraising activities to support the Kokoda Youth Foundation’s mentoring programs, which have helped more than 652 young people across Australia since 2004. One of these programs, a Digital Detox camp for 12-14 year-olds, will be held in Kenilworth later this year.
“Building on the success of last year’s Kokoda Challenge, we will be hosting a Digital Detox Program in Kenilworth this July,“ said Chris Emert, manager of the youth program.
“This fully-funded, nine-day adventure camp will combine challenging outdoor activities with mindfulness techniques such as breathing and meditation, helping children understand the impact of technology on their mental health and develop skills to manage their relationship with devices.”
The event will begin with a commemorative service to honour Kokoda veterans and other men and women in service.
Teams are encouraged to register soon as the event is filling up quickly. Registrations will close on Friday 25 March, unless sold out prior.
Fact box
Kokoda Challenge Sunshine Coast
Event date: Saturday 22 April.
Distances: 18km, 30km and 48km.
Registration costs: team registration fees start from $250.
Start time: from 7.30am.
Location: Kenilworth, Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
For more information and to register your team in the Kokoda Challenge, visit: kokodachallenge.com
