Faith Students Complete Gruelling Kokoda Challenge

Over the weekend, a group of keen Faith students and teachers, headed to D'Aguilar National Park, inland from Brisbane, to embark on one of Australia's toughest team endurance events - the Kokoda Challenge! Teachers Christine Scott, Sarah Hummerston, along with their partners, took 14 students on the 30km Kokoda Challenge, while Dayna Truasheim and her group of four students completed the 48km course. 

The goal was to bring to life the gruelling plight of our young soldiers in World War 2, who crossed the battlefront of the Kokoda Trail in PNG, defending our nation's freedom again the invading forces in 1942. Their victorious defeat didn't come easy, as our teams discovered through the mud and rainy conditions. It took more than physical fitness, but also mental strength and the Kokoda values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. 

Special thanks to our team leaders and students, to Zara Di Bella and Anna Davies for their valuable coordination, and to our families and supporters for helping give our Kokoda Challengers an experience they won't forget! 

''The Kokoda Walk was challenging, with steep hills and muddy tracks, but we accomplished it as a team by supporting and encouraging each other through the toughest moments. This is a memory me and my teammates will never forget.'' - Massimo Di Francesco 

THE KOKODA CHALLENGE 30km
Mrs Scott's Account

Fourteen of us set off just after 9am on Saturday 13 June, to the rousing music of bagpipes, beginning our 30km Kokoda Challenge through D’Aguilar National Park. Around 900 participants in total, including students and staff from many school, also took part in the 30km Challenge. The course was tough from start to finish - steep climbs, long descents, creek crossings, rain, and plenty of mud both uphill and down. It pushed everyone physically, especially as the hours went on and muscle soreness set in. Despite this, the group kept moving and supported each other the whole way. The students showed great camaraderie, effort, mateship, determination, and grit. They encouraged one another through the hardest parts and stayed focused on reaching the finish together. After just over 10 hours on the track, we crossed the finish line in the dark - tired, but proud of what we’d achieved.

A big thank you to the students who fundraised to make this possible and allowed us to be part of such a rewarding event. Well done to everyone involved.

Mrs Hummerston's Account

What an adventure! The day was a true tribute to Kokoda and Defence Force members, past and present. At the start line, we heard the Last Post and bagpipes, then saw horses and soldiers as we crossed—an experience that made us feel part of something bigger. From there, we headed straight into the hills and mud. Each crest and turn of the track revealed new scenery and challenges that kept us engaged all day. The river crossings were a definite highlight. There was no shortage of smiles. Joyful conversations kept our spirits high, even as our feet began to ache. After 10 hours and 32 kilometres, we crossed the finish line in the rain - one happy, proud, and tired team.

THE KOKODA CHALLENGE 48km
Mrs Truasheim's Account

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO

At 7:46am, four incredible students and I set off on the Brisbane 48km Kokoda Challenge, beginning a journey that would test our resilience, teamwork, and spirit. Over the next 14.5 hours - finishing just after 10pm - I watched in awe, alongside, as the students showed remarkable tenacity, endurance, humour, perseverance, and grit, lifting one another through every challenge. The hills were relentless, always seeming to promise just one more, and by the halfway point the rain had set in, growing heavier and turning the tracks slick and unforgiving, with plenty of slips and splashes along the way. Despite tired muscles, niggling soreness, and increasingly uncomfortable conditions, our determination never faltered. Together, we walked approximately 82,000 steps, and even in the final stretch, we found ways to keep smiling. Crossing the finish line as a team was a moment of genuine pride and shared accomplishment - one we joyfully celebrated with hot chocolate and the knowledge that we had achieved something truly special together.

"I fell, I sprained something, I finished." Miranda Jones

Our final Kokoda Challenge event for 2026 will be held on the Gold Coast on 18 July, 2026. We have two teams participating in this event - a 30km and 48km team. Teams who participate also need to fundraise to support the Kokoda Youth Foundation. Our teams would really appreciate your support via their team fundraising pages:

Endurance By Faith GC

Fueled by Faith