Kokoda Trek - Benalla P-12 College
The Kokoda Track is more than just a walk, it's an adventure, a challenge, it's part of Australia's history, an immersion in culture, and a place to push your limits to explore your potential. This really is an amazing journey for anybody to undertake, let alone 18 trekkers from Benalla P-12 College.
The school uses the trek each year as an extra curricular activity aimed to diversify the cultural experiences of Year 11 students.
The focus of the trek for the school is to:
The success of the Kokoda Track delivering these outcomes is clearly evident from the students development along the track, along with parents praise of the differences they notice in their young maturing children return from the voyage.
This year, the 6th year in a row the school has run the adventure was added to with a 2-day village stay in the middle of the trek. To see the porter and students interacting through hard work, jokes and laughter as they are learning is simply unique. The trip places students in a pristine jungle where boys can be boys, and girls can explore, find their true self and culture themselves.
The trek started at Kokoda village and gradually worked its way into the Owen Stanley Ranges. The group walked out of mobile reception and into the real world. Interacting with locals on the track and opening their eyes to so much. The group held a service at Isurava Memorial, the memorial features four Australian black granite pillars that are each inscribed with a single word - 'courage', 'endurance', 'mateship', and 'sacrifice' representing the values and qualities of those Australian soldiers who fought along the Kokoda Track.
Students pass thru Eora Creek where a hand made jungle vine bridge sends trekkers over the pristine fast flowing creek. Along the journey the track is scattered with old battle sites, man holes, weapons pits and rusted war relics. Heavy rain at nights does not dampen the students eagerness to push on and get endless unique experiences.
The two day village stay provides students with an opportunity to live the typical life of those who call the villages on the Kokoda Track home. The community stay at Kagi village is not a “Disney Land” experience but a genuine living the life of a typical villager and enjoying cultural games and activities experience. The Grissy Pole, where prizes are placed atop a slippery log and locals are challenged to test their climbing skills was one of the many highlights.
Its then back to the iconic trek where Kagi village makes way for sheer cliffs, amazing views of ridges across the horizion, wide rivers, swamps and steep hills. The hard work is often forgotten as trekkers pass through village after village, thinking of those Australians over 70 years ago that had it so much harder than we can comprehend. The sweat of the day is quickly washed away at the pristine swimming holes and fresh streams.
As the last day comes so to does both sadness and excitement as the group leaves the campsite and bounds through the creek ready for Imitia Ridge, a hard walk up a very steep ridge. The excitement is for the realisation that they have given so much in preparation to complete this trek, the sadness that such an awesome adventure is almost at an end. As the whole group cross the gate together at Owers Corner that signify the end of the trek, an outpouring of emotion flows from all.
At the final dinner that night the international relationships and ties have clearly been made as students laugh, cry and cheer together. The walk may be over but the path Kokoda has started these young adults on is only just beginning.
Dan Hogarth
Expedition Guide
No Roads Expeditions
The Kokoda Track is more than just a walk, it's an adventure, a challenge, it's part of Australia's history, an immersion in culture, and a place to push your limits to explore your potential. This really is an amazing journey for anybody to undertake, let alone 18 trekkers from Benalla P-12 College.
The school uses the trek each year as an extra curricular activity aimed to diversify the cultural experiences of Year 11 students.
The focus of the trek for the school is to:
- develop an understanding of World War II and immerse students in Australian history.
- Introduce students to the natural environment, world geography, and a developing country.
- Develop international relationships and ties.
- Provide an environment for students to explore their potential and push their limits, giving themselves an awareness of what they are capable of independent of their family and friends.
- Develop resilience and leadership qualities in the participants.
The success of the Kokoda Track delivering these outcomes is clearly evident from the students development along the track, along with parents praise of the differences they notice in their young maturing children return from the voyage.
This year, the 6th year in a row the school has run the adventure was added to with a 2-day village stay in the middle of the trek. To see the porter and students interacting through hard work, jokes and laughter as they are learning is simply unique. The trip places students in a pristine jungle where boys can be boys, and girls can explore, find their true self and culture themselves.
The trek started at Kokoda village and gradually worked its way into the Owen Stanley Ranges. The group walked out of mobile reception and into the real world. Interacting with locals on the track and opening their eyes to so much. The group held a service at Isurava Memorial, the memorial features four Australian black granite pillars that are each inscribed with a single word - 'courage', 'endurance', 'mateship', and 'sacrifice' representing the values and qualities of those Australian soldiers who fought along the Kokoda Track.
Students pass thru Eora Creek where a hand made jungle vine bridge sends trekkers over the pristine fast flowing creek. Along the journey the track is scattered with old battle sites, man holes, weapons pits and rusted war relics. Heavy rain at nights does not dampen the students eagerness to push on and get endless unique experiences.
The two day village stay provides students with an opportunity to live the typical life of those who call the villages on the Kokoda Track home. The community stay at Kagi village is not a “Disney Land” experience but a genuine living the life of a typical villager and enjoying cultural games and activities experience. The Grissy Pole, where prizes are placed atop a slippery log and locals are challenged to test their climbing skills was one of the many highlights.
Its then back to the iconic trek where Kagi village makes way for sheer cliffs, amazing views of ridges across the horizion, wide rivers, swamps and steep hills. The hard work is often forgotten as trekkers pass through village after village, thinking of those Australians over 70 years ago that had it so much harder than we can comprehend. The sweat of the day is quickly washed away at the pristine swimming holes and fresh streams.
As the last day comes so to does both sadness and excitement as the group leaves the campsite and bounds through the creek ready for Imitia Ridge, a hard walk up a very steep ridge. The excitement is for the realisation that they have given so much in preparation to complete this trek, the sadness that such an awesome adventure is almost at an end. As the whole group cross the gate together at Owers Corner that signify the end of the trek, an outpouring of emotion flows from all.
At the final dinner that night the international relationships and ties have clearly been made as students laugh, cry and cheer together. The walk may be over but the path Kokoda has started these young adults on is only just beginning.
Dan Hogarth
Expedition Guide
No Roads Expeditions
