To commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign this Remembrance Day, Kokoda Youth Foundation are holding a Kokoda Legacy event on Saturday through Kokoda Barracks in Canungra, where Australian soldiers were trained in jungle warfare before being deployed to New Guinea in 1942.

Event participants will hike or trail run either a 15km or 30km course that will ascend 400 meter inclines, cross waist deep rivers and pass through training sites where the army conduct live firing drills.

Starting and finishing in Canungra Area Golf Club, participants will have 12 hours to complete the course, with attendance expected to reach more than 1,200. 

The event is raising funds for Legacy Gold Coast who care for the families of those who have served our country in the Australian defence forces. President Craig Kingston said that the event will help them continue to assist with services such as providing war widows with health insurance and financially helping young families with school and sporting fees.

“Gold Coast Legacy currently cares for about 1,200 Veterans’ families and given that the recent ABS Census identified the Gold Coast as a major population centre for veterans, we are anticipating that our services will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future” said Mr Kingston.

50% of proceeds will also assist Kokoda Youth Foundation continue to run youth programs that mentor kids in the local Southeast Queensland and Northern NSW communities. Chief Executive Officer Johllene Elson says the programs are built upon the values of the Kokoda Spirit; courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.

“The Kokoda Youth Foundation runs a number of free programs for young people from the 9-month Kokoda Challenge Youth Program to the 8-day Digital Detox camp. Our programs provide young people with the skills to tackle adversity, build resilience and reach their full potential. We use the pillars of Kokoda Campaign to not only inspire our youth program participants, but also to honour the legacy of our Australian soldiers” Ms Elson said.

 The Kokoda Campaign cost the lives of 625 Australian soldiers in battle, thousands more were lost to sickness and disease. Remembering the sacrifices of our Veterans ensures their legacy lives on, and this event provides a small insight into the enormous hardship our soldiers endured along the Kokoda Track.

Registrations for the 30km course are already sold out, with 15km entries not far behind.  Interested outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to register soon to avoid missing out.

Kokoda Legacy

Event date: Saturday 12^th November 2022

Distances: 15km or 30km

Registrations costs: from $90 per person

Start time:

30km event will start at 7:00am

15km event will start at 8:30am

Location: Canungra Area Golf Club 17 Alloah Rd, Witheren 

For more information and to register for Kokoda Legacy, visit: https://bit.ly/3fGO1bH

Photo: Hikers in Canugura