the kokoda challenge

30km lake macquarie

30km Lake Macquarie KOKODA CHALLENGE

Start Time

7:30 AM

12 hours to complete

30km through olney state forest

Minimum age to register 30km kokoda challenge

10yrs old (or turning 10 the year of the event)

3 checkpoints

no support crew

This will be our second year bringing The Kokoda Challenge to Lake Macquarie! For those of you who are new to our community, let us give you an idea of what our events are all about.

As the name suggests, we started The Kokoda Challenge to pay homage to the sacrifices made by our WWII Veterans during their time in New Guinea on the Kokoda Track. It is an incredible story of bravery and perseverance. We want to educate more Australians about the history of Kokoda by offering you an experience that gives you an insight into what it was like for our Diggers on the track in 1942.

The Kokoda Challenge also exists to raise funds for our life-changing youth programs. We mentor local kids through outdoor experiences to help them build the life skills needed to face adversity with resilience. Through this event, you will raise vital funds to help us help more young people in the community.

Not only that, this is a transformative experience for all those who set foot on the track. You will be mentally and physically tested, by stretching far beyond what you thought you were capable of while you’re climbing steep mountains and hiking or trail running for up to 12 hours, possibly even into the night.

Wandering through whimsical forests that range from lush ferns to quintessential Australian bush, this course is diverse and packed full of elevation to ensure your team is well and truly challenged. You will experience the full spectrum of emotions, sometimes you’ll be laughing and chatting with your teammates, while other times you’ll all fall silent while you focus on scaling some of the more challenging sections of the course.

While the 30km Kokoda Challenge attracts a great deal of trail runners, teams in this event are predominantly hikers. But you don’t need to be an athlete to register, most of the teams that take part are everyday Australians who just want to prove to themselves that they can do anything they set their mind to.

Explore Lake Macquarie 30m Map

Bugler playing The Last Post at the Lake Macquarie Kokoda Challenge start line

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Want to find out more?

Please fill out the form to register your interest in this event. Someone will be in touch soon to answer any questions you may have.

30km LAKE MACQUARIE KOKODA CHALLENGE

The Kokoda Challenge is operated by the Kokoda Youth Foundation, we are a local charity that exists to mentor local youth in the community through our experiential youth programs. Through our events, your team will fundraise for our 'Kokoda Kids' and honour Australia's Veterans.