Dalby State High: Students conquer gruelling two-day Kokoda challenge

A group of determined teens have triumphed against an enormous personal challenge that saw them train for six months before completing an epic 39-hour, 96km feat for a special cause.

Dozens of Dalby students spent the past six months training for the Kokoda Challenge, facing an epic 96km track and raising money for vital youth programs.

Eight teams from Dalby State High School hiked the Gold Coast terrain, with five of those teams taking part in the 96km, 39-hour challenge which took place on hills elevated by 4000m.

Teacher Jon Stam who also completed the giant trek acknowledged that for some students it will be the hardest challenge they ever have to face.

“Any student that can complete a challenge this demanding both physically and mentally will be able to do anything life puts in front of them,” he said.

Dalby State High students conquered the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge 2022. Picture: contributed

Participant Braydon Chapman said the hardest part was being able to stop for only 15 minutes, four times throughout the Gold Coast trek.

“This challenge wouldn’t have been possible without a good support crew,” he said.

Fellow hiker Thomas Brownhall said people cheering as he and his team reached checkpoints helped get them over the line.

“It just gave us all the energy and enthusiasm to keep going and try harder, just as our Diggers did in 1942,” he said.

Dalby State High students conquered the Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge 2022. Picture: contributed

Dalby State High were sponsored by Origin and have participated in the challenge since 2009.

The challenge, which is now in its 80th year, honours past Australian servicemen who fought on the Kokoda Track and raises funds for youth programs that offer life-changing, endurance-based experiences focused on mateship and strength.

This year it’s raised $980,000.

Mr Stam’s team, which included Braydon Chapman, Thomas Brownhall, Aidan Stam and Chantelle Callow, completed the track in just over 24 hours, with the average finish time for the entire competition ranging at 27 hours and 36 minutes.

You can check out the track statistics of each team here.