The Kokoda Challenge Association was established in 2005 by Kokoda Challenge Chairman Doug Henderson and his wife Anna.
Their goal was to raise awareness of the Kokoda Campaign of 1942 and use the Spirit of Kokoda to help young Australian’s reach their full potential.
Teaming up with a handful of members from the Gold Coast Bushwalking Club, the Kokoda Challenge Association set about planning and hosting the first Kokoda Challenge fundraising event which took place in the Gold Coast Hinterland in July 2005. This event was the sole fundraiser for the first Kokoda Challenge Youth Program which trained and supported 12 young people to walk the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
The Kokoda Challenge has since grown to attract more than 3000 participants each year and more than 10,000 spectators as well as expanding to other Kokoda Challenge events held in Brisbane and Melbourne, and with each participant and spectator the story of Kokoda is shared.
The fundraising efforts of the people who participate each year are the main source of funding for the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program (KCYP) which has also expanded each year and has helped 268 young people since inception.
OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE KOKODA SPIRIT, ESPECIALLY TO THE BENEFIT OF THE YOUTH OF AUSTRALIA.
Our Major Goals
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Raise public awareness of the importance of the 1942 Kokoda campaign to the Australian people.
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Identify young Australians at a crossroads in their life and provide support to help them reach their potential.
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Support the Kokoda community and the descendants of the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels.
Our Values
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Endurance: We believe that tests of endurance are a way to promote personal growth
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Courage: We support and encourage our people to stay the course even when times are tough
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Sacrifice: We are an organisation that is built on the sacrifice of volunteers and the community spirit this inspires
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Mateship: We believe in the value of teamwork and of providing support for each other.
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Environment: We value the natural environment and aim for all our activities to have a minimal environmental impact.
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Youth: We believe in the potential of our youth to create a positive future
