THE Leongatha RSL will be sponsoring two Leongatha secondary school students to embark on a tough but life-changing pilgrimage along the Kokoda Trail.
The trail in Papua New Guinea is renowned as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942.
The RSL committee was committed to funding the experience in an effort to keep the story of Kokoda alive and in the minds of a new generation, and to also help shape and build future leaders.
The committee will soon be approaching schools with the aim of sending two students to Papua New Guinea in June 2026.
“The whole trek, it’s important for Leongatha to be involved in because we’ve got a fairly rich history of involvement in wars, and we think it’s an opportunity for these kids to experience the Kokoda track, and build some leadership skills,” said Greg Nugent, General Manager of Leongatha RSL.
“It’s also very important to know what people went through when they were involved in it. I know that the Kokoda Track is like the Monash freeway now, compared to what it was like back in the war, but you still get a sense of what it was like.”
The students will join another group from the Baw Baw Shire, led by Gary Blackwood, former Member for Narracan, who has been doing the Kokoda Trek with secondary school kids for about the last 10 years.
“We got into a discussion with him (Gary) and the Committee of the RSL thought it would be a good thing for us to be involved in,” said Greg.
Students will be selected through a stringent process to ensure that kids are picked who really want to do the walk and who will get something out of it.
“Part of the application process will be writing an essay as to why it’s important for them to walk the Kokoda Track, and then that’ll go to a committee who will sift through the applications, and we come up with the successful applicants from there.
“Before they go across to do the trek, there’s some training and networking and getting to know, and all that type of thing; there’s a commitment there to make. When they come back from the trek, they’re expected to do some public speaking in relation to the Kokoda Track and their experiences.”
Ideally, the RSL committee would like to have two Year ten students selected by the end of this year, so they have time to prepare for the 96-kilometre walk.
The amount needed for the venture is $15,000 and funds will be raised by private donation and as part of the RSL’s Friday night community nights, alongside other fundraising events planned for the next 12 months.
If there’s a shortfall, the RSL Club have committed to funding that.
For more information or to donate visit the Leongatha RSL.
