College News
The Value of Adventure: Duke of Edinburgh Kayaking Expedition and Kokoda 2019
We offer the Duke of Edinburgh program at Trinity to encourage our students to challenge themselves through setting and achieving goals across a range of activities. The challenges presented by this program offer our students many opportunities in the areas of service, skill, leadership development, physical recreation and adventurous expeditions.
The first such expedition took place one Saturday morning last term. Fourteen very keen young students arrived at the boat ramp near SeaWorld ready for what promised to be three days full of fun. It was especially exciting as the expedition had been postponed several weeks earlier due to Cyclone Oma. This did make everyone, and the parents present, a little nervous about the dark clouds sitting off in the distance and the danger that they may pose for our adventurous youngsters. With fingers crossed the group paddled off across the bay headed for Wavebreak Island. The crossed fingers did not work, and before too long the wind had picked up and the rain came down in bucketloads. And those winds did not let up all day.
Showing great strength and resolve the youngsters (our oldest participants were in Year 9!) battled on through the day. The rain came and went, and the wind persisted, so by the time we reached South Currigee it was with great relief that we all pulled our kayaks ashore. Day one was done, and each member of our expedition worthily held their heads high… and with this, the weather started to improve; first the rain stopped and then the wind dropped.
Sunday morning came and we woke to bright sunshine and the lightest of winds. After the challenge of Day One we enjoyed a perfect day on the water paddling up to Tippler’s. We set up camp, went and had some relaxing time playing on Tippler’s Table Tennis Table and in the playground, before heading back and having dinner. Our evening activities included some fishing and making bracelets out of hand-made string.
Throughout the expedition the students paddled long hours each day with smiles on their faces, even on Saturday, and despite the difficulties experienced throughout the expedition each student can be very proud of the spirit in which they approached the challenges they faced.
The Kokoda Challenge is about Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. These values take their
origin from Australian soldiers who fought on the Kokoda Track in Papua
New Guinea during WWII. Still relevant today, Kokoda's central mission is
to reignite these timeless values into our communities.
This year we will be entering
teams in the 15km, 30km (AND maybe even the 48km) events in Brisbane in June
(1-2) and teams in both the 48 and (hopefully) 96km events on the Gold
Coast in July (20-21, the end of Week 1 in Term 3). The Trinity Kokoda Challenge training program started in early March and this is now the fifth year that we will be running this program. It just keeps getting bigger and better with growing numbers of staff, students and parents joining us for our regular walks/hikes and anyone is welcome,
even if you don't plan on doing a
Kokoda Event. We not only hike trails that form part of the GC Kokoda Challenge but also venture out into some of the most beautiful areas of our beautiful hinterland and our Sunday morning adventures offer a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families, enjoy some fresh air and exercise and experience some of the beautiful natural areas our Gld Coast has to offer.
