Students from Notre Dame College, Bells Creek, are preparing for the 2026 Kokoda Challenge on the Sunshine Coast during the Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) Open Week (27 April to 3 May).
The 18km journey honours Australian diggers who fought along the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea in 1942 and takes nine hours to complete through the muddy hills of Imbil State Forest.
This is the second year the school (which opened in 2025) will participate, with the Year 7 students joining the College’s foundation Year 8 students for what is becoming a school tradition.
Notre Dame College Principal Dan McShea said the journey offers teachers and students a valuable opportunity to connect.
“Walking in nature, rather than interacting in a classroom, opens new avenues for conversation, encouragement, and mutual support,” Mr McShea said.
“Facing the physical challenge fosters genuine camaraderie among staff and students, where encouragement, humour, and shared perseverance strengthen our relationships with one another.
“We want to teach our students that we can do hard things if we do them together, and as Notre Dame College students, we embrace challenges together.”
The school also started another tradition last year with a dance troupe for all year levels.
Mr McShea said the program was hugely successful, with the Year 7 and 8 troupes achieving second place at the Dance X State Finals.
In 2026, the school will commence Stage Two of construction, delivering a new library, additional classrooms and specialist learning spaces, including learning support and science laboratories, as well as a covered PE area, administration facilities and a lunch area.
Meet Mr McShea and explore the contemporary campus designed for 1800 students from Prep to Year 12 at Notre Dame College’s BCE Open Day event on April 28.
For more information or to enrol, click here.
