Lake Macquarie Kokoda Challenge

The Kokoda Challenge returns to Lake Macquarie in 2024!

Setting off in the hills of Cooranbong, teams can choose to traverse the 18, 30 or 48km course through the stunning Olney State Forest and Watagans National Park.

Lake Macquarie Kokoda Challenge 2024 Dates, Location & Times

The challenging course includes inclines, mud, and creeks and pays tribute to the sacrifices of the Diggers who fought in the 1942 Kokoda Campaign.

Your event village will be at Cooranbong Equestrian Park, along Kings Road, in the Lake Macquarie City Council. This area is about an hour’s drive from Newcastle and an hour and 30 minutes from Sydney.

Most of the course will have you hiking or trail running through Olney State Forest, with parts venturing through Watagans National Park. Your start line will be in the exact location as your finish line, and each of the three trails will walk via a loop.

While most of the competitors choose to hike the courses, Kokoda Challenge events also attract a large number of trail runners. Given the steep elevation, most of these teams will hike the inclines and trail run down the mountains and flat sections of the tracks. Others will run the entire way and compete for the illustrious winners’ medals and school cups named after Kokoda Veterans.

Take on a personal challenge and give back to your community. The funds raised support Kokoda Youth Foundation programs to help kids in the local community. The Kokoda Youth Programs provide disadvantaged and disengaged youth with the tools to realise their full potential by instilling the values of the Kokoda Spirit: Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice.

Past competitors have called this event “physically and emotionally exhausting, but also the most incredible and inspiring thing we completed.” Every step is worth it as you prove what you are truly made of.