Leaches, stifling heat and rugged terrain were among the challenges faced by students from Knox Grammar School when they took on the Kokoda Trail in the school holidays.
A group of eight students from Years 9 to 11 and two staff members tackled the 96 kilometre Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea over eight days.
Tom Lee, Year 11 of St Ives, was one of the students who took part in the trip.
“My great grandfather was deployed to Kokoda three times and I was really eager to understand his experience,” said Tom.
“I personally found the mental struggle, especially during the long hikes, to be one of the toughest elements of the experience. Having so much time to contemplate my life and all its conveniences, in comparison to what it would have been like back in 1942 when the war took place,” he said.
“The memorial and remembrance services were a very special part of the trip,” said Knox teacher Adam Shaw, who led the trip. “The boys spoke beautifully in reciting poems and citations of various diggers, as well as belting out a couple of John Williamson classics.”
The highlights of the trip for Tom included building friendships with other Knox students, the porters and local villagers, especially the kids.
“Upon completion of the 96 kilometre, 8-day trek, walking through the arches at Kokoda village, I think we all felt a rush of jubilation having accomplished such a challenging journey.”
15 October 2026
On Thursday 15 October, we welcomed parents, students and staff to the Great Hall for our Respectful Relationships Education community event, 'Growing Up in the Age of Algorithms'. The evening reflected the School’s commitment to partnering with families on some of the most significant issues facing young people today, creating space for informed discussion, shared learning and meaningful engagement around the challenges and opportunities of life in an increasingly connected digital world.
15 October 2026
Participants of the Knox Leader Development Program recently gathered in the Bryden Room to present their leadership projects and reflect on their development as leaders. It was an inspiring occasion, with staff sharing their vision and purpose, achievements and future goals, leadership journey, and key learnings gained through the process.
08 October 2026
Year 12 student Nathan represented Australia for the third time in the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), travelling to Uzbekistan in Term 3 to compete with hundreds of students from dozens of countries across the globe.
