A courageous team of trekkers are about to face one of the toughest physical and mental challenges imaginable — a double crossing of the legendary Kokoda Track. Over 14 gruelling days, they will navigate 196km of relentless terrain from Owers Corner to Kokoda and back, retracing the footsteps of Australian soldiers and honouring those who have fought — both on the battlefield and in hospital wards — against the cruel enemy of brain cancer.
This year’s trek marks a return to where it all began for the Mark Hughes Foundation adventure series. Joining the team are MHF trekking pioneers, Paul “The Chief” Harragon and Bill Peden, who helped inspire the Foundation’s very first fundraising expedition in 2016. Alongside them, MHF founder Mark Hughes, ambassador Danny Buderus and original Kokoda alumni Brad Godden are once again trading boots for blister kits in a show of sheer grit, mateship and unbreakable spirit.
This isn’t just a walk — it’s a war of endurance. The team will battle steep jungle climbs, slippery river crossings, and the soul-testing ascent of Mt. Bellamy. They’ll cross Ua Ule Creek 22 times and confront the infamous Brigade Hill, where courage is not optional, only required. Every blister, every breathless step, is for the patients and families living through brain cancer — a battle that demands even more strength.
Through mud, sweat and tears, they’ll lean on one another in true Kokoda spirit. This is about teamwork, resilience, and pushing through when your body says no but your heart says keep going. Together, they’ll hold dawn services at key battlegrounds, paying tribute to the Diggers who once fought there, and carrying with them the stories of the brave patients and families who inspire this mission.
Their journey will culminate at the Bomana War Cemetery, where among the rows of white headstones, they will reflect on their shared sacrifice, honour the legacy of Kokoda, and recommit to the fight against brain cancer.
This is more than a trek. It’s a movement. It’s MHF. And it’s personal.
Thank you to our major sponsor Fred Mayer Foundation and fellow sponsors – G.A.S.S. Shipping Containers, Scaffbuilt Solutions, M&M Fisher Plumbing Service, Armitage Associates & the Newcastle Herald.
