Worried about what “rites of passage” have become for Australian teenagers.
Worried about schoolies trips built around excess.
Worried about alcohol, drugs, and risk being normalised as the gateway into adulthood.
Worried about your son or daughter travelling overseas into environments with questionable safety standards and little real supervision.
You told us you didn’t want to wrap them in cotton wool.
But you also didn’t want their first real step into independence to be reckless.
Instead of a week of excess, we’ve created a genuine rite of passage on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
Not a holiday.
Not a party.
A challenge.
With our Campfire Academy guiding them, young people will:
Walk the historic Kokoda Track
Be mentored by experienced leaders
Learn about courage, service, and responsibility
Be stretched physically, emotionally, and socially
Earn their next chapter
The Kokoda campaign is one of Australia’s most defining military stories. The track itself demands effort, humility, and teamwork. It has a way of stripping away noise and revealing character.
That’s why it works.
Because transformation doesn’t happen in comfort. MORE INFO
From Endurance to Intention
But we don’t stop at the finish line.
Once they complete the trek, participants enter a structured life-design experience through Campfire Academy. High-quality teaching. Guided reflection. Practical frameworks for decision-making.
They don’t just “finish school.”
They build:
A personal leadership philosophy
A values-based life plan
A framework for handling pressure
A deeper understanding of responsibility and contribution
This is the bridge between adolescence and adulthood.
After completing the Kokoda Track, they earn the opportunity to spend time on an island immersed in PNG culture. There, they can decompress, reflect, laugh, and — responsibly — enjoy a few beers together.
The difference?
It comes after the challenge.
After the growth.
After the earning.
Celebration means more when it follows effort.
For Parents Who Want Something Better
You asked for an alternative to schoolies culture.
You asked for safety without suffocation.
You asked for meaning without removing independence.
This is our response.
And as a parent, you may even choose to meet your son or daughter at the end of their trek — waiting at the completion of the Kokoda Track as they walk in changed.
Not just older.
Stronger.
Clearer.
Grounded.
This isn’t about stopping young people from celebrating life.
It’s about helping them step into adulthood with substance. BOOK NOW
If you’ve been looking for a rite of passage that builds character rather than erodes it —
