Duke of Edinburgh Award – Victorian High Country

Stepping well beyond the classroom, 13 students from Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11, took on an ambitious cycling journey through Victoria’s High Country during the holiday break. What began as a challenging idea quickly became a resounding success, with students embracing the physical and mental demands of the experience while developing resilience, leadership, and strong connections with one another. Riding more than 200 kilometres across some of Victoria’s most scenic landscapes, the trip exceeded all expectations – so much so that we are pleased to confirm we are now working on offering it again in 2026. The reflections below from Jodhi Bou
(Year 11) capture the impact of this unforgettable experience from the students’ perspective.

‘Despite the challenge, the trip exceeded all expectations. We created lasting memories, gained important life skills, and finished the journey feeling tremendously proud of ourselves and what we were able to achieve together.

In the first week of the holidays, we embarked on a cycling adventure in Victoria’s High Country.  Riding over 200km, we cycled sections of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, one of Australia’s most scenic rail trails located in North East Victoria. Alongside riding, we also had the opportunity to enjoy additional activities including swimming at the local pool in Myrtleford and participating in a honey tasting experience at the Beechworth Honey Shop.

Initially, the idea of coming on this trip seemed daunting. However; this trip completely subverted our original expectations. Despite some hardships, we developed a strong sense of perseverance and resilience, teaching us to push through the mental and physical fatigue.

Throughout the duration of this trip, we had the opportunity to meet and connect with people from different grades, strengthening and creating new friendships. Whilst cycling, we embraced and appreciated the beautiful countryside. We also had the opportunity to lead the group through sections of the track, developing leadership skills and a sense of responsibility as we supported one another and worked together to navigate unfamiliar terrain.

Ultimately, we all had a positive experience on this trip, creating lasting memories, gaining important life skills and finishing the journey feeling tremendously proud of ourselves and what we achieved together.

Thank you to our lovely teachers, Ms Leck, Ms Schroder and Mr Mole for supervising us on this trip. Their patience, reassurance, and willingness to support us through challenges played an important role in making the trip full of fun.’

For more information, you can access the DofE Padlet page here