A trip of a lifetime for eight young people from Goulburn and eleven from Braidwood was completed last week, when they returned from the Northern Territory and the Larapinta Trail.
The group prepared for the journey over 12 months, undertaking fundraising activities and training twice a week in the lead up to the trip. This enabled them to trek for five days, covering 90 kilometres over difficult terrain in order to complete the Larapinta Trail.
Luke Wallace, Youth Services Coordinator for Goulburn Mulwaree Council, said the trek will leave a lasting impact on the nineteen young people who undertook the walk.
"We could not be prouder of the young people that attended. They represented the community with respect and honour and being able to watch them grow, and truly embrace the experience was an absolute privilege.
"They learnt new things about themselves, which for some participants included self-healing form past events and the ability to focus on the direction they would like to move their life in the future.
"Moving forward we will be beginning to look at how we can make this an annual program for young people in our community, and plan to work closely again with the Terry Campese Foundation and 100% Adventures who were our tour guides for the trek."
The group was able to enjoy a number of experiences in and around Alice Springs including camel riding, eating kangaroo tail, swimming in water holes and visiting a number of sacred Aboriginal sites.
Prior to the trek participants undertook health and wellbeing workshops facilitated by headspace Goulburn, as well as leadership and cultural training. They also held five fundraising barbecues at Rotary Markets which were well supported by the community.
The group would like to thank their partner organisations; Mission Australia, headspace, PCYC, The Terry Campese Foundation, NSW Police and Cr Alfie Walker who joined the trek. They would also like to thank all who donated to the program, including a number of generous sponsors being Convoy for Kids, Goulburn Soldiers Club, Goulburn Workers Club, Terry Campese Foundation, First National Real Estate and Mission Australia.
NSW Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman and NSW Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor were also instrumental in providing grant funding for the trek.
