The Australian Army's 7th Brigade joined forces with Paddle Australia to deliver a sea kayaking program designed to build resilience, leadership and teamwork.
Run in partnership with 7th Brigade's Combat Behaviour Centre (CBC), the program uses challenging environments to push participants out of their comfort zones and develop skills for military operations.
Training and participation manager for Paddle Australia, Mark Thurgood, said the "zero-to-hero course" was packed into three weeks.
"Soldiers earn a Paddle Australia qualification that enables them to lead similar exercises in the future," he said.
"Beyond the technical skills, it's about putting them in environments they're not used to and pushing their physical and mental limits."
The course combines intensive training with practical challenges. Participants engage in surf sessions, rolling drills and group management scenarios, encouraging soldiers to rely on teamwork and problem-solving to overcome obstacles.
"Sea kayaking is unique because it's so different from anything most participants have experienced," Mr Thurgood said. "Whether it's capsizing in a kayak or navigating tricky landings, the challenges test resilience and adaptability."
He said the program also had a broader vision of leadership development.
"Earning this qualification gives soldiers a pathway to take their peers or subordinates through similar exercises in the future," Mr Thurgood said.
"It's not just about their individual growth but about empowering them to share these experiences and skills with others."
"Every soldier approaches these challenges differently," he said.
"For some, it's about staying calm while capsized; for others, it's navigating tricky surf landings. The point is to help them identify their limits and find ways to overcome them."
Resilience Training Approving Officer Lieutenant Colonel Matt Clarke, of 7th Brigade, said helping soldiers achieve these results was at the heart of the training.
"7th Brigade foundation war-fighting skills are complemented by resilience training," Lieutenant Colonel Clarke said.
"Smooth teamwork, quiet confidence and good morale doesn't just happen - it's built by junior leaders through a variety of challenging activities, such as the sea-kayaking and high-roping that is conducted by the Combat Behaviours Centre, and I'm very proud of all of the CBC's instructors and its work that assist our Units to grow.
"Such training hones the attitude and self-belief of our soldiers so they don't hesitate to demonstrate initiative when it counts most."
