Outdoor Activities

Somerset offers a range of outdoor activities for our students to be involved in, to enable them to develop an understanding of their own potential. Whether it be participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, tackling weekly rock climbing sessions or for our oldest students, the Kokoda Challenge, these team and individual quests sit alongside the other offerings that make up the Somerset Experience and provide another way for our students to connect, develop a deeper knowledge of themselves and explore their limitations in a safe and supportive environment.

Duke of Edinburgh's International Award

Somerset is proud to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. It is a positive and rewarding challenge of self-discovery that has been equipping, empowering and connecting young people in Australia since 1959. The Award is an individual programme for anyone between the ages of 12 and 24 to challenge themselves to achieve the unthinkable and push their own boundaries in the activities that they have chosen and set personal goals around the things that interest them the most. As Award holders, they emerge as confident young citizens with community awareness on both a local and global level. 

The Duke of Ed has three Award Levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level has four Sections and has different time commitments. The Award Sections are:

• Skill: Build your skills in something practical or creative such as fishing, music or drawing. Your options are endless.
• Physical Recreation: Take part in something active such as basketball, surfing or dancing. Anything that will get the heart rate up.
• Voluntary Service: Get involved in your community and give service to others.
• Adventurous Journey: Discover a sense of adventure and do something challenging with your friends. 

Climbing Wall

Somerset College offers students an opportunity, in lunchtime sessions that are available to both Junior and Senior students, to learn to rock climb on our purpose built, indoor climbing wall. Located in our indoor Basketball courts, the climbing wall has six ropes offering a variety of climbing routes and some bouldering. Students learn how to fit a harness, how to tie in correctly and how to belay safely, as well as develop their techniques and build strength and endurance. 

The Kokoda Challenge

The Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast is hailed as Australia toughest endurance event. It has been established to mimic that of the 96km Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea to honour the 39th Militia and 2nd/14th Battalion, who were the first Australian troops to set foot on the track and forged the Spirit of Kokoda during World War II in 1942. 

Teams of students in Year 11 and 12, with a staff member, have the opportunity to participate in the Jim Stillman’s 48km School Cup event, and with the help of their support crew (friends and families), trek a course that leads along fire trails, creeks and summits at 500 metre elevation around the Gold Coast Hinterland. In addition to the physical challenge of trekking the event itself, each team is required to take up the challenge of fund-raising. By participating in The Kokoda Challenge, it is not only a great personal achievement, but a way to honour the Kokoda legacy and fund-raise to support local teenagers to gain a brighter future for themselves and their families through the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program (KCYP).