Applications for the Arthur Grassby Kokoda Scholarships – an adventure of a lifetime - are now open to Year 11 students residing in East Gippsland Shire.

This year’s trek will be in the June-July school holidays, and it is anticipated 6-7 students will be selected from the region to walk in the footsteps of soldiers from East Gippsland.
The scholarship involves each student being allocated a soldier from their local area, and carrying their photograph while walking in their footsteps on the nine-day 138 kilometre trek.
Following completion, the students then visit Bomana War Cemetery where they visit the graves of the fallen, including “their” soldier and make a commitment to them about how they will live the rest of their lives.
It is a powerful experience for the students as in some cases the soldiers they carry and then visit the graves of, are the same age as the students.
It is a journey that builds resilience as the trek is incredibly demanding, but it gives the students a great insight into the sacrifices made by men from our community, so they have enjoy the lives they have today.
The added bonus is they walk through some of the best jungle scenery in the world and see first-hand the village life of Papuans.
Successful applicants must have a high level of resilience, obtain a good level of fitness and must commit to the 10 week training program in the lead up.
Those who wish to apply for the scholarships have until the end of February and the application involves an essay of not less than 400 words on what the Kokoda story means to Australia, accompanied by a questionnaire response and parental permission slip.
Applicants are then shortlisted for interviews with ex or current service defence force personnel who make the final decision.
The application details and forms have been provided to every secondary school in East Gippsland and details are also on the website arthurgrassby.com
Arthur Grassby was a Kokoda veteran who was just 16 when engaged in battle with the Japanese. In later life he resided in Bairnsdale and was pleased to have the scholarship commence in his name before passing in 2022.

Monday, 9 February 2026

State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has again called on the Labor Government to urgently act on concerning road conditions on the Paynesville Road near Bairnsdale, one of many in the area needing urgent attention.

Paynesville Road is a critical route for residents and tourists accessing the Gippsland Lakes. Its surface has deteriorated so badly that the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) has been forced to slow traffic with warning signs. Locals have dubbed it the “Paynesville rollercoaster”.

Mr Bull has been raising concerns with the Minister since 2023, after the road surface began to visibly deform. While the issue was initially blamed on high rainfall that year, the undulations have since worsened, with cracking now evident in multiple sections of the bitumen.

“This is not just a rough patch of road, it’s a clear sign something more serious,” Mr Bull said.

The Minister conceded a geotechnical investigation into the subsurface was completed in 2024, yet no remediation works have begun since.

“An investigation without action is pointless. The department has the data, the Minister has had the time, and road users are still left driving on a signposted hazard,” Mr Bull said.

Mr Bull said the situation reflected a broader failure by the Labor Government.

“Labor can’t manage money and they can’t manage regional roads. If they could, we wouldn’t be slowing traffic on a major regional road because it’s buckling underneath us,” he said.

Noting past comments by Labor’s Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward that concerns about Gippsland’s roads were an “imagined fantasy,” Mr Bull invited both her and the Roads Minister to take a ride on the Paynesville rollercoaster and then tell locals there’s nothing wrong with our roads.”

Mr Bull is demanding immediate answers, transparency on the investigation findings, and a clear timeline for permanent repairs to make the road safe.

Monday, 2 February 2026