News / Media

60km Challenge

February 13, 2019

JOIN AUSTRALIA’S FIRST GOLD AWARD HOLDER TO CELEBRATE THE 60^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AWARD IN AUSTRALIA!

Michael Dillon AM achieved his Gold Award in 1962 as Australia’s first Gold Award Holder and was presented his Certificate by HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1963. Since completing his Award, Michael has accomplished a lot in his life becoming one of Australia’s leading cinematographers and makers of adventure and expedition documentaries, having won more awards in his field than any other individual worldwide. Over the years he has continued to be involved with the Award, encouraging young Participants to challenge themselves and achieve their goals.

Michael has now set himself a new challenge in 2019 to celebrate 60 years of the Award in Australia by undertaking a 60km challenge. He would like to invite Award Alumni or any person involved with the Award over the age of 18, to join him in his challenge!

WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?
Michael will hike 60 kilometres, one kilometre for every year the Award has operated in Australia.

WHEN AND WHERE?
The 2019 Easter long weekend (19^th April – 22^nd April 2019), in the Hanging Rock, Mount Macedon Region, near Melbourne.

Those interested in finding out more information and how to register for the challenge, please contact Michael directly at [email protected]

December 18, 2025

Duke of Ed Lifts Student Achievement

University-led research shows stronger academic results among Duke of Ed students, in addition to the known personal development benefits. A landmark study by Western Sydney University has confirmed what many educators and Duke of Ed Leaders have long observed: young people who use the Duke of Ed Framework develop stronger personal capabilities and achieve better academic results. The comparative study, using five NSW public secondary schools, examined several data points including academic grades, NAPLAN scores, […]

December 3, 2025

Coco’s Journey in Sport and the Duke of Ed

Sport and adventure go hand in hand and for Coco, they’ve been life-changing. Inspired by her siblings, Coco set out to complete the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, determined to embrace every challenge. Aligning the Duke of Ed Framework with her passion for sport, Coco chose wheelchair racing for her Physical Section. Already a […]

November 19, 2025

Research Proves Human Skills Take Centre Stage

How the Duke of Ed can fill the gap In an era of rapid technological change and evolving workforce expectations, new research published by Harvard Business Review (HBR) highlights a powerful trend: human-centred capabilities, often called human skills, are now more valuable than ever. As organisations respond to generative AI, automation and shifting job structures, employers are […]