Bendigo student Max Liddy will trek the Kokoda trail as part of the inaugural 2026 Speechley Brothers Kokoda Scholarship.
Max will join students from across the state to walk the Kokoda trail, retracing the steps of local soldiers who served there during World War II.
The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad said this was the first time a scholarship of this type had been offered in Bendigo and it attracted a range of high-quality candidates.
“The selection committee has told me that they faced a very tough decision as the students who applied were all so good,” Ms Broad said.
Max is a Year 11 student at Bendigo Senior Secondary College and has a keen interest in the military and in history.
The Speechley Brothers Kokoda Scholarship honours George and Les Speechley. The brothers were from Ironbark and both saw combat on the Kokoda trail. While serving in different platoons, both brothers were killed in action in 1942, only a month apart. George was 24 and Leslie just 20 years old.
The nine-day trek is led by Nationals MP Tim Bull, and the students will also be accompanied by other Victorian Members of Parliament.
In total the students and MPs will trek 138 kilometres by foot.
They will visit the Bomana War Cemetery at Port Moresby to see the graves of those who died and each student will be taken to the location where ‘their’ local soldiers were killed.
On their return, the students become Kokoda Ambassadors, sharing their experiences by speaking at local service clubs, community groups, RSLs and commemoration ceremonies across the region.
Ms Broad thanked the RSL, other donors, and the family of the Speechley Brothers, David and Jill Speechley.
Media Contact: Linda Barrow 0484 303 764 linda.barrow@parliament.vic.gov.au
