Hundreds of Gippslanders walk 96km to raise money for our veterans

“If they're prepared to go and keep us safe then I can’t whinge about a blister and a rolled ankle.”

Jacob Wallace
April 01, 2026

Leongatha resident Vivian Carroll’s father Dr John Carroll was 19 when he was sent to war in Vietnam in 1966.

“I wasn't born when dad came home from Vietnam,” Vivian told the Monitor. “But I was old enough to remember when dad got into a disagreement with someone on the steps of state parliament about recognition.”

The Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon in April 1975, and by that time most Australian troops had already been withdrawn from the region.

But they wouldn’t receive an official Welcome Home parade until 1987.

One of the major problems that Australia’s approximately 60,000 Vietnam veterans faced, and veterans from subsequent wars still face to this day, is access to mental health services.

Male ex-serving members are 42 percent more likely to die by suicide than other Australia males, according to the 2024 Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

To raise money for mental health services for ex-servicemen and women, Vivian Carroll took part in the March On Challenge charity event.

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How does it work? In March more than 12,000 Australians attempted to walk the length of the Kokoda Track (96km) to raise funds for Soldier On's mental health services and programs for returned Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families.

What is Soldier On? Soldier On is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers support services like mental health, education and employment support to current and former ADF personnel and their families.

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There were over 300 Gippslanders who participated in the charity event. People were able to walk as much or as little as they wanted each day. Carroll decided to split up the distance evenly and attempt 3km every day.

She said she thought about giving up on the event multiple times throughout the month.

“Day one, I gave myself a blister because I wore the wrong shoes. Day two, I tripped over and rolled my ankle a little bit and day three of March happened to be my 50th birthday.”

Asked why she ploughed on, Carroll said: “Bottom line, my respect for veterans and for servicemen and women everywhere. If they're prepared to go and keep us safe then I can’t whinge about a blister and a rolled ankle.”

Carroll finished the 96km and raised $812 for Soldier On. The event raised over $3 million nationally.

If this story has raised concerns for you, please call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the ADF support line on 1800 628 036.