St George's Defence Holiday Suites is Open for HOLIDAY BOOKINGS

It's that time of year again - July, a time when your friendly neighbourhood streets descend into a blur of hiking boots whizzing past, as visions of oversized backpacks dance through your head. Neighbours doing lunges along five mile routes daily before breakfast; all the while, the rest of us drowsily hit the snooze button or look on, bewildered. Who are this army of backpack-toting ramblers and what is the meaning of this flurry of activity in the dead of winter? No, there isn't an apocalypse afoot - no need to hop into that survivalist bunker with your baked beans just yet. These folk you've spotted in the wild are actually preparing for the trek of a lifetime - The Kokoda Challenge - a rite of passage that has its roots deeply ingrained in Australian history and our psyche. The Kokoda Track is actually one of the world's toughest treks, spanning about 100km of unforgiving territory and linking the north and south of Papua New Guinea. Here lays the site of one of Australia's most brutal, yet important WWII battles in 1942, which sadly resulted in over 1500 deaths. Today, many Australians make the gruelling and emotional trek to Kokoda to pay respect to our brave ancestors, face the same conditions they would have faced and to pause and reflect upon significant landmarks along the way. For those who are unable to make the trek to the original site, there are multiple Kokoda Challenge charity events held around Australia in the spirit of 'courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice'. For more information on how you can participate in or support next year's event on the Gold Coast visit www.kokodachallengeevents.com. And next time you see your neighbour lunging around your street, resist the urge to chuckle and offer them a well-deserved coffee.

Not sure where to take dad for Father's Day this year? Here's a few ideas to help get you started:

Why not make a day of it and take a short drive to surfing legend, Mick Fanning's new brewery, Balter in Currumbin for a sneaky local beer or two and some food truck favourites for lunch? Around the corner, you'l also find the quirky, vintage muscle car/motorbike themed, Iron & Resin for a morning coffee and some manly brunch - all in atmosphere of an oversized man cave.

The Strand at Coolangatta is only a short drive or stroll away from your apartment, so dad will be spoilt for choice with a vast array of restaurants, action movies at Events Cinemas, Time Zone game time (for the kids at heart), Cooly Hotel for an afternoon beer and a selection of local sports bars nearby to catch his favourite match live.

Or simply give dad a few hours peace and let him go for an epic surf, while you prepare him a delicious picnic lunch. With some of the best surf breaks in the world - D-bah (Duranbah), Greenmount (Kirra Beach), Snapper (Kirra/Rainbow Bay - home of the Quicksilver Pro) and The Alley (Currumbin) - all only a short drive away from your apartment, surfer dads will enjoy the trip of a lifetime and you will score some major brownie points!

Father's day is the perfect time to show dad you care. What better way to spoil him than with a weekend away? Book your accommodation at St. George's Defence Holiday Suites or The Garland NOW to avoid disappointment.