A GENEROUS donation from a local has helped propel along the opportunity for two Euroa district students to undertake a life-changing journey of history and resilience.

Euroa's Brian Vial was born at the start of the Second World War and had several family members serve in the Pacific theatre, including one awarded the USA's highest accolade for a non-American citizen, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Despite Mr Vial's young age ensuring he had no direct involvement in the war, his philanthropy has been recognised since in his helping two selected students partake in the RSL Kokoda Track Scholarship.

Mr Vial has donated a sizeable $4000 to assist this year's students and will do so again in 2026.

The cost for each student's trip is about $6500 and is raised by other donors and business sponsorship.

Mr Vial was on hand at the first interviews with the Euroa RSL selection committee on Tuesday, 11 March and remained very modest about his generosity, saying only that he was 'happy to go along with it'.

Local MP Annabelle Cleeland presided over the committee with help from Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs Tim Bull, Euroa RSL president Matt McLaughlin, and RSL committee member Frank York.

Mr Bull said 2025 would be the second year of Euroa's involvement in the scholarship program, which began in 2018 and has since taken 138 secondary students across the nine-day quest.

Mr Bull said the Kokoda battle involved many Victorians in its early stages.

“Nearly every Victorian country town has at least one veteran from Kokoda there,” Mr Bull said.

“They came from everywhere, so it was predominantly a Victorian battle early on."

Mr Bull said a key part of the expedition was for each student to be allocated a soldier from their area to 'take across' the trail.

"They carry a photo of their soldier and a little spiel," Mr Bull said.

"We take them to where they fought and, in most cases, where they died.

"And when we've finished the trek, they then go to the grave of their soldier at Bomana War Cemetery, and they go and sit down with their soldier for 10 or 15 minutes, and have a yarn."

Mr Bull said the students made a commitment to their soldier about what they would do with their future.

"They tell them what they are going to do with the rest of their lives; because he gave his life for you and he's from your town, what will you now do in return?

"It's really powerful stuff."

The Euroa district's two successful candidates will be announced this week.