The event, to be known as D2D, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the residential College and was launched on campus on Thursday by UNE Chancellor Richard Torbay.

He urged the university and wider community to give it their strong support.

“The hospital needs a new Neo-Natal Resuscitation Unit and other equipment and the D2D organisers are getting a very enthusiastic response already from people wanting to participate and help on the day,” he said.

“This event also links with our historic past with the mountain, college and high school all named after John Duval, a ticket-of-leave convict in charge of cattle on William Dumaresq’s original Tilbuster station.”

Start off time will be 10am from Kirby Rural Research Station at the foot of Mt Duval on Sunday, August 30 and teams and individuals are invited to register.

For the fittest who like an extra challenge, there will be a number of pre-event competitions to race from the foot of Mount Duval at UNE Newholme Station to the peak.

Duval High School has also come on board with its own D2D warm up event involving students and staff in a 4km fun run/walk from the school to Duval College on Friday, August 28.

D2D participants will be charged an entry fee which will include a BBQ lunch at the completion of the course and teams of four will be asked to consider raising an additional $100 with individuals encouraged to raise a further $20 over and above their entry fee.

The organising committee will also conduct competitions to reward those who raise the most amount of money in a team or as an individual.

Edwards Coaches has agreed to transport participants from the university’s Wright Centre to Kirby Research Station (free of charge) on the day.

The event has received support from the UNE, Duval High School, mayors of local Councils (Guyra, Uralla and Armidale Dumaresq), Edwards Coaches and the New England Credit Union.