The team of mentors and students have already undertaken boot camp bonding and training adventures throughout the year to prepare to the extreme conditions and Kali said she is excited to be travelling alongside the group.

“It’s a program that teaches you how to develop skills in leadership and we’ve been working with the kids, we’ve been buddied up with the kids and have been conversing with them,” she said.

The 16-day trip embarks on December 15 and Kali said it has been heralded as the opportunity of a lifetime for eight students and 39 mentors travelling to the frozen continent.

“It’s amazing. It’s so quiet,” Kali said.

“I’ve been there before, that’s what gets me is the quietness. It’s amazing.”

Kali returned to Inverell last week seeking support to see the trip through. 

The group are currently seeking sponsors for adventurous teddy bears who will be making the voyage with the team.

The group will be attempting to top the world record for soft toys on ice and have set the target of 240 bears to travel with the team, sharing the experience with local sponsors.

“I’m back in Inverell and the plan is to go around to a few more businesses and ask if anyone else would like to send a teddy bear,” she said.

Bears will be travelling with an individual ticket price of $500 and will return with photographs of their travels, an Antarctica visa stamp and passport to document their travels along with one of Kali’s original artworks among a list of sponsor benefits. 

For further information, contact Kali on 0458 210 301, Peter Bland on 0417 330 517 or Beatrice Imbert 0408 566 071.