Two university friends from Australia are making the 10,000-mile trip from their homes in Perth, Western Australia, to compete in next month's Parish Walk.

Caitlin Courtie and Emma Poznovia, both 20, are pupils at Curtin University in Perth where Caitlin is taking a course in chemical engineering while Emma is studying psychology.

The pair have been training hard with the objective of reaching the 32.5-mile mark at Peel, which is the furthest distance permitted for under-21 walkers.

As there are not many hills around where they live, Caitlin has averaged out the gradient of the fearsome Sloc and set the walking machine in her gym to replicate the distance and incline involved.

She spent the first five years of her life in the Isle of Man, where she was a pupil at Ballacottier School in Douglas, before the family emigrated to Australia.

She commented: ‘Emma and I wanted to do something for which we could train together. The Parish Walk is such a big challenge and we have never done anything like this before, so Emma and I both felt it would be fantastic to say we had taken part.’

It will be Emma's first visit to the Isle of Man. She is looking forward to seeing the island and viewing the many attractions about which she has been told.

The Courtie family, and their close relatives, have several connections with the event. Dad Carl competed in 2003 and 2004, while her aunt Carolyn Brown finished the full 85 miles in 2004.

Her nanna Margaret Brown has taken part twice, being a member of the winning women’s team on one occasion.

In addition, Jasmine - the wife of Caitlin’s brother Ryan - reached Kirk Michael two years ago. Ryan also emigrated to Australia with the family in 2011 but returned to the Isle of Man after completing his university degree and now lives and works here.

The Parish Walk takes place on June 21/22.