took part in one of the hundreds of shows staged worldwide.{{}} In 2006 over 400 schools and 40,000 students competed in 50 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge shows in 17 regions across Australia. History The concept began in Sydney in 1980 known as the Rock 'n' Roll Eisteddfod, a NSW Arts Council sponsored-event held at the Hordern Pavilion. The idea was developed by Sydney radio station 2SM and, with support from Coca-Cola, the NSW Arts Council promoted the event as an example of local youth culture in action. In 1988 the New South Wales Department of Health was the first to see the Rock Eisteddfod as an opportunity to deliver the Quit for life anti-smoking message to secondary school students in New South Wales. At the same time, Kerrie Hayes and Peter Sjoquist took over and revitalised the event which became known nationally as the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. In 1998 the Rock Eisteddfod was televised nationally for the first time on the Nine Network as part of the National Drug Offensive. Novelist Tim Levy was an organiser of the Junior youth competition and hosted it in five cities across Australia. Expansion to other countries In New Zealand, the event was introduced in 1993, where it was branded as the Smokefree Stage Challenge, starting with 20 schools and 2000 participants, and had grown to include 171 schools and 16,381 participants. In 1995 Inspector Mark Pontin of the Hampshire Constabulary visited Australia on a Churchill Scholarship. Pontin saw the Australian Rock Eisteddfod Challenge first hand and was so impressed that he persuaded the Chief Constable, Sir John Hoddinott, to introduce it to their area of the United Kingdom. In 1996 the inaugural event of the Rock Challenge was staged in Portsmouth with eleven schools and 800 students. This has now turned into a national series of competitions, usually starting in Aberdeen in February and running through many parts of the UK (including London, at the Hackney Empire) until the northern and southern Grand Finals around the end of May / beginning of June. Rock Eisteddfod events were staged in several locations worldwide. New Zealand, Germany, the U.S. (until 2003), United Kingdom, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa have all taken up the Global Rock Challenge. A sister event, The Croc Festival, staged a series of festivals in remote and regional areas of Australia, aimed at both indigenous and non-indigenous communities are held