In 2006 over 400 schools and 40,000 students competed in 50 Rock Eisteddfod Challenge shows in 17 regions across Australia.
History
thumb|right|Croc Festival logo
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.
Expansion to other countries
In New Zealand, the event was introduced in 1993, where it was branded as the Smokefree Stage Challenge,
The Rock Eisteddfod Challenge as an Intervention to Increase Resiliency and Improve Health Behaviours in Adolescents (1999–2001) study examined a sample of 44 Sydney high school students and explained the effectiveness of the events as a youth program. In Melbourne and Sydney there is an open, small and premier division.
Introduced in 2006, the RAW Division is the division of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge which has a 'no set' rule, focusing purely on dance. Participants are encouraged to explore using the human body in order to tell their story, and as a result RAW division has greater emphasis on choreography, dance and drama.