Kokoda Track

The incredible opportunity for Molly, Olivia, Henry, Ben and Kade was made possible by AKD Softwoods who arranged the logistics and prepared the participants from Trinity and CSC for the arduous journey.

After arriving at Port Moresby via Brisbane, the travellers flew to Popondetta before being driven four hours through dense forest and mountains to the beginning of the Kokoda Trail.

As the group began to consider the challenge ahead, a visit to the war museum at the location where the Aussie soldiers first encountered the Japanese army highlighted the tragic history of the area.

The confronting recount was fresh in their minds as they shouldered their packs the next morning and began their adventure. Early morning departures became the routine as the group trekked through small villages and crossed rivers using swaying bridges while toting their supplies on their backs.

The students came to rely on their porters who guided them through the tricky sections of the track, keeping morale up jokes and music. The porters also held singalongs in the evening to keep everybody entertained and mornings were also great times for some inspiring music to raise motivation.

The students played volleyball at Agulogo and also learned about traditional hunting techniques for tree kangaroo, cassowary and native pigs. At Efogi they cooked banana bread and also visited a school, getting to know some local children and seeing how classrooms looked in the middle of the jungle.

Along the track, historical landmarks were pointed out by their helpful guides who shared stories about the battles that took place there. The general terrain was clay, shale, loose rock, rivers, tree roots and large boulders and walking was slippery, particularly after it rained.

On day nine, the intrepid trekkers arrived at Owens Corner and their incredible experience was over. Back at Port Moresby, the team enjoyed some down time, relaxing by the pool and recounting their adventure of a lifetime. The lessons in resilience, perseverance and teamwork were invaluable and the memories will last forever.

A massive thank you to AKD for their investment in the development of our students, and to Kokoda Courage for ensuring the safety and support of all our trekkers.