The Kokoda Track is a 96 km walk of steep ascents and descents set amongst a glorious forest canopy. 

The weather is typically hot and humid and the countryside always challenging.  

Team members are mostly from Parkes with former Parkes residents from Inverell, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Bogan Gate and Gladstone joining them.

The Kokoda Trek expedition is self-managed and has been 12 months in the planning and training.

The trek is to take place over six days with the team being self-sufficient and carrying all of their own gear - up to 20kg in a backpack. 

Treks of this nature would normally be spread over nine or 10 days but the team wanted to test themselves both physically and mentally as well as walk in the footsteps of Australia’s legendary diggers and the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.

The trek will encompass all of the physical elements required but it will also incorporate the proud military history of Kokoda with attention given to the mighty battles of the campaign.

The team members have trained extensively in the past 12 months and feel sufficiently prepared for the challenge.

Training treks have included Mt Feathertop in Victoria (Australia’s highest net climb of 1400m), a trek in the Warrumbungles and a return trek of 100 kms on the 6 Foot Track in the Blue Mountains over four days.

The team are excited to be commemorating the heroic deeds of our Diggers, immersing themselves into the cultural fabric of PNG and testing their physical capability.

All going well they hope to arrive home safely with some yarns to tell.