During the mid-semester break students of the Trinity Leadership Challenge set off to trek the Kokoda Trail, considered one of the hardest hikes in the world.
Having undertaken physical preparation and leadership development workshops throughout the year, the team of eight students arrived in Port Morsby to begin its 96km expedition through Papua New Guinea’s Owen Stanley Range.
Guided by a Papuan support team and a historical expert over eight days, the group visited local villages, significant battle sites and a number of memorial sites.
‘The physical and mental challenge of the trek compounded with wartime history and untouched nature of the terrain made for an experience unlike anything I've ever encountered,’ Tom Szoka (2nd year Commerce) said.
Through the history shared by guides and experiencing the Trail first hand, the group gained an appreciation of the Kokoda campaign’s significance in WWII, as well as the cultures of villages they passed and camped in along the way.
‘The experience has given me an understanding of what the Australian and Papuan soldiers together achieved and the conditions they faced. I have the utmost respect for their service and the hardships they overcame.’
‘The stories of true leadership and courage were unparalleled, and helped give context to the effort and the sacrifice of so many young Australians and Papuans,’ Cale Dobrosak (2nd year Biomedicine) said.
