It is only very occasionally that anyone will get the opportunity to do something truly inspiring and spectacular at a time that will define a point in history. So, a group of CSS connected people—who were joined with 16 other keen individuals—took on a trek from Kokoda Village on April 15, across the Owen Stanley Ranges and arriving into Owers’ Corner on the outskirts of Port Moresby on mid- morning on April 24.

The following morning, the group of weary but elated trekkers attended the ANZAC Day dawn service at Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby. Being a commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the diggers landing on Gallipoli, it was an honour being there for all concerned.

The trekkers—Phil West (and his sons David and Michael) of The Bolt Place Bundaberg, Jim Holroyd of Jim’s First Hardware in Dunsborough, Chris Waring (and his good mate Ray Allen) of The Bolt Barn in Lismore, Nolan Keen (and his brother-in-law Nathan Koehler) of Dalby General Steel in  Dalby, Andrew Hargreaves from Centenary Power Tools in Brisbane, Fred Hall of DBF Tools & Industrial Supplies of Hoppers Crossing, Jeff Wellard (and his niece Sharon Wellard) of CSS Administration in Melbourne and Iain Brown of Bordo International of Scoresby, along with the other 16 people in the (Adventure Kokoda) AK1501 Trek—all displayed great courage, mental toughness and endurance through extremely trying conditions over the 10-day trek.

Eight days of heavy rain made the going tougher than usual with the rough tracks being turned into a quagmire of high mud, slippery stones, rocks and rotting vegetation. The many river crossings were made even more ‘exciting to take on’ because of the raging waters racing through them. “You certainly find out a lot more about yourself on a trek like this. I mean, you are subjected to physical and mental pressures that take you to the very limit of what you have to give before you find you can— and do—give that little bit more,” says Phil West of Bundaberg.