Wenonians walk in the footsteps of soldiers on the Kokoda Track

Five Wenonians – Molly, Sophie and Grace of Year 10 and Sarah and Jazmin of Year 11 – and their parents braved the mountainous Kokoda Track during the holidays.

In ��AV’s first parent/student trek, the girls hiked the 100km jungle trail over seven humid days. They sang as they mounted hills, some of which took more than four hours to scale, played games and took moments to reflect on the lives lost on the track during World War II.

“It’s very physically demanding, so there’s such a sense of achievement in doing it,” said PDHPE Teacher Miss Cat Minifie, who organised the trek. “It was a lot more emotional than I thought it would be. I really felt as I was walking in the footsteps of those soldiers.”

But the girls were prepared. Before leaving, they spent weekends trekking through national parks in and around Sydney, and a weekend hiking in the Blue Mountains. They were also tasked with learning about an Australian soldier who fought in World War II along the track.

At the completion of the trek, when the girls reached Bomana War Cemetery, they searched for the name of the soldier they had researched. “The final morning was particularly special, with the girls singing the hymn, O God Our Help in Ages Past.”

Reflecting on the trip, Sophie of Year 10 said she took home “a great understanding of the [track's] rich history, strong friendships and a sense of pride in knowing that if I put my mind to something, I can achieve it.”

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