Lomandra students dig deep to complete Kokoda Track

A GROUP of students and staff from Lomandra School at Campbelltown dug deep within themselves to complete a 10-day journey across the gruelling Kokoda Track.

A  GROUP of students and staff from Lomandra School at Campbelltown dug deep within themselves to complete a 10-day journey across the gruelling Kokoda Track.

Completing the famous track alongside Campbelltown state Labor MP Greg Warren, the four students and four teachers worked their way across 96km of steep jungle terrain during the school holidays.

Their trek took them from the village of Kokoda in Papua New Guinea’s east, through the Owen Stanley Range and around the peak of Mt Bellamy to Owers Corner, east of Port Moresby.

Kokoda was the sight of a major Australian engagement during WWII.

The Kokoda Track was made famous as the location of a battle between Australian and Japanese forces in 1942 during WWII.

Mr Warren said the students grew within themselves as the days wore on.

“Their confidence levels and belief in themselves quadrupled,” Mr Warren said.

“What they learnt was that no mountain is too high.

“There were some very challenging moments where it was raining and everyone was covered in mud while the hill we were climbing just never seemed to end.

Lomandra students and staff braved mountainous terrain to complete the trek.

“The mental challenges are far more averse than the physical challenges.”

Lomandra School caters for students from Year 5 to 12 with behavioural challenges.

This was the school’s third annual trek on the Kokoda Track.

Student Harry Boyden-Shepard, 15, said he learnt the value of courage, sacrifice, endurance and mateship on the trek.

“I learnt that nothing is ever really as it seems in the sense that the mountain has to end some time,” Harry said. “There has to be a top, there has to be a bottom, you’re not going to be climbing it forever.”

Greg Warren at the grave of Fred Murray, brother of former Camden Deputy Mayor John Murray.

Student Brandon Contreras, 17, recalled arriving in Kokoda early on in the trip. “We were waiting for our two mates from Port Moresby and there were children there,” Brandon said.

“Darren, one of our mates had a frisbee. We played for an hour and a half just with the children there with that one frisbee and that made me feel good.”

Mr Warren said the experience will serve the students well throughout the rest of their lives. “I spoke to them on the last day,” he said.

“I told them that when you’re going through the hills of life and it’s getting tough, reflect back on this time and say you can do this even if, like the track, it’s one step at a time.”