Bob Stewart experienced the trek of a lifetime during a visit to the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.By Tania Martin
ROB Stewart has returned home a changed man after experiencing the ultimate trek – the Kokoda Track.
The 58-year-old Narre Warren man recently spoke of his life changing experience with one of the few remaining Kokoda Diggers, Bob Simmonds.
The Kokoda Track is the site of one of the bloodiest campaigns of WWII, which forever sealed a relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG).
It all started on 21 July, 1942, when Japanese troops landed on the northern coast of PNG and unexpectedly began to march over the Owen Stanley Ranges in an attempt to capture Port Moresby.
Stopping the Japanese was imperative for the Aussie troops because if they had succeeded, the mainland of Australia would have been under direct threat.
The 21st Brigade was rushed to PNG and within days 1500 men were taking up position in the Owen Stanley Ranges to stop the Japanese 10,000 strong force from advancing.
Kokoda became one of the country’s most significant battles, with the Japanese getting the closest ever to Australian waters.
Mr Stewart said visiting the Bomana War Cemetery outside Port Moresby was one of the most emotional moments he had ever experienced.
“It was scary looking at the headstones of young soldiers as young as 18 and 19,” he said.
He decided to take up the challenge of one of the world’s greatest treks with some of his work colleagues from Chisholm TAFE.
Mr Stewart said no amount of training had prepared him for how tough the trek would be.
Despite several months of pre-trek training at least three hours a day, it wasn’t enough.
“It’s going to take time for my knees to get over it … the trail was like stepping down from a chair and then back up a steep incline again, across mud and tree roots,” he said.
Mr Stewart said it was hard to imagine how the Diggers managed to travel the track with a pack, rifle, and tin hat.
“I don’t know how they managed to get artillery up and down the hill … the terrain is so steep and narrow,” he said.
Mr Stewart said the trek was an experience not to be missed.
