EIGHT Bathurst men loaded backpacks yesterday in the shadows of the landmark War Memorial Carillon to start a life-time adventure retracing the journey of courageous Australian Diggers who fought the Japanese on the infamous Kokoda Track.
The party of eight in Bathurst were to be joined by seven others in Sydney last night before they fly out as a group of 15 today for Port Moresby.
The group leader Tony Gullifer said they are kitted out with backpacks to carry everything they need on the 11-12 day walk, living in tents over about 105 kilometres of the famous Kokoda Track.
Mr Gullifer called the roll at 3pm at the Carillon where his mates Peter Rosin, Les Wright, Steve Owens, Brian Draper, Colin Bennett, Bruce Hackett and Dave Storey had gathered to be farewelled by their families.
“This is something I’ve thought about doing for quite some time. My father Albert ‘Boysie’ Gullifer served with the Australian Air Force for about six years, he was in Port Moresby when about 100 planes carried out an air raid,” Mr
Gullifer said.
“It was an attack that left him wounded and many others dead or injured. I’ve always thought about going to Port Moresby and will be going with my nephew David Storey, dad’s grandson on this trip.”
Colin Bennett’s grandfather Ken Moss fought in New Guinea and survived the war, something that Mr Bennett often thought about before the chance came along for him to walk the Kokoda Track.
A farmer from Freemantle, Mr Bennett will be leaving his wife Sue and children Georgia and Geoffrey as he undertakes his adventure walking the jungle of New Guinea.
“My lifestyle working the farm, running sheep and meat goats keeps me fit,” Mr Bennett said.
Much the same work ethic has prepared pine harvester contractor Peter Rosin whose wife Sally said she believes “the Kokoda walk will be a life changing experience”.
Mr Rosin was farewelled by his wife and two children Josh and Amber at the Carillon yesterday where he said they gathered as a family to attend Anzac Day commemorative services.
“We’re very patriotic and appreciate what Australia’s soldiers did for all of us,” Mr Rosin said.
“It’s different for us, we know where we’re going and what to expect, they didn’t, they never new arriving in Port Moresby wearing t-shirts and shorts.”
Fifty-nine-year old Les Wright said he's always been interested in the battles that Australian servicemen fought.
He had a great uncle killed in World War I, his grandfather survived after being wounded and his mother's brother lost his life in World War II.