VIEW Club hears tales from Kokoda Track on Remembrance Day

REMEMBRANCE Day was marked by the Myall River VIEW Club’s penultimate meeting of the year with a special guest speaker, Wayne Cooper.

Wayne shared his experiences and impressions of walking the Kokoda Track.

Wayne, who served in the police force and is also an Elvis Presley marriage celebrant, offered a humorous account of what he described as his naïve approach to preparing for the trek.

After asking himself, “How hard can that be,” Wayne soon realised the 10-day trek would be one of the most physically gruelling experiences of his life.

“My pack had to be reduced to 10kgs of essential personal items, while the 36 porters for the 16 walkers, each carried 28kgs of tents, sleeping bags, food, and other necessities,” he said.

Wayne described the challenging and undulating terrain, which caused his toes to repeatedly hit the front of his “very expensive” trekking boots, resulting in blackened, bleeding toenails.

Wayne’s trip was cut short after he cut his hand on a tree.

He initially dismissed the injury while the guide carefully cleaned and bandaged the wound; however, his condition deteriorated rapidly as a result of the tree’s poison.

“After only two hours of sleep over the next three days, I was lagging behind the others, and the guide decided to evacuate me before we entered the truly thick jungle,” Wayne said.

“I was flown to hospitals in Port Moresby, Cairns, and finally John Hunter Hospital, where I spent two weeks recovering, vowing never to return.”

But this vow was trumped by his determination to finish what he started, leading Wayne to embark upon a six-week fitness campaign, walking on rough tracks, through water, and on sand while carrying a 20kg pack.

He bought better-fitting shoes, a lighter pack, and energy-boosting snacks like jelly beans and snakes, and when he returned to Kokoda, he actually enjoyed completing the entire 96km trek over 10 days, participating in side trips, and meeting local mountain people, and children.

“I even relished the challenge of the rough terrain, like one day when we walked for 14 hours but only covered 750 metres uphill.

“The narration by the ex-SAS guide was inspiring, and all the walkers gained a deep respect and admiration for the soldiers who endured those terrible conditions.”

Wayne shared the story of Brigade Hill, where soldier Bruce Kingley disobeyed orders and led the troops to capture the area, earning a posthumous VC for his bravery.

Wayne also spoke about porters who helped the trekkers just like their predecessors had assisted the Australian troops, referring to them as the “fuzzy wuzzy angels.”

He said they were gentle, people of faith and content with their lifestyle.

Wayne believes the experience changed him both emotionally and personally, and concluded his talk by reading a moving poem he wrote called “Kokoda.”

By Thomas O’KEEFE