Trekking the Kokoda trail 

Editorial written by our Year 11 student Matilda Sowter on her journey thus far. 

Welcome to the Jungle 

Up and Down, left to right, hot then cold, this is how I describe the Kokoda trail. 

It was an honour being able to walk the 138 km trek, to be able to see a mere glimpse of what those honourable men and women went through. 

Along the 9-day trek stories were told but weren’t just said but brought to life by both the porters and trek leaders. From a corporal’s special garden to surgeon’s rock, and Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, every part of this historical trek was alive.

 I, Matilda Sowter was given this opportunity on a chance of pure luck, and yet I am incredibly grateful I was able to go. Along with my trekking gear I was given, Mr Peter Hughes father’s medallion to take with me. Every dawn service, memorial, story that medallion was with me, it aided in my trekking not just as a reminder but as a sign of hope. Hope that filled my heart pride and the ANZAC sense of mateship, if those men and women were able to walk this trek while being shot at I certainly could.

I recommend everyone to walk this trek, if you can’t walk crawl, if you can’t crawl do research, or speak about it. We cannot let those good men and women’s memory be forgotten.

Written by Matilda Sowter

Year 11 student  

Friends for Life - By Mr Peter Hughes

In 2017 on the 75th anniversary of the second World War, a young student from Mildura carried a medallion belonging to Mr Peter Hughes’ uncle on the Kokoda Trail. That soldier, Fred Selwood, served for five years in World War II. Returning home to Ararat in 1945, he met a young Irish serviceman who had immigrated to Australia at the end of the war. That Irishman Peter Hughes senior, met Fred’s youngest sister Eileen and the rest, as they say, is history.

When Fred died in 1979, his memory and sacrifice have never been forgotten. 

In 2006 the Australian Federal Government awarded a medallion to every serviceman and woman who served in World War two. The medallion says ‘For service to Australia’. As his sole surviving heir, Mr Peter Hughes was very proud the government had recognised Fred’s service.

Mr Peter Hughes senior passed away in 2019 at 95 years of age and one of the things left to his son was his war medals and the anniversary medallion. When Mr Hughes heard that our own student Matilda Sowter, Year 11, was going to walk the Kokoda trail, an opportunity arose for this second medallion to go with her. Mr Hughes himself will never walk the trail, but the fact that both medallions have now been on it is a testament to the young people of our country and their respect for the service of our military.

Thankyou Matilda for carrying the medallion and the decision you have made to walk the Kokoda trail. 

Editorial written by 

Mr Peter Hughes

Kyabram P-12 Teacher