From Balaklava to Kokoda’s battleground, Leigh Wright completed the ultimate trek
The iconic Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea has captured the hearts and imaginations of Aussie’s for decades and for Balaklava local Leigh Wright, it was the adventure of a lifetime as he retraced his grandfather’s footsteps through the Papuan jungle.
With little more than a pair of hiking boots and sheer determination, Leigh dove headfirst into the Kokoda Trail, confessing that his preparation wasn’t ideal – he hadn’t even done a few training runs up and down the grandstand stairs at his local footy club! “I did a lot of walking, but yeah—not so much mountain climbing, which would have been handy,” he chuckled.
But this dad of three and self-confessed stubborn bastard, proved he had what it took, and pushed both his body and mind to complete the 96km treacherous trek.
“It’s something we’ve always talked about as a family, and when my uncle suggested we go, my two cousins and I jumped at the chance,” Leigh said.
Leigh admits that before the trek, his knowledge of Kokoda was limited. But he soon found himself fascinated by its history. “Because we knew my grandfather’s battalion, we learned about pivotal moments in his experience fighting the Japanese. It was eye-opening,” Leigh said.
The Kokoda Campaign, one of Australia’s most significant military engagements, took place from July to November 1942. Australian forces fought to halt Japanese troops advancing towards Port Moresby via the treacherous Kokoda Trail, a path of steep climbs, muddy descents, and dense jungle. Over 600 Australians were killed, and more than 1,600 were wounded. Leigh’s grandfather was among the brave men who fought in this brutal, four-month campaign, where the support of local Papuan men—known as Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels—was critical to Australia’s success.
Despite reading that you didn’t need to be an elite athlete to trek Kokoda, by the end of day one, he was having second thoughts. “I genuinely thought I was going to die,” he laughed.
Despite the early struggles, things started to look up. That said, it was hard for him to fathom how his grandfather’s generation fought a war in such conditions. “The fact they battled through such challenging terrain in a hot and humid climate while under fire is simply amazing,” he said.
The physical challenge of the trail is famous, but the mental toll was just as intense. At times, Leigh would walk alone for hours, with only the sounds of the jungle to keep him company. “You’d have to pinch yourself and think, ‘I’m on the Kokoda Trail. This is incredible,’” he said. The solitude gave him time to reflect, especially on his father, who had passed away just four weeks before the trek. “When things got really hard, I’d think of him and how excited he was that I was trekking Kokoda. It gave me the strength to keep going.”
Not everyone was as fortunate. Leigh’s uncle, who’d set out with him, was choppered out after the first day due to a knee injury, leaving Leigh and his two cousins to finish the trail without him.
Among the many memorable moments on the trek for Leigh was when he wearily descended into a village and was stopped in his tracks by the sound of a little girl singing. “No one else was with me, and no one else heard it. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before – just beautiful. I’ll take the sound of that little girl singing with me to my grave,” he recalled.
As expected the trail had its fair share of challenges. “The whole thing is pretty dodgy, to be honest! I wouldn’t see my porter for hours, but then, out of nowhere, as I’d reach a difficult section, wondering how I was going to tackle it, he’d turn up – push me up a steep hill, take off my backpack, and carry it like it weighed nothing, all while wearing thongs!” Leigh was amazed by the strength and resilience of the Papuan porters, some of whom were descendants of the legendary Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.
As the days rolled by, the group’s mindset shifted from exhaustion to a bittersweet realisation that they were nearing the end of their journey. Despite the sore legs, the makeshift showers, and the long-drop toilets precariously positioned above treetops, there was something about being on the trail that none of them wanted to give up.
“It’s life-changing, honestly,” Leigh said. “Growing up as a kid, my life was all about sport—footy and basketball. Now, my family and three boys are the most precious things to me, but this trek gave me a whole new appreciation for the life I’ve built and the sacrifices made to allow us to have it.”
When asked if he’d do it again, Leigh didn’t hesitate. “In a heartbeat,” he grinned. “Although I’d train a bit differently next time!”
“The past ten life-changing days in Kokoda. Blood, sweat, tears, mud and pain but all well worth it.
What an experience to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps with some family members of the battle with Japan all those years ago. Topped off by seeing a photo of my grandfather at the finish line. What are the chances?
An experience I’ll remember forever” ~ Leigh Wright
