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Kokoda Trail pushes teenager to limit

SA Country Hour
Kokoda Trail challenges teenager

Trekking the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea is a long way from the Australian outback. Jarrah Seager (16) from Broken Hill does it tough as part of a NSW youth leadership development program.

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The rugged landscape in the outback is a far cry from the hot, tropical mountains of Papua New Guinea.

But growing up in Broken Hill, a rural mining town in far west New South Wales, wasn't going to stop one young person from trying.

Sixteen-year-old Jarrah Seager was selected through a NSW youth leadership development program to walk, with 25 other young people, in the footsteps of our diggers.

Ms Seager says trekking the Kokoda Trail was excruciatingly tough.

"I can remember being up on one of the hills and pretty much crawling and thinking 'I just can't do this', being physically challenged in that way slowly breaks down your emotional strength.

"We trekked about 120 kilometres over 10 days. I had 17 kilos on my back and I walked through mud, over slippery tree roots and across waist-high rivers.

Being physically challenged in that way slowly breaks down your emotional strength
Broken Hill High School student Jarrah Seager

"There are moments where you break down and struggle but you develop team work, you have to keep everyone going."

Thoughts of a great uncle and the other diggers who fought along the trail was what kept Jarrah Seager pushing through sweat, tears and the steamy, thick jungle.

"You can just imagine what the soldiers experienced in WWII; they went over there and sacrificed themselves to protect our country and our way of life; it had a great impact upon me.

Kind help from the local porters made the journey a little easier for the young adventurers.

"There were about 33 Papuans helping us with our packs as we climbed over logs.

"They were so lovely to us. I can see why they were called the fuzzy wuzzy angels back then, they were definitely angels to us; our closest neighbour became our closest friend."

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