Grant Deppler

Grant Deppler was guest speaker at the Monday 30th January meeting.
Grant undertook walk along Kokoda Track during May/June for Interplast.
29 in group with Turia Pitt.
Ultimate test mentally, physically and emotionally and was a complete life changing milestone.

The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs 96 kilometres (60 mi) overland – 60 kilometres (37 mi) in a straight line – through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea. The track was the location of the 1942 World War II battle between Japanese and Allied – primarily Australian – forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua.

The track runs from Owers Corner in Central Province, 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Port Moresby, across rugged and isolated terrain which is only passable on foot, to the village of Kokoda in Oro Province. It reaches a height of 2,190 metres (7,185 ft) as it passes around the peak of Mount Bellamy.

First day of trek to Hoi taking 2 hours in 32 degrees and 95% humidity. Joseph was porter for the trek.

Day 2 to Isurava a six hour climb out of Hoi. Member of party injured.

Day 3 Templetons Crossing where Australia suffered biggest loss of life. Moyola Lakes, off Kokoda Track drop zone for Australia.

Rest day at Naduri, undertaking 3 hour walk down to local school.

Efogi and Brigade Hill largest fighting with 74 lives lost.

Menare swampy terrain. Only two memorials for Japanese along track.

Iroribaiwa Ridge was the southern most point Japanese made.

Uaule last night camp - emotionally, physically, mentally exhausted.

Supportive group learning how to live with what you have, not what you want.

$343,878 raised for Interplast.

Planning trip to Base Camp on Mr Everest which has already raised $60,000. Turia Pitt has tremendous attraction for corporate world to support Interplast.