BETWEEN March 26 and April 4, three youngsters flew to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to take on the Kokoda Trek, one of the world’s most recognised historical trails.

Eliot Barton from Kalamunda, Joseph Allen from Swan View and James Parker from Aveley were part of the group of 19 young people who journeyed along the 96km track.

After being selected in August last year, the kids went through mental and physical programs, known as Kokoda Courage, along with safety guidelines and a look into the culture of the PNG.

“Around eight challenging months of physical and mental preparation helped the group to successfully trek through the dense jungles, hiking distances ranging from 12 to 19km  per day over steep and arduous terrain, through a diverse and beautiful rainforest,” a Y WA spokesperson said.

Throughout the journey, the they hiked through mountain ranges, crossed rivers and encountered a variety of traditional cultures of the people who lived along the track.

Presentations were held at significant battle sites to explore topics such as sacrifice, courage, mateship, endurance and leadership.

Fifteen-year-old Eliot said she was surprised to see what she was capable of.

“I was a lot more capable than I thought I was, which is really cool,” Eliot said.

“I think the training actually paid off.

“The fact that I surprised myself like that makes me think I’ve underestimated myself in other areas as well.”

Through this accomplishment, Eliot said she felt motivated to put in the same effort with other aspects of her life.

“If I was able to do something like Kokoda, I can probably take my skills further,” she said.

“I think I’m getting more confident about it.