Thursday 12 September

Today started with a short trek past the Kagi church out of the village to the airfield, then it was the steepest descent of the trek down to a creek crossing. The trekkers topped up with some water here and then had a 10-minute calf burner to the top, followed by a relatively easy 30-minute hike for a rest, and then another 20 minutes into Efogi on the hill for a break. Here the trekkers rested and had morning tea, enjoying the views before trekking 30 minutes down to Efogi Village in the valley. They inspected the museum here, and then hiked out of the village enjoying the beautiful views as they began the slogging ascent of Brigade Hill via Mission Ridge. They then trekked on for an emotional ceremony on the summit of Brigade Hill in honour of the soldiers, and in remembrance of their bravery. The trekkers had lunch at Brigade Hill and then followed the track, with a long 1.5-hour descent for a break, before another hour to the creek at the bottom.

They stopped at the bottom for a refreshing swim, before an easy 40-minute hike into camp, arriving at 5pm per schedule, where they are now having a well-earned rest and waiting for dinner. The weather was different today as the trekkers experienced light rainfall from 11:30am and continued until they arrived in camp. Menari is the site where the brave 39th Battalion were withdrawn from the campaign before the battle at Brigade Hill. Exhausted and on the brink of total collapse the remaining ‘Ragged Bloody Heroes’ struggled back to Port Moresby. They would return to fight at Buna and Gona.