St Joseph’s College Year 11 student Stella Elliott was so determined to be part of the Colin Sinclair Scholarship recipients to walk the Kokoda Trail she did not trust cyberspace to safely deliver her application.

Instead, she turned up at the front door of Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh’s office at High St, Echuca to hand deliver it, safe in the knowledge she was in the running.

Soon, she will join four other Year 11s from across the Murray Plains electorate to walk in the footsteps of heroes.

Mr Walsh said Stella and the other students were not getting a free overseas holiday, but instead taking on a responsibility to represent their communities and the families of the hundreds of soldiers who fought and died on the trail more than 80 years ago.

He said the scholarship — in memory of Colin Sinclair, a soldier from his electorate who died in the campaign — was set up to immerse future young leaders in this pivotal part of the Australian story.

It will also include a visit to the Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby, where most of the Australians killed in the campaign are buried.

“This trip represents an exciting and humbling opportunity for these young people to learn more about what is one of the great Australian stories of the modern era — and to learn more about themselves,” Mr Walsh said.

“When the students return from Kokoda they agree to become ambassadors for the next 12 months, talking about their trip and experiences to RSLs, schools, service groups and sponsors as well as helping out with major events such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

“We took our first group to Kokoda last year, and this year I will be making the trip again, and we have already found the 10 days we spend in Papua New Guinea have had a profound and positive impact on those who went.

“And we could not offer these opportunities without some amazing support from local business, and Stella has been supported by Moama RSL, Rich River Golf Club and Tiverton Agricultural Impact Fund, so we are grateful for their investment in such a grassroots community event.”

Stella won’t exactly be stepping into the unknown either.

Her family is steeped in Australian military history, with relatives having fought in Papua New Guinea, at Tobruk in North Africa and served in Australia.

One of them was a prisoner of war incarcerated in the notorious Changi prison in Singapore and was lucky enough to survive.

“My great-grandfather served in Papua New Guinea and Indochina and my other great-grandfather was stationed in Tobruk with the Ninth Division and was diverted to Papua New Guinea on his way back to Australia,” Stella said.

“My great-grandmother served in communications with the AIF in Townsville during World War II, and it was my great, great uncle who was in Changi.

“In the past 18 months, the experience of the Kokoda Trail has really stood out to me.

“When I stop and think many of these soldiers were not much older than me, I know some were my age, it really stops you and makes you think, what they did and how we have benefited.”

Stella has visited sites such as the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the Pearl Harbour museum in Hawaii and learnt about the Vietnam War when visiting that country, having seen the Ho Chi Minh Cu Chi tunnels among other sites.

On a visit to Singapore she also got the chance to see Changi’s war museum, which tells the story of the more-than 50,000 Allied soldiers.

Stella was also interested in the cultural experience and traditions she is likely to encounter among the remote highland villages on the trek, as well as see the tropical scenery along the way.

“The Kokoda will also be a chance to push myself mentally and physically through various conditions, as well as having an opportunity to meet new people and develop teamwork skills,” Stella said.

“I think the whole experience will benefit me through having the ability to witness and increase my knowledge of significant parts of my family’s, and Australia’s, history while honouring the sacrifices they made.’’

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Tuesday, 20th May 2025

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