When Kyabram’s Xavier Powles starts walking the Kokoda Trail next month, he won’t just be following in the footsteps of Australian soldiers, he believes he will be taking big steps into his own future.

Xavier has received a Colin Sinclair Scholarship to join four other Year 11 students from the Murray Plains electorate of Peter Walsh to walk the trail.

Mr Walsh said the students were not getting a free overseas holiday, 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 the electorate who died in the campaign — was set up to immerse future young leaders in this pivotal part of the Australian story.

“This 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 Xavier has been supported by the Kyabram Club, so I am grateful for their investment in such a grassroots community event.”

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

The St Augustine’s College student has had family and friends complete the arduous trek and the Colin Sinclair Scholarship means he can now have his own journey into the past.

Xavier’s family includes a roll call of military tragedy, which will be something on his mind as he reaches Papua-New Guinea.

He said in World War I several members of his family lost their lives, including three at Gallipoli.

They were George Brown Fullerton, Clarence Sasefield Joyce and Horace Toovey Joyce, who all died on the Western Front; and Harold Heathcote Hayes Chambers, Stanley Chambers and Matthew Randall Wasley, who were all killed at Gallipoli.

In World War II, Arthur George Randall died in the North African campaign, Ernest Edward Randall was lost in the South China Sea and William Ernest Wangemann was killed in action in the ill-fated campaign in Greece.

“I am looking forward to gaining and sharing knowledge with the locals — who were obviously such a part of Australia’s fighting along the Kokoda — and experiencing what I can only imagine will be a glimpse of Australia’s role in this part of the war,” Xavier said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially as the leader of our tour presents detailed stories about various actions along the trail — how they happened, what the soldiers did and what the outcomes were.

“A lot of the soldiers who went there were only a year or two older than I am now.”

Xavier said he also felt he would benefit from the knowledge he would acquire experiencing the difference between his life and life in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Life lessons he said he could never learn from a book.

“I have a huge respect for those men and women who have sacrificed their lives for our values and beliefs on too many occasions,” he said.

“Fortunately, in many ways because of those sacrifices, I have not had to risk my life for others, but I do feel doing the trail will go some way to both recognising the sacrifices and perhaps giving a little bit back to the locals who gave them so much support.

“And I also think being able to complete the trek will help me with my studies now and in Year 12 and beyond by making me a more rounded and aware person by helping me build mental and physical strength and endurance through a goal for me to accomplish — it will help show teamwork, too.

“Hopefully at the end of it all I will have so many memories and stories to share with family and community.”

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Saturday, 26th July 2025

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