FELL FOR A WOMAN ON KOKODA

 
About 2 years ago I trekked with a group from Adelaide that was

making a film on Kokoda. I was the military history advisor. We

trekked north-south in a friendly and well trained group.

Australia Network - TV Schedule - Adelaide to Kokoda

Australia Network - TV Schedule - Adelaide to Kokoda.

australianetwork.com/guide/ep_0018038... - Cached - Similar

Adelaide to Kokoda 16 Dec 2010 ... Adelaide to Kokoda.

No. 2, 25.11.10. Highlights of The Heysen. No. 1, 10.10.2009

Kick In For Kids , Kangaroo Island 2009 ...
www.australialivetv.com/troygraydocos... - Cached - Similar

I did my best to help them find the best ways to present the film

from a military history point of view. We had a remembrance

ceremony at Isurava where the porters sang as we gathered at

the memorial.

There were two young camera men who trudged along as sure

footed as two mountain goats clutching their cameras ready for

action. The rest of us needed trekking sticks except the porters

who moved gracefully along with their packs on their backs.

After about a week, we had reached the most dangerous part

of the trek on the downward side of Brigade Hill just across

from the Damian Parer plaque on the boulder in the creek on

the outskirts of Menari.

The track was dangerous and in places was the width of two

fingers of rock. It was raining and we were all wet. I was in

the line behind a young woman as we negotiated the narrow

track, balancing precariously above the creek.

Suddenly she said “ Now you are not going to fall on me are

you Brucie”. She broke my concentration as I looked up to

make a smart comment.

I slipped and fell on my back down the cliff, with a roll over

that found me fifteen metres down in the creek. It was like an

Olympic backward swallow dive and forward somersault.  I lay

on my back in the water while the film director leapt into action.

He shouted “ Cameras get that action”. A trek member jumped

down and bound my head with a bandage. The cameras pushed

in close to catch every grimace of pain and outpouring of blood.

I hobbled out to Menari and stayed the night. It did not seem to

be proper for the trek leader to be evacuated by helicopter so I

kept moving on.

The upshot of it all was that I was film hero for the afternoon.

The documentary has been shown twice on PNG TV over the

last year. I have been recognized all over town. No autographs.

The final result was that the track has been rerouted to avoid

the dangerous sector. We no longer trek past the Damian Parer

memorial but divert to the right down to the creek.

I hope that the film went well. It was about Kokoda and trekkers.
Troy was a well intentioned and organized Director and led the
trekkers well. It was an enjoyable trek despite the mishap.