Tamborine National Park Hosts ‘Kokoda Kids’
It was a pleasure for the Friends of Tamborine National Park to recently play host to two groups from the Kokoda Youth Foundation. These young people are around 17 years of age and are affectionately known as the ‘Kokoda Kids’. They have trained for 14 months in national parks in south east Queensland in preparation for their Papua New Guinea adventure of walking the Kokoda Track. Most of the Kokoda Kids undertook the gruelling 96 kilometre slog over the Owen Stanley Range while the others completed a 60 kilometre section of the Track and a cultural experience.
When they met up at The Knoll Section of Tamborine National Park, both groups were in high spirits as the coronavirus pandemic had postponed their 7 month community service commitment.
The “Friends” challenge was to open up a section of track at The Knoll that had been encroached by mistflower, crofton weed and lantana. The Kokoda Kids and their leaders eagerly pitched in and it wasn’t long before walkers could negotiate the track without difficulty. Compliments on the improvements have been received from locals and park visitors. This activity was so successful that it may become an annual event.
The Friends of Tamborine National Park group was formed in 1988 and is a volunteer group that has been holding regular working bees once a month since then. The working bee is held on the first Saturday of each month – working on weed control and revegetation projects.
The group would love to recruit some new members so if you are interested in helping to improve your local national parks, contact Len on 0428 335 572 or email: onthewallaby@live.com.au
Len Lowry
(Coordinator for Friends of Tamborine National Park)