DAY 6: BRIGADE HILL TO NAURO

Saturday 25 April

The trekkers were up early for an emotional Anzac Day service before starting the day with a long descent into Menari waterfall, where they stopped for a break and then 30 minutes up into Menari village. This is the site where the brave 39th Battalion were withdrawn from the campaign before the battle at Brigade Hill.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.

They hiked out of the village to the base of their first climb, where briefly they rested. Then a 30-minute trek to the summit where they could see Menari behind them. Then they trekked on and up to the Nauro lookout where they could see the village they would camp at tonight. They then trekked across to & through the swamp, on the way to Brown River for a rest and a well-earned swim! Then a short 15-minute trek to Amaduri village for morning tea, and then back into the swamp for 45 minutes to the base of the false peaks. Track conditions were dry up until here. They had a rest at the base of the peaks, before continuing up the seemingly never-ending slopes of the Maguli Range to camp at new Nauro Village at 4:30pm . Everyone is a little tired today although they arrived at camp with positive attitudes & are now enjoying an earlier finish to the day. Some are having an afternoon nap, while others are doing some washing.