On 12 November 2024, 13 members from the Younger Members War Widows Social Club visited the Kokoda Track Memorial and Walkway located at Concord. 

The 82nd Anniversary of Kokoda Day was commemorated on Sunday 3 November, remembering the end of the desperate and vicious campaign when Major General Vasey raised the Australian flag over the village of Kokoda. This of course was the husband of our own founder, Mrs Jessie Vasey. 

Di Vogt, Coordinator of the Younger Members Social Club, shared with us hers and the other members experience of their day at the Kokoda Track.

Members were able to view the beautiful display of the Poppy Project consisting of handmade crocheted and knitted poppies made by many of our members, their families and the community, the poppies were displayed in living tribute to Veterans and their sacrifices.

Tour of the Kokoda Track

The Younger Members were warmly greeted at The Ralph Honner Kokoda Education Centre by Kelly Easton (Office Manager) and Steve Preece (Track Volunteer Guide) where a lovely morning tea was kindly provided for the group. 

Steve gave a presentation using a full wall screen detailing the 138 km length of the Kokoda Track, giving the ladies a knowledgeable description of the Australian troops involved and the many vicious battles waged with the Japanese under horrific conditions. 

Di told us that the highlight was the virtual reality experience, members using the VR goggles which provided them to a view of the jungle of Kokoda, transporting them to the track with the sounds and sights of the jungle surround them. The immersive experience is able to take its users into a whole different reality, Di said “We had the feeling that if a step was taken, we would indeed fall from the narrow paths into the horror of the jungle.”

Three WWII veterans spoke during the virtual reality experience, Reg Chard, Bruce Robertson and David Trist. Members heard stories of the bravery supporting Australian troops and the sacrifices of the Papua New Guinea native carriers, the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. “Quiet tears were shed by many of us as we listened to the stories and saw the photos displayed in this world of virtual reality,” said Di.

Steve continued the guide, taking the younger members to the Memorial Centrepiece that is considered the heart of the Walkway, showing five iconic images sandblasted onto the Centrepiece walls each tell a story of the courage, endurance, mate ship and sacrifice of the Australians who fought in the campaign, also giving members an opportunity to view the poppy wall from the Poppy Project up close.

One of our Younger Members, war widow Shirley Kellock, was asked to lay a wreath on behalf of the Younger Members and Families of Veterans Guild. This especially honoured Shirley’s own husband who had served with bravery in the RAAF and flew the Beaufighters known as the Whispering Death. 

If you’d like to view the Poppy Project or receive a tour like our members, make sure to visit the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway or book a tour via their website here.

The post War widows visit Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Anticipation has built over the months for many members excited and waiting for the unveiling of the wall of poppies at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway. Through our recent Digests, newsletters and online posts, we’ve shared the Poppy Project and its collaborative, remarkable initiative, directed by Kokoda Walkway Board Director, Jennifer Collins AM.

This beautiful project has finally come to life with the hard work and skill of our members and the community, allowing all of your hand made poppies to decorate the tree in the memorial garden at the track, the memorial honoured to Bruce Kingsbury VC who was killed protecting the village of Kokoda in Papua New Guinea in WW2 and also a wall of poppies.

The heart of the project consisted of over 7,500 handcrafted poppies, lovingly created by our members and community from NSW, ACT, QLD, many of them being war widows and their families. These small yet powerful symbols of respect have come together to form an art installation that honours the sacrifices of veterans and their families.

A thank you to those who collaborated

The Poppy Project was supported by a network of club coordinators and Kokoda staff who provided participants with wool, patterns and reply envelopes to make the crafting process seamless. This project could only come to life and be this successful with the help of our members and the community across the states. Each and every participants unique poppy is accumulated with the thousands of others to create the memorial garden and wall of poppies.

This initiative has demonstrated not only the enduring gratitude felt towards veterans but also the strength of community ties, as individuals from all across Australia worked together for this meaningful cause. Now every person passing through the track are able to stop and appreciate the beauty and hard work it took to create the wall.

The project has touched the lives of many, including one of our member Yvonne, a war widow, and her sister Jennifer, who together crocheted poppies for the installation. Their dedication goes beyond crafting as Yvonne connected with her local RSL Club in Old Bar, NSW, to share the story of the project and its significance.

During her search, she discovered Major Scott Babington, an RSL member who frequently leads treks along the Kokoda Track. Major Babington has since become an ambassador for the project, honouring the memory of four local men from the Manning area who gave their lives on the Kokoda Track. On his next visit to Papua New Guinea, he plans to place poppies on their graves as a gesture of remembrance.

A community united in Remembrance

The display of poppies will stand as a stunning visual tribute to those who served and their families. Each handcrafted poppy embodies not only the gratitude of those who created it but also the stories and connections formed through this shared effort.

Projects like this remind us that honouring the past is a collective responsibility and an opportunity to unite communities through acts of care and remembrance.

If you’d like to see the project, make sure to visit the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway to view the sea of poppies and poppy wall, knowing that many of your own handcrafted efforts are in that artwork.

The post The poppy project brought to life first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 War Widows’ Walk & Picnic in Concord is deemed as a high-risk event due to the virus’ potential to spread among our Members who are more vulnerable. Therefore, it is with great sadness that I write to you about the Board’s decision to cancel this year’s War Widows’ Walk & Picnic, which was scheduled for Thursday, 10 September 2020. This decision was not easy, but we believe that we are acting in our Members’ best interests.

Over the years, we have seen the War Widows’ Walk & Picnic celebrate companionship and camaraderie in a wonderful space at Concord. While we are unable to enjoy this gathering and the living memorial of the Kokoda Track, I trust that we will continue to build our resilience, both personally and as an organisation as we have done in the past.

As always, if you need any support or help during these challenging times, please do not hesitate to call me or our office staff on 02 9267 6577.

Thinking of you,

Rhondda Vanzella OAM
President and Chair, Australian War Widows NSW Ltd

The post Cancellation of the War Widows\’ Walk & Picnic first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.