Before daybreak, guided by headlamps and surrounded by swarms of insects, Geoff Pike and mate Shane Dare pound the desert plains of south-west Queensland with one goal in mind — to conquer the Kokoda Track.
The pair hopes that the demanding training regime in their hot, dry hometown at Thargomindah — more than 1,000 kilometres west of Brisbane — will prepare them for the humid, mountainous conditions of one of the most gruelling treks in the world.
More than just a "bucket list" trip, this adventure is about connecting to family — both past and present.
