12:00a.m. 12th October 2008

| Mark Bode

Erika Wetherall walks the Kokoda Track. Photo: Contributed

THE natives affectionately call her Mudgirl.

She entered their world carrying a stick that was almost as big as her and boldly went where no white girl her age has gone before.

She walked in the footsteps of heroes, enduring stifling heat and torrential downpours during a nine-day, 96km mountain trek.

And when it was all over, she smiled innocently said: “It was easy.”

The Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, a gruelling test of endurance immortalised by our Diggers during the Second World War, has been called many things – “easy” is probably a first.

Relaxing at her Sippy Downs home yesterday, having returned from PGN with her family the night before, eight-year-old Erika Wetherall relived a journey no female her age, other than locals, has done before.

The mud had been washed out of her fair hair, which locals braided during the trip.

Her skin is tanned. She looks like she has just returned from a beach holiday.

Erika’s parents, Michelle and Wayne, run Kokoda Spirit which has been running treks along the trail for six years.

They took Erika and their two other children, Blake, 14, and Elysia, 11, to PGN to celebrate Michelle’s 40th birthday.

Blake had done the trek three previous times but it was the first time for Michelle, Erika and Elysia.

Big brother joked there were too many toilet breaks this time.

The family’s extensive preparation for the adventure included hikes through the Buderim hills.

Of course, Buderim isn’t PGN.

“There were lots and lots of hills,” Erika said.

Swimming in rivers and playing with village kids were among the highlights.

“I want to do it again,” she said. “I want to walk the trek four times before I’m 10.”

Dad rolled his eyes. “I kept drumming into her how hard it would be,” he said.

Wayne made the family play a lot of games, such as I spy, to help keep their minds off the hill climbs, which was especially welcomed by Michelle, who took a bad hip on the trip and now needs an operation.

Wayne said he wanted his children to understand the huge sacrifice made by our soldiers at Kokoda.

He has a passion for the people of PNG and the mateship, sacrifice and endurance displayed by the Diggers.

Now his whole family does, too.

“We did a lot of history,” he said. “We stopped at a lot of battlefields.

“It also gave them a chance to mix with locals and to experience the rawness of the place. It hasn’t been touched by civilisation. It hasn’t been spoilt.

“The kids understand the (Kokoda) story and got an opportunity to be out in the jungle.”

Elysia will do the trek again next year with her Chancellor State College classmates. Like little sister, she is hooked.

“I want to do it as many times as I can,” she said.

Blake said he was glad his sisters got a chance to experience the trek – to understand what it was all about.

“It was definitely an experience,” he said.