On Anzac Day he was with his sons, Jordon, who is studying exercise science at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, and Jackson, who is in Year 10 at St Ignatius' College Riverview in Sydney at the Bomana war cemetery outside Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

Nine days before that service the Scotts flew into the airstrip at Kokoda and then trekked south back along the track and in many spots, mirroring the footsteps of Peter's father Bob Scott who was one of the Australian militia forces who slowed and eventually stopped the Japanese advance 71 years ago.

Bob Scott spent 663 days in New Guinea with the army after being repatriated from the militia he rejoined the AIF because he felt he had more to offer, Peter Scott said.

"My sons never knew Dad, so for them to walk where he walked was a special thing," he said.

Mr Scott said in particular the family took the time to try and cover almost every piece of the small area known as Dump 66 while on their trek.

"I knew Dad had been at Dump 66 so the boys walked over every bit of it so they could say they'd been in his footsteps," he said.

"He said he lost some of his mates there."

The trip along Kokoda Track is held every second year by Riverview and this year there were 30 students from year 10 and year 11, 20 fathers and six staff members. They were supported by about 50 New Guinean porters.

continued page 13

"WE had ups and we had downs, we had mornings where we had to pull on wet clothes and socks and tip the rain out of our boots," Mr Scott said.

"But we didn't have it half as tough as those soldiers who were there.

Mr Scott said there was no doubt the hike is a gruelling test of endurance.

"I said to my boys, 'I can look you in the eye and know you will make it'," he said.

The Scotts decided to carry their packs rather than use the porters, the two boys carried 15 kilogram packs while Peter carried a nine kilo pack as well as his water.

"I had a total knee replacement 18 months ago and a day out of Kokoda I told myself to 'stop carrying on' and get on with it.

"It was the toughest thing I've done.

"The most emotional, the most spiritual thing I have ever done.

"I had so much determination and the boys had so much fitness.

"People say 98 per cent of Kokoda is in your head. But you have to have that other two per cent as well."

Returning to Dubbo, Mr Scott was 11 kilograms lighter than when he set out on the track.

Mr Scott said plenty of evidence of the military presence still remains along the track.

"We saw weapons' pits and trenches along the way.

"I picked up a .303 cartridge, while another bloke tripped over an old grenade.

"It really bought it home."

The journey also included meeting native New Guineans and seeing the works of the Rotary International movement, an organisation Peter Scott has strong links here in the as he's a member of the South Dubbo Club and coordinator of the bi-annual Destination Outback fundraiser.

"If there's a memory I will take away it's the gorgeous kids along the track.

"I can see how those fuzzy wuzzy angels helped us win Kokoda," he said.

Mr Scott said the village of Kokoda had a clinic sponsored by Rotary and there were water taps along the track to provide drinks for locals and travellers.

Once the journey was completed the group attended Anzac Day at the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery outside Port Moresby where 3800 headstones parade in ranks, of mostly Australian troops.

"The Governor General (Her Excellency Quentin Bryce) was there and flew in on one of four Blackhawk helicopters for the service.

"She was amazing.

Along the track various members of the party added to the journey, reciting the Catholic mass or poems from different authors.

Mr Scott chose at the Kokoda memorial to read a poem written by Bede Tongs, who visited Dubbo just before Anzac Day and titled, What Do You Say to A Dying Man?.

He said he'd met Mr Tongs during his visit and found he was born just five or six weeks before his father in 1922.

The trip will provide everlasting memories for Peter Scott and his sons.

"We have walked the track, heard the stories," he said.

"[although] we haven't felt the real picture.

"But my life is [now] complete."