The Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has presented the inaugural winner of the Marsh/Tierney Scholarship with a special memento after their successful trip to Papua New Guinea to tackle the Kokoda Track.
Mr Cameron attended a special assembly at Kurnai College to hear Amelia ‘Milzy’ van Vliet report back to her peers about her Kokoda journey alongside other scholarship winners a contingent of Victorian Members of Parliament.
“I was super proud to be in attendance while Milzy presented to her Kurnai College peers about the significance of our trip to Papua New Guinea to tackle the Kokoda Track,” Mr Cameron said.
“But that Milzy didn’t mention in her presentation is that she was a massive source of inspiration for everyone else on the trek.”
When Amelia was just one-and-a-half years old, her father Euan Comrie wanted to honour his great grandfather – who served in Commando Double Black – and walk the Kokoda Track.
Tragically, on the flight to Kokoda the aeroplane carrying Amelia’s dad and 12 other people crashed into a mountain and there were no survivors.
“Milzy and I were able to visit the High Commission in Port Moresby to see the plaque that was laid in honour of her dad and 12 others who tragically died,” Mr Cameron said.
“The High Commissioner, who greeted us at Port Moresby, was actually one of the first people on the scene when the plane crashed.
“The Commissioner told us that being able to meet Milzy, 15 years on, gave him a sense of closure.
“I’m immensely proud of the way Milzy conducted herself throughout the trek and she has certainly set the bar extremely high for all other future applicants of the Marsh/Tierney Scholarship.
“It’s hard to put into words just how difficult the Kokoda Track was, and equally hard to describe how rewarding it was for all of us to cross that finish line.”
Mr Cameron and Amelia will now tour local RSLs to present to returned personnel about their Kokoda trip.
