A fitness instructor with a gym in town at the time, Charlee worked with the veterans for 12 months.

“Some of the stories they told me – I guess I was ignorant about war. Some of their stories moved me and I’ve ever forgotten. That’s what gave me an interest [in Kokoda]. So it’s personal really,” she said.

“And I like a challenge – both physical and mental.”

The opportunity arose for the Culburra Beach resident through her work at Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen’s Club.

The club sponsors a person each year to walk the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

“My CEO actually came and said they were putting in applications for Kokoda and would put in a nomination for me,” Charlee said.

She will be the sixth person to be sent on the voyage.

As a fitness instructor for the past 10 years, Charlee said she enjoyed a physical challenge and had started training for the trek which will take place in early August.

“I’ve been doing a fair bit of training, I’ve done Pigeon House Mountain a few times,” she said.

“Every weekend I’m trying to do a trek, like Pigeon House or Tables and Chairs. I am planning to do Fitzroy Falls. It’s lots of hill sprints with backpacks and box jumps, lots of stepping exercises.

“It’s been good as I actually run a boot camp at Culburra, so that’s doing the same kind of training as I would do for Kokoda.”

Aside from preparing for the physical challenge, Charlee said she was ready for a spiritual and emotional encounter.

“I think it’s going to be quite a spiritual experience for me,” she said.

“I’m a spiritual person anyway and I think it will be because of the people who have walked before me there and just being that close to nature without any technology or those distractions.

“I’m not sure exactly why, but I have a feeling it will be [spiritual].”

Being away from family would also be a challenge for the mother of four, who is also a grandmother.

“For me it will be hard not to have contact with family and also be with 25 strangers,” she said.

“I am looking forward to that challenge though, being with new people and trying to work as a team.

“I do have a tent to myself though, so I’ll get a bit of down time.”

The trek will take 10 days, covering a distance of 95 kilometres.

The track was the location of the 1942 World War II battle between Japanese and Allied – primarily Australian – forces in what was then the Australian territory of Papua.

Charlee hoped the journey would give her a greater appreciation of what those soldiers went through.

“I’m hoping to get out of it more understanding of what our forces have gone though and how well they fought for us, what we have and how we take it for granted,” she said.

“Hopefully I’ll understand myself a little better. I can also teach my children too. My children don’t know anything about war, they haven’t experienced it and neither have I. I think it’s important we do understand it better.”

Charlee wanted to thank her workplace for allowing her this experience.

“They are paying for everything and also my wage while I’m gone. So I’m really grateful and thankful to be able to go.”