About us

At Pacific Star Adventures, Kokoda is more than a journey — It’s life-changing. Walking with the Koiari people, we’ve embraced a sense of family — together to achieve extraordinary goals. Our Kokoda treks challenge you physically, mentally, and spiritually, proving magic happens when you’re raw and real. We foster hope, purpose, and lifelong friendships while supporting sustainable income for PNG Koiari tribes and giving back to Australian and PNG communities.

The sky's the limit — no one walks alone.

Pacific Star Adventures was founded by Cheryl Day in 2025 to address the growing need for mental health support among Australia’s veterans and emergency service personnel. With nearly 30 years of frontline policing experience and an equivalent tenure in the Australian Defence Force Army Reserves — including overseas service with the United Nations — Cheryl has been profoundly shaped by the legacy of service and the impact of others' sacrifices.

As an Air Dispatcher in the Australian Army and a proud member of the Air Dispatch Association Australia, Cheryl honours the legacy of the “Biscuit Bombers,” sharing their incredible stories while guiding trekkers to Myola on the Kokoda Track—an area rich in history and significance.

Cheryl’s connection to Kokoda began in 2015 when she first volunteered with legacy Kokoda treks. Witnessing the transformative power of the experience, she discovered that trekking Kokoda was not just a journey through Papua New Guinea’s remarkable terrain but a path to spiritual, mental, and physical healing.

Having faced personal challenges with mental health and having lost colleagues to suicide, Cheryl found Kokoda to be a place of solitude—a sanctuary to disconnect from the outside world and reflect on the sacrifices of others. The Kokoda Track is physically and mentally demanding, but it is so much more than a trek. It is a cultural immersion that offers unique and profound experiences:

• Walking alongside the people of Papua New Guinea and sharing in their vibrant culture.
• Embracing the challenge of falling seven times and rising eight.
• Listening to the jungle's sights, sounds, and smells while forging deep connections with fellow trekkers.
• Reflecting on the personal stories of those on the track while learning about the history and sacrifices of Australians, Papua New Guineans, and Missionaries during World War II.

For the “Koiari” people who call the Kokoda Track home, trekking tourism provides a vital source of income, sustaining their families and communities. By walking the track, trekkers contribute to their well-being and livelihood.

Kokoda is more than a hike—it is a life-changing journey of resilience, history, culture, and connection. It is an experience that will leave an indelible mark on your soul because Kokoda is so much more.

What does the Kokoda track mean to the people of Papua New Guinea. 

“Kokoda is everything to me. It is a symbol of enduring relationships, a cornerstone of our (Koiari people) livelihood and survival. 

Kokoda has very deep historical, cultural, economic and emotional connection to every Koiari man including myself. 

The Koiari Tribe was able to survive because our ancestors long before World War 2 and the first contact with Europeans walked this track to forge relationships and establish trade with neighbouring tribes. This relationship and trade contributed in sustaining our tribe until modern civilisation. 

It is through the Kokoda Track that the first Australian Missionaries reached us. They bought Christianity and civilisation into our area in 1908. This was the humble beginning of a lasting relationship between the Koiari Tribe and the people of Australia. The sheer tenacity of this relationship was further bound and sealed by the bloodshed and lives lost during World War 2. 

This enduring relationship now defines all aspects of our very existence. It is only through Kokoda that the Koiari Tribe establish real progress. With funding from the Australian Government and continuous support of the Australian people, my people and I are able to earn an income as a porter, my community and my family especially women and children including disadvantaged can generate income, establish an education and have improved access to health services or assistance, we can sustain our livelihood through Kokoda tourism. We are also able to practise our faith, worship our God freely and at will. We develop and build lasting lifelong relationships with people from afar (tourists) maintaining the legacy created of our “Fuzzy Wuzzy” forefathers.

Kokoda is the marrow of our existence. The relationships formed through it …was and still is a vital component in sustaining my livelihood and the livelihood of my Tribe. God bless Kokoda!"

Quote from Ronald, a proud Koiari man and Pacific Star Adventures Trek Master.

What does Kokoda mean to you …. Joanne a previous trekker

“Courage, Mateship, Endurance, Sacrifice. The 4 pillars really do embody the Kokoda Trail. You can break down each of them and they thoroughly give meaning to the conflict in 1942. When walking the track, your thoughts are consumed by the gratitude you feel for the amazing men that fought in the same footsteps that you are taking. You find yourself constantly thanking the soldiers for their service and sacrifice, learning the history while on track was such a huge part of the experience, the peaceful and beautifulness competing with the violence and stories were a tear evoking and humbling experience daily. I will never ever forget my experience, I will treasure for the rest of my life, ANZAC Day, which has always been a large part of my life, it has taken on an even more significant meaning. We will remember them. I felt so at home there for a reason unknown and just wanted to keep walking, a truly memorable experience.”