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Manning on track for Rabaul

Crystelle Coulon (NORTH SHORE TIMES - 4TH OCTOBER, 2007)

BLAZING A TRAIL: Norths Rugby captain and Waratah Al Manning will be heading home to survey the World War II Rabaul track.

NORTHS rugby captain Al Manning will soon be heading home to Papua New Guinea to blaze a trail for his countrymen.

The Waratahs and Central Coast Rays hooker runs travel tour business South Sea Horizons with his best mate Kori Chan.

Their next major project is to survey the WWII Rabaul track, with the prospect of creating the next 'Kokoda'.

Rabaul was occupied by the Japanese in WWII, and was considered a powerful base for the Japanese Army.

Manning who was born in Rabaul and lived there until 1994 when he came to Sydney to attend Knox Grammar School said the Rabaul track was an integral part of Australian history.

"I think it's important to re-capture the story about the heroic Australian soldiers of WWII and their intriguing escape out of Rabaul," Manning said.

Manning and Chan have made contact with the 2nd 22nd Battalion (Lark Force) that were stationed in Rabaul.

"They are all for it," Manning said. "Hopefully next year their kids and grandkids will be able to come over and experience part of their family's history."

Manning said the local community and land owners who inhabit the track and surrounding areas are excited about it's prospects.

"We're making sure that the landowners are prioritised," Manning said.

"We're going to establish a landowner trust, with the landowners having 100% shareholding in the 'Escape from Rabaul' company."

Also important to Manning is the prospect of locals gaining employment from the venture. "Effectively this track will provide employment for the local community and increase tourism," Manning said.

He is hoping that through this new venture people's misconceptions about the country can be corrected.

"There is a bit of a stigma about Papua New Guinea and that's what we are hoping to change," Manning said.

"Rabaul is such an untouched beautiful place and the people are so friendly, it is perfect for tourism."

Manning will be in Rabaul for three weeks.

"It'll be great to help our own people and give something back," he said. "This is something I have been wanting to do for a long while."

See website www.southseahorizons.com launching on October 10.