Preamble
Kokoda Spirit was created by Wayne Wetherall, a former National Sales & Marketing Manager for a suburban refrigeration company – he was quick to spot the early business opportunites presented with the emergence of Kokoda as a pilgrimage tourism destination and set about transforming himself from a civilian salesman into a self-proclaimed ‘explorer, adventurer, philanthropist and historian‘ with a ‘passion’ for our diggers.
It mattered not that he had never served in the army or had any previous dealings with veterans’ organizations.
As it transpired it was revealed his company, Kokoda Spirit, was built on a series of bogus claims – however his self-confidence, along with his shameless sales and marketing skills, saw it emerge as the leading Kokoda tour operator on the Kokoda Trail.
Queensland Industrial Relations Commission
Wetherall’s bubble burst when his long-term female manager lodged an appeal in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC), after she found she had been shortchanged on her entitlements, that the sordid nature of his character was revealed. The four-day hearing revealed he had:
• bullied and harassed his female staff;
• stalked vulnerable female trekkers;
• coerced one into having group sex with his mates;
• traded sexual favours with his female staffer in Port Moresby;
• fathered an illegitimate child in PNG;
• engaged in group sex with other men; and
• exploited his PNG guides and porters.
The following extract of evidence from his female manager was traumatic and harrowing:
‘Okay. So there were many messages about Mr Wetherall and his girlfriends, and there were many messages of Mr Wetherall trying to get his girlfriends to engage in group sex with many men. There were many messages where Mr Wetherall would try and engage or coerce his current girlfriend into a gangrape situation with five or six men. There were just many messages where he insisted on – initially, (name omitted) a PNG staff member in – who lived in PNG. She was one of our staff and when he was going to PNG, messages would pop up when they were talking that he would insist that she meet him in his hotel room when he arrived, so that she could – she could perform fellatio on him. He wouldn’t use that terminology, and she – her payment for that would be something like a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red. There were – there was much talk about the fact that he would speak to whichever girlfriend it was at the time about how he loved cock. He would refer to – he would – the language was really vulgar and obscene and there’s pornographic – there were many messages, but there was also many photos, and the photos were very graphic of – of people’s – like, women’s vaginas and women’s – men’s penises, of dildoes, of Mr Wetherall performing fellatio on another man.
’‘I was sick. I – I was shocked. Really shocked. I was – it bothered me a lot. I was – I was sick in the stomach over it. I – it was unbelievable. I’d never seen anything quite like that, so, yeah, my reaction was absolutely shock and sickness and – I – I just couldn’t – part of my brain just thought it was a joke. I just didn’t – I couldn’t believe it. It made me physically unwell. Like I said – I think I said earlier, there was much talk about, you know, my supposed stomach cancer.
’‘Mr Wetherall constantly would try and reduce the wages of the PNG staff and porters and – and so – or their food allowance. We would do what we call trek expenses, so porters are allowed X amount of dollars to buy food for X amount of days on the Kokoda Track, and the way he would reduce his costs is always to take from the locals, whether it be their wages or their food supplements, and I – he would refer to me as either the Irish Union Rep or his Jiminy Cricket, because I would always fight to make sure that they – they didn’t have a pay increase, they just maintained what they should be getting by rights, because I felt that to reduce five kina from these people, which is probably $2.50 in our terms was a huge amount for them, and meant a lot to them and to us was nothing. So I would always try and keep him honest in that regard, and I guess . . .
’‘I’m a mother of four children, and I’ve just learnt you put one foot in front of the other. I was a stay at home mother for a long time, and it didn’t matter whether I was sick or not sick, if I had children that needed me, you just kept going, and I think I just had that mindset. You just got to keep going and put one foot in front of the other and I simply – until I broke down in Dr Harrison’s office, I really didn’t realise that I was struggling or not coping with what was going on in the office.’
Extract of evidence in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission by one of Wayne Wetherall’s former female employee
The Brisbane Times reported the outcomes of the QIRC hearing.
The full transcripts of the QIRC hearings contain more salacious evidence about Wayne Wetherall’s modus operandi:
The exposure in the QIRC was certainly the antithesis of the ‘Kokoda Spirit’ Wayne Wetherall has so shamelessly promoted.
Vietnam Veteran’s Character Assessment of Wayne Wetherall
The first hint of his character flaws was raised by one of his trek leaders, a decorated Vietnam veteran 10 years earlier in 2011:
‘My anecdotal-based overview of WW, gained inter alia, from a number of reputable sources whose opinion and judgement I would trust, and over the past seven years, is that he is a bullshit merchant of some standing, whose principal position in life seems to be based on a carefully planned programme of self-aggrandisement and self-promotion. Notwithstanding his clever self-marketing skills, his trekking “exploits” both on and off the Track appears to me to lack any real credibility, He seems somehow to survive on a predetermined network of manipulative exploitation of, at best, half-truths, something akin to a shonky second-hand car salesman!!’[i]
So, Who is Wayne Wetherall? Where did he come from? Was he really a World Athletics Champion? Is he really an explorer? A historian? A philanthropist? An adventurer?
Or is he just a silver-tongued salesman?
His transformation from an obscure suburban salesman to a self-proclaimed Kokoda ‘adventurer, explorer, historian and philanthropist’ with a ‘passion for our diggers’ is a compelling tale.
In the Beginning
According to Wetherall’s LinkedIn profile he was a suburban sales manager for companies dealing with refrigeration products at various levels until he ‘discovered’ Kokoda in 2004.
The Kokoda Trail was emerging as a popular pilgrimage after Prime Ministers John Howard and PNGs Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare opened a significant memorial at the Isurava battlesite on the 60th anniversary of the battle in 2002.
It was seen as the complete adventure experience for Australian baby-boomers and young adventurers in a ‘land of the unexpected’. It required physical stamina and mental tenacity. The wartime history evoked strong emotions. The unconditional care and support of local PNG guides and villagers is humbling. The environment is rugged, remote and pristine.
Increasing numbers of adventure tour companies were attracted to the opportunity it presented to meet a growing demand.
Among these were a couple of suburban hustlers from South Western Sydney, Wayne Wetherall and Frank Hasiuk.
To find out more about the Kokoda Trail, they booked a trek with Kokoda Treks and Tours in 2003, a company owned by Mr Frank Taylor. They chose carefully as Taylor was a long-term student of the Kokoda campaign and one of Australia’s foremost experts on both the campaign and the Trail due to more than two decades of research and trekking across it.
Within a short period, Wetherall and Husiuk had copies of all Taylor’s administrative documentation, his detailed trek itinerary, and historical information – all they then needed was some local assistance to operate in PNG.
One of the porters on the trek with Taylor was Defol Jabbar, a Research Officer in the National Parliament – during the trek Wetherall and his business partner, Frank Hasiuk, discussed the possibility of establishing a Kokoda tour company in PNG.
Upon their return to Australia, according to Jabbar, they communicated constantly with each other regarding the possibilities and opportunities for establishing a company to lead treks across the Trail and organise ‘wild-river’ rafting expeditions.
‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy Expeditions Ltd’
This led to Jabbar registering a company, Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions Ltd, with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) on 27 January 2004 to organise treks. He then invited Hasiuk and Wetherall back to PNG to continue their discussions.
During this time Jabbar noted that Hasiuk, a South-West Sydney real estate developer, seemed to be funding their research.
In the meantime, Jabbar’s PNG company recruited two corporate groups to trek with him – one from the Port Moresby Rotary Club and the other from a Qantas group in Sydney via his local contacts in the Port Moresby office.
During Wetherall’s return visit to PNG in October 2004 he made contact with Colin Taimbari from the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority who reported:
‘In fact, rafting or whitewater rafting for that matter has never really taken my fancy until last week when two crazy, adventure seeking Australians strolled into the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority office in downtown Port Moresby. Businessman Wayne Wetherall and property developer Frank Hasiuk, both from Camden in south-west Sydney were eager and all excited about tackling the rugged Vanapa River in Central Province in a raft.’
Taimbari went on to report on their first rafting trip down the Vanapa River:
‘The first chopper lift had Wayne, local guide Allan Malewa, our ever reliable and experienced expedition leader Osborne (Bonn) Bogajiwai and the folded paddle boat raft, which can comfortably take eight people, once fully inflated. I was in the second lift off which also had Frank, TPA’s senior planning officer Nathan Kumin and Defol Jabbar of Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions (FWE). Bonn and Allan are also of FWE – a newly established local tour company running treks along the Kokoda Track. Our two-day mission starting that Wednesday morning was more for research, to see if after a 11-year absence, rafting on the Vanapa could be revived, more so as a tourist attraction.’
Kokoda Spirit Pty Limited
On Wetherall’s return to Australia he registered ‘Kokoda Spirit Pty Ltd with ASIC on 28 October 2004. Around the same time, he contacted the Qantas group after acquiring their details from Jabbar who assumed they had a partnership. Wetherall later arranged for the Qantas group to book through his Australian company and quietly recruited Osborne Bogajiwa from Jabbar’s company, Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions, without his knowledge.
He returned to PNG in early January 2005 to conduct a rafting expedition down the Angabanga River.
Soon after, unbeknown to Jabbar, he visited LLLG Lawyers to arrange the purchase of a PNG shelf company, Kokoda Spirit PNG Ltd which was registered on 26 January 2005.
When Jabbar enquired about the status of the trek with Qantas staff in Port Moresby, he was advised they were dealing with another company in Australia.
He was not aware of any further arrangements until he saw the group, with Bogajiwa and Wetherall, at Bomana War Cemetery after their trek on Anzac Day 2005.
Whitewater Rafting Tragedy
The following month a rafting expedition organised by Neharot Expedition on the Watut River was led by Wetherall’s Chief Raft Master, Osborne Bogajiwa. The expedition turned to tragedy when three Israeli rafters were drowned.
This created a diplomatic incident between Israel and PNG at the time and there were allegations that no reparations were made for the boats that were damaged on the expedition – this caused Wetherall to focus on the Kokoda Trail as it was not considered safe for hit to return to Lae.
During the period 2003-2006, according to his Linkedin profile, Wetherall was the National Sales Manager for Refrigeration Equipment Supplies.
At the same time, according to his Kokoda Spirit website, his company was:
They were also running ‘small group trips to explore the history and sites of Sri Lanka , Thailand , Vietnam , China and Borneo’.
According to Annual Returns lodged with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) for Kokoda Spirit PNG Ltd at the time the company had NIL employees.
In Australia, until March 2006, the Australian office and operations comprised two people, Wayne Wetherall and Frank Husiuk. The post advised they were both:
In June 2006 Husiuk ‘passion’ seems to have evaporated as he was replaced by Wetherall’s wife Michelle, who was described as:
‘the boss of Kokoda Spirit, her enthusiasm, organisation and administration skills ensure that all facets of the business run smoothly . . . She has a wealth of knowledge about the Kokoda Track and travels frequently to PNG.’
In the early stages of his business in PNG, he proved to be ruthless in his engagement of PNG head guides. According to Jabbar:
‘he dumped Bonny then used Gideon, Alan and Jeff. Then he dumped Gideon and ran with Alan, Jeff and Sai. Now he dropped Alan and Jeff and he is running with Sai Lami as a head guide’.
Wetherall then declared:
‘Kokoda Spirit is passionately committed to the legacy and Spirit (sic) that our Australian Soldiers (sic) and their Papuan (sic) New Guinea Brothers (sic) have left for us on the Kokoda Track (sic). The Courage (sic), Endurance (sic), Mateship (sic) and Sacrifice (sic) on this sacred track have become legend. Kokoda Spirit are dedicated to providing our Trekkers (sic) and Rafters (sic) with the Experience (sic) of a Lifetime (sic), to Experience Adventure (sic), to Experience (sic) the Spirit (sic), to Experience (sic) the Culture (sic) and Experience (sic) the People (sic) this wonderful, fascinating and awe inspiring country provides’.
Apart from his mangled prose he has never explained the connection between the ‘legacy and spirit’ of the trail – and rafting! Or even his own connection with the spirit of Kokoda. Many trekkers are inspired by a family connection – a grandfather, an uncle, a ‘friend of a friend’- or a desire as the result of a book, a documentary or a teacher. In the case of Wetherall, it would seem that this ‘passionate commitment’ was related to the business opportunity it presented.
The boast that they were ‘setting up trusts to supply much needed supplies of School (sic) books and equipment’ proved to be the first of many unverifiable claims (some of these are alleged to be bogus) – there are no records of any ‘trusts’ ever being established in PNG or Australia (nor registration of charities with the ACNC in Australia).
Wetherall’s sales and marketing skills were paying dividends as Kokoda Spirit emerged as the leading trekking company on the Trail!
True Spirit Adventures
In 2010 he established a separate business, True Spirit Adventures, with one of his female trekkers from Melbourne – together they:
In the meantime, he was also running his other company, Kokoda Spirit, with his wife Michelle, from the Queensland Sunshine Coast. His website dribbled:
Their business partnership ended after the break-up of their marriage in 2013.
This was followed by an acrimonious business and relationship bust-up with his female partner from True Spirit Adventures.
Marketing ‘Without Borders’
As trekker number increased rapidly from 2005 Wetherall appeared to take advantage of the fact that PNG authorities did not have the expertise, resources, or interest in monitoring copyright transgressions or truth in advertising (conduct that would be referred to as “misleading and deceptive” under Australian consumer law) – there were no borders!
His marketing strategy was therefore based on creating his own myth, plagiarising material from other websites with impunity, and making fallacious statements (the veracity of which were never proven) to enhance his reputation.
‘Click-Bait’ Marketing
Wetherall was a pioneer of ‘click-bait’ marketing. He quickly realised his target market knew little about the Kokoda campaign or Papua New Guinea. He therefore utilised social media to make unsubstantiated statements supporting his claims to be an:
‘Adventurer, Businessman, Founder and Owner of Life Changing Adventure Companies; as well as an ‘expert trekker and passionate historian’ who ‘sees things as an explorer, historian and adventurer that military trekking companies cannot’; that he ‘has been instrumental in some of the great discoveries along the famous Kokoda Track’; that ‘No white man had trekked this toughest section of the track’ on Sandakan since the war; that ‘he has become a voice for the thousands of brave Aussie Men who never came home’; and has ‘set up trusts’ to help village schools’ etc, etc. etc.
He also advises that ‘Wayne’s expertise in Business, IT and Tourism provides the professional support and infrastructure to our teams in the countries we operate.’
What Wetherall fails to mention is that prior to his ‘discovery’ of the Kokoda Trail in 2004 he was a suburban air-conditioning salesman in Sydney with no previous record of military service, any connections with veterans organisations, and no accreditation as an adventurer, explorer, historian, or philanthropist.
However he is aware that whenever he is called out, or questions are asked, he can simply amend or remove the information, and move on!
Copy-Cat Marketing
On 2 February 2011 I wrote to the CEO of the KTA to express my concern over a number of claims contained on the Kokoda Spirit website. I advised him of my belief they were false and misleading and the proprietor of Kokoda Spirit, Wayne Wetherall, ‘was a plagiarist and a hoaxer’.
‘When he first established the Kokoda Spirit website in 2004 he sought credibility by claiming he was a world record holder and copied material directly from our Adventure Kokoda website onto his website. He never explained the nature of his world record or the source of the material he copied.
‘He also plagiarised other websites in regard to the history of the Kokoda campaign. He did not reference any of these sources and now claims to be a ‘historian’. His material has been carefully crafted and presented to create this impression.’
No action was taken by Rod Hillman who was besotted by Wetherall’s charm by 2011 – he later wrote him a glowing personal reference.
Wetherall knew he had a free pass to plagiarise other websites as he did with impunity.
| Extract from Adventure Kokoda blog at: http://blog.kokodatreks.com/2011/05/13/kokoda-spirit-or-kokoda-copy-cat/ | |
| Adventure Kokoda Website | Kokoda Spirit Copycat Website |
| Original Trek Itinerary (Extract 1) ‘Continue to Naduri Village – meet Ovoru Indiki,one of the few surviving ‘fuzzy-wuzzy angels’. Ovoru was in Port Moresby when the Japanese first bombed the city. He did not understand what was going on and he fled to the bush in fear. Over the next couple of days Ovoru made his way back to his village – only moving at night because of fear. He told his people what had happened and they began to make arrangements to ‘go bush’. Lieutenant Bert Kniezle of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit eventually came tothe village and enlisted Ovoru and the other men inthe village to help the Australians. Ovoru then spent the next three months carrying supplies forward to our troops and carrying our wounded backacross the track. It is a great honour to meet the few remaining carriers such as Ovoru during the trek.’ | Kokoda Spirit Copy-Cat Itinerary (Extract 1A) ‘Continue to Naduri Village – meet Ovoru Indiki, one of the few surviving ‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy angels’. Ovoru was in Port Moresby when the Japanese first bombed the city. He did not understand what was going on and he fled to the bush in fear. Over the next couple of days Ovoru made his way back to his village – only moving at night because of fear. He told his people what had happened and they began to make arrangements to ‘go bush’. Lieutenant Bert Kienzle of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit eventually came to the village and enlisted Ovoru and the other men in the village to help the Australians. Ovoru then spent the next three months carrying supplies forward to our troops and carrying our wounded back across the track. It is a great honour to meet the few remaining carriers such as Ovoru during the trek.’ |
| Adventure Kokoda Original Itinerary (Extract 2) ‘. . . the forming-up place for the Japanese attack on Brigade Hill – 6000 fanatical Japanese soldiers prepared to attack 1000 Australian defenders in what was to be the biggest battle of the Kokoda campaign – the Japanese referred to it as the ‘battle of the Owen Stanley Range’ – the Australians refer to it as the ‘battle for Brigade Hill’ – follow the wartime track to Efoge Creek then climb to our campsite at Efogi village.’ | Kokoda Spirit Copy-Cat Itinerary (Extract 2A) ‘. . . the forming-up place for the Japanese attack on Brigade Hill – 6000 fanatical Japanese soldiers attacked 1000 Australian defenders in what was to be the biggest battle of the Kokoda campaign – the Japanese referred to it as the battle of the Owen Stanley Range – The Australians refer to it as ‘the battle for Brigade Hill’ – trek down to Efogi Village to guest house for the night.’ |
| Adventure Kokoda Original Itinerary (Extract 3) ‘Follow track to the Nauro swamp area -cross the Brown River – climb to the campsite at the village of Nauro. The village of Nauro has only recently been moved to the current location on the Maguli Range. It was previously on the Nauro River with a good airfield but some say fear of sorcery caused the villagers to move up the mountain. | Kokoda Spirit Copycat Itinerary (Extract 3A) ‘Follow track to the Nauro swamp area -cross the Brown River – climb to the campsite at the village of Nauro. The village of Nauro has only recently been moved to the current location on the Maguli Range. It was previously on the Nauro River with a good airfield but some say fear of sorcery caused the villagers to move up the mountain. |
| Adventure Kokoda Original Itinerary (Extract 4) ‘Climb the mighty Maguli Range to the top at Mogolonumu – follow track south – inspect Japanese delaying defensive position with weapon pits and communication trenches. Your trek leader will give a briefing at this point – continue down to your campsite on Ofi Creek.’ | Kokoda Spirit Copycat Itinerary (Extract 4A) ‘Climb the mighty Maguli Range to the top at Mogolonumu – follow track south – inspect Japanese delaying defensive position with weapon pits and communication trenches. Your trek leader will give a briefing at this point – continue down to your campsite on Ofi Creek.’ |
Bogus Claim re World and National Athletic Records
In early 2005 he published details of an athletics record that should have made him a household name in Australia for his accomplishments:
‘Wayne has enjoyed athletics his whole life and in addition to being an adventure athlete he has also achieved considerable success in the world of athletic competition’.
He went on to list his athletic accomplishments which included:
- One (1) world athletic record;
- One (1) Australian athletic record;
- Four (4) New South Wales athletic records;
- One (1) Trans-Tasman athletics championship;
- 26 New South Wales athletic championships; and
- One (1) Australian cycling championship
He then modestly added ‘You might say Wayne is a pretty fit bloke!’
These claims were published from 2006-2007 but were never validated – they were quietly removed after he established other self-proclaimed explore-adventurer-philanthropis-historian credentials.
Bogus Claim re Kokoda Book Publication
Around the same period, Wetherall advertised the imminent arrival of his Kokoda Spirit book, ‘In the footsteps of Hero’s (sic)–In the footsteps of my Brothers’ which would include:
‘Stories of our Australian Soldiers(sic) and the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who assisted them during World War II; Trekking the Kokoda Trail information, pictures, maps, past trekkers information and advice, personal experiences; and a close and personal look at the ancestors of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels their triumphs, challengers (sic) and opportunities.’
He modestly advised:
‘This book is a must for those that have an interest in PNG, the Kokoda Trail and our PNG brothers. Sign up here! and we will notify you when Kokoda is available.’
There is no evidence of ch a book ever being published!
Bogus Claim re discovery of Captain Templeton’s body
In 2010 Wetherall made an extraordinary claim to have solved ‘the 68-year-old mystery of the disappearance of Captain Sam Templeton’. The claim caused significant distress to the Templeton family and resulted in the hospitalisation of his then elderly son, Reg, after it was the subject of a national television story.
A blog article, ‘Destiny – Move Out!’ was vintage Wetherall hyperbole:
‘The booming voice of Captain Sam Templeton reverberates through the early morning mist.
‘With these two words the lives, destiny and course of history of Captain Sam Templeton the 39th Battalion and those that would follow them across the rugged Owen Stanley Ranges would be changed forever.‘Until then only New Guinea locals, patrol officers and other old New Guinea hands were able to make it across this living breathing, pulsating and evolving Track, surrounded by seemingly impenetrable jungle, raging rivers and stunning waterfalls. The Track crossed deep into the brooding mist covered mountains then swept down into beautiful, lush green mystical valleys. This was truly Gods own land, his private garden of Eden. But never again would this sweet smelling track ever be the same, forever the Kokoda Track will be soaked in blood of young Australians. They didn’t know it yet but the 39th Battalion was heading for big trouble…‘
The young soldiers of B Company were full of excitement and vigor that morning, itching to start this great adventure. They showed little concern for what lay ahead, their ignorance was bliss. ‘They had every reason to be confident; they were being led by Captain Sam Templeton a man of unquestionable, moral courage and a man of great physical and mental strength.’
He goes on to advise that he:
‘sometimes get asked why Captain Sam Templeton and the 39th Battalion are so important to our Australian History and why his disappearance is important. Captain Sam Templeton holds a special place in Australian history. He commanded the first Australian Company to cross the Kokoda Track, he was the first Australian Officer to lead his men into battle and he was the first Australian Officer to die in battle on the track.
‘Sam instilled in his men great confidence and resolves to repel the voracious Japanese tiger heading their way.’
It is worth noting there are no official references to the 39th Battalion repelling ‘the voracious Japanese tiger’ in any authentic historical publication on the Kokoda campaign.
On the basis that the claims were never validated by the official Army Unrecovered War Graves Unit or the Department of Veterans Affairs, it can only be concluded it was an elaborate publicity stunt.
Wayne Wetherall ‘discreetly’ displaying his company name for a media shoot with former Japanese Corporal Nishimura
Wetherall’s claims achieved their purpose in cultivating his own myth as an ‘explorer’, ‘adventurer’, ‘historian’ and philanthropist, obsessed with a ‘passion for our soldiers which resulted in his trekker numbers increasing exponentially. His previous life as a sales manager for an air conditioning company had been long airbrushed from his CV and archived.
Bogus Claim re discovery of ‘Wartime Kokoda Track’
In an endeavour to establish his credentials as a Kokoda ‘explorer and historian’ Wetherall on 10 March 2008 Wetherall then claimed to have rediscovered the ‘Wartime Kokoda Track’:
‘The Kokoda Track is one of the World’s great treks, surrounded by impenetrable jungle, raging rivers that have cut deep into the brooding mountains and then plunge into ragged, tortuous valleys that crisscross the track.
‘There has been recent media attention regarding mining along the track and claims from “Track Historians” and “Kokoda Track Specialists,” that parts of the Kokoda Track are not original “War Time” tracks but merely easier “Tourist Tracks”. I also had reservations about the authenticity of the track that we were walking on and decided to investigate deeper.
‘We engaged the assistance of the local Koiari landowners, Village Elders and our local PNG Trek Masters to ascertain their understanding of the location of the “Original War Time Kokoda Track.” We also spoke to Lt Nicholas Walsh, Engineer in Charge of Owers Corner. This local knowledge was backed up with my recent survey of the area by helicopter, World War 11 maps, survey maps from 1966 and 1973 and Global positioning technology.
‘Armed with my trusted band of guides, landowners, Elders, GPS and World War 11 maps, survey maps and my recent fly over of the area we set off to put the discussions to rest.‘It has a surreal feel as we veer off the ridgeline into the partially cleared former village.‘Our search of the area revealed numerous war artefacts including, metal boxes, containers, Dixies, water bottles, ammunition, weapon pits and cable.’
He followed this up with another post on 12 March 2008 where he advised
‘It is important to remember that there is (sic) many alternative routes across Kokoda’
as if he need to convince himself!
On 11 October 2008 he announced he had discovered the original Wartime Kokoda Track which had been:
He went on to claim:
‘Original sections of the Kokoda Track have been recently discovered by Historian (sic) and Adventurer (sic) Wayne Wetherall from specialist trekking company Kokoda Spirit. After extensive research of old survey maps, WW11 maps, and a extensive helicopter survey, Wayne finally cut and trekked through the Jungle (sic) to discover sections of the original “Golden Stairs” across Imita Ridge not seen since the bloody battles of 1942 . . .’
Wetherall neglected to mention that Adventure Kokoda groups had been trekking across the section known as the ‘Golden Staircase’ for more than 20 years before his ‘discovery’. He also failed to provide any GPS data to support his claim.
On 15 October 2008 he set out to differentiate himself against tour companies led my former servicemen by advising that he saw:
‘things as an explorer that tourist and Military trekking companies cannot.’
He continued with a rant:
‘There is some (sic) Kokoda trekking Companies (sic), that pump their chests and tell you how good they are, how professional they are and how they are the only ones that have true Military Leaders (sic) as guides and the only ones to walk the original Wartime Track (sic). These same companies walk you in ‘Platoon’ (sic) size (33 trekkers plus) to give you the real miltary (sic) feel. Multiply these trekker numbers with nearly twice as many porters and you have a huge congo (sic) line through the Jungle (sic)! They also walk you on occaisions (sic) at night, what a dangerous thing to be doing! (sic) Not sure how you can take in the ambience and scenery of the Kokoda Track when you cannot see two feet in front. They also charge you a huge price for the privilege (sic)!
Wetherall used a similar approach to establish his credentials in his ‘re-discovery’ of the original Sandakan Death March Route three years later in 2011 (see Sandakan Death March Route Controversy’ below). He denigrates the view of military historians who had been trekking across the Kokoda Trail for at least two decades prior to his ‘discovery’ and disregards the fact that their articles reflect a learned understanding of military strategy, tactics, and the significance of ‘ground’.
A review of Wetherall’s writings relate to a subjective vibe as opposed to historical fact. To him the jungle includes ‘brooding mountains’ which have a ‘surreal feel’ where he could ‘feel the energy coming out of the ground’ akin to ‘entering a lost world’.
By the end 2008 Wetherall’s marketing strategies paid dividends as Kokoda Spirit emerged as the leading tour company on the Kokoda Trail. He was then able to quietly remove his unverified claims as an international athlete and dispense with the advertisement for his book, which never materialised, as the myth surrounding his self-proclaimed ‘adventurer, explorer, historian’ status had been established.
Bogus Claim re Charitable ‘Spirit Foundation’
Wetherall’s next venture to add to his self-proclaimed status of ‘adventurer, explorer, historian’ was directed towards being seen as ‘philanthropist’. With this in mind he announced the establishment of a Kokoda ‘Spirit Foundation[ii]’ in 2008:
‘The Spirit Foundation principle focus is on the development of education programs and education opportunities for the people along Kokoda and Papua New Guinea. ‘The Spirit foundation believes that investment in education is essential for social and economic change in PNG. Over ninety five percent (95%) of PNG children/students drop out of the PNG education system. Our focus is to identify and assist these students to have access to education and employment skills.
‘The Spirit Foundation was created with a desire to assist the people along the track with real and achievable educational and vocational opportunities. The Foundation is supported by the management of Kokoda Spirit and a large number of trekkers who have walked the track. These trekkers have returned from PNG with a real desire to put something back into the country and the people along the track. ‘The Spirit Foundation provides scholarships to children in PNG predominantly from the Kokoda Track, Oro and Central Provinces region and of Kiorai or Orokaivan descent to help them to attend elementary, primary and secondary school. The Spirit Foundation will also continue funding and support of the students as they progress through University, College or Vocational training. The selected students are those whose families cannot normally afford to send them to school but who have demonstrated promising academic progress in their studies thus far. Scholarship students are selected on a basis of need, effort and achievement.
‘The Spirit Foundation is also providing school resources and supplies to all of the primary and elementary schools along the Kokoda Track. The Spirit Foundation will also support the “School Mates Reading Program” in the Villages along the Kokoda Track. The “School Mates Reading Program” is a home reader style program where trekkers are invited to support an hour of their time on their trek to read to the children in the Villagers. ‘The Spirit Foundation will also be providing funding for educational programs and resources to selected secondary schools. The secondary schools that the Spirit Foundation will sponsor provide education to more than 2800 students throughout the Oro and Central provinces whilst the primary and elementary schools service over 800 local village children when the schools are operating effectively.
‘The Spirit Foundation will fund a new scholarship program for students that show outstanding potential in education and leadership. This sponsorship will carry on throughout their senior high school and university years and they will be given a number of leadership, educational and community oriented opportunities. The aim of this new project is to discover and foster PNG’s future leaders.
‘The Spirit Foundation is committed to ensuring that the people of PNG and predominantly the people along the Kokoda Track have an ongoing opportunity for access to education and vocational training. These opportunities are essential for the ongoing development of social and economic change along the track and in PNG.
‘For more information regarding the Spirit Foundation check out our web site or Contact Wayne at Kokoda Spirit kokodaspirit@bigpond.com or Contact Kevin at Kevin@kokodaspirit.com 07 54452758’ Visit http://www.kokodaspirit.com Labels: Spirit Foundation POSTED BY WAYNE’S KOKODA SPIR I T BLOG AT 8:36 AM O comments
It was undoubtedly seen as a noble initiative however a fact check with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) revealed the Spirit Foundation was a sham – a phantom enterprise which did not exist!
After the sham was exposed Wetherall simply removed the claim from his website and he moved on!
Bogus Claim re ‘Opening-up of Long Tan Battlefield’
His marketing bravado was boundless as he then claimed to have assisted in ‘opening up’ Long Tan in Vietnam (purportedly to enhance his credibility with the veteran community).
A fact check revealed that access to Long Tan had been negotiated by veterans from the 6th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment who had fought in the battle.
A review of the Wetherall was not involved in any of the sensitive diplomatic negotiations which led to the erection of a Long Tan Cross at the battlefield on 18 August 1969 and its restoration in 2000 – he was only one-year old when the battle was fought!
6 RAR South Vietnam, 2nd tour, 1969-70 Long Tan Cross at place of Battle of Long Tan
It is interesting to note that Wetherall was born on 3 May 1965, a year after the battle. He was just 4-years of age when the Long Tan Cross was first dedicated in 1969; and a 35-year-old manager for a suburban refrigeration and air-conditioning company when access to the site was granted by the Vietnam Government in 2000!
When these facts were revealed, he amended his claims, and he moved on!
Bogus Bushfire Appeal
According to his office staff they have no recollection of Wetherall ever passing any funds received onto the bushfire appeal.
Wetherall should be asked to provide receipts otherwise it will have been just another shameless publicity stunt!
Bogus Claim to be ‘the Anzac Spirit’
By the end of 2010 Kokoda Spirit had emerged as the leading Kokoda tour company as a result of Wetherall’s aggressive marketing albeit on false premises.
On 11 November 2010 he brazenly claimed to be the ‘Anzac Spirit’ despite having never served in the armed forces or had any association with the veteran community prior to his discovery of the business opportunities associated with the Kokoda Trail in 2005. The essay was Supporting his assertion was a compilation of historical drivel.
- Link: I am the Anzac Spirit!
Bogus Claims re Discovery of the Sandakan Death March Route
Wetherall also saw a business opportunity to promote similar tours along the Sandakan Death March Route in Borneo. He registered ‘Sandakan Spirit’ in 2006 and adopted similar techniques to the development of his Kokoda Spirit business by claiming to have opened up Sandakan and ‘discovering ‘part of the original death march route’.
On 11 February 2009 he advised
Within years he self-identified as an ‘intrepid explorer’,an ‘adventurer’ and a ‘historian’ and used his professional sales skills to ‘sell’ his version of history to the media. The following article was published in Brisbane’s Courier Mail by the Courier Mail on 7 August 2011:
‘A Sippy Downs adventurer and historian says he has found missing links to Australia’s greatest single World War II tragedy, the Sandakan Death March . . . ‘‘Wayne Wetherall, of tour group Sandakan Spirit, says research, interviews, maps and journals have led him to discover 20km of track lost for more than 65 years . . .
‘Now, Mr Wetherall is adamant he has discovered the “correct” track, with 20km previously unknown across the Maitland ranges between the post-war relocated villages of Mangkadai and Miruru (Milulu).
“We will be the first to go into Lalosing since the war,” Mr Wetherall said.
“The history and correct route that these courageous POW walked need to be documented correctly so future generations of Australians can walk in the footsteps of these heroes,” he said.
“You can feel the energy coming out of the ground. This is a significant part of our history,” he said. “It is imperative that the recording of the history of this track is correct. We hope this can be shared with other historians and other people to get a truer picture of what happened out here. “On our last few trips there we’ve come to realise that tracks run in different directions.”
Bogus Claim re ‘Village Reader’ Project
On 8 May 2010 Wetherall announced a ‘Village Reader Program’:
‘Our Village Reader program is also gaining momentum. This simple scheme is to teach the mothers of the Villagers along the Kokoda Track how to read and how to teach their children to read. We have had some great success in Efogi and Menari. We are also creating an information and reading resource Library for the school in Menari. In Australia we now take for granted access to answers and knowledge on the internet. Our plan is to allow students along the Kokoda Track to gain knowledge through reading of resource books including encyclopaedias and technical information. It may not be the internet but it certainly will help the kids to learn and develop. Hopefully the Village Reader program will continue to grow and been a source of learning for the people along the track.’
’According to the headmasters of both schools at Menari and Efogi no such program has ever been introduced at either school. Wetherall never published any follow up articles to prove the program existed. Having created an impression of noble work on village project he moved on!
Bogus Claim re ‘Village Garden Project
Wetherall also announced a ‘Village Garden Project’ along with his ‘Village Reader Program on 8 May 2010:
‘It has been an exciting start to the new trekking year for myself and the Kokoda Spirit Staff.Our long awaited Village Garden Project has produced its first yield of vegetables on the track!‘Our Village Garden project started with a vision by Kokoda Spirit Managing Director Wayne Wetherall in early 2009 to improve the quality and variety of vegetables available to the villagers along the track. The village gardens can be a long way from the village and sometimes perched on steep ground that is difficult to access and even harder to cultivate.
‘Our simple project was to build smaller raised vegetable gardens next to their village homes or guesthouse. With the help of the villages we were able to improve the quality of the soil and mulch the gardens to improve the yield. We certainly had some learning to do about what grows in PNG, the villagers certainly have green thumbs.‘
The Menari School has also taken on the project to teach the kids and parents about small vegie gardens and to assess what grows best in the area. With their experience we are hopeful that the knowledge gained by the school will allow greater awareness of the benefits of smaller scale gardening. The village of Iorabaiwa (Sic) has also adopteded (sic) the Village Garden project and is developing some great gardens. We will also be developing and rolling out the project along the track over our next treks.
His former trek leader was given a packet of tomato seeds to take up an put in a planter box. He was uncomfortable trying to get them through customs so he left them behind a brought a packet in Port Moresby to go through with the charade and report accordingly to Wetherall. He advised the villagers politely accepted the packet of seeds but there was no project as such.
His claim could also be tested against the fact that Kokoda Trail villagers have lived a subsistence lifestyle for generations. They are devout Seventh Day Adventist followers and are vegetarian. They are therefore well versed in establishing crops and rotating gardens to meet their needs.
In 2009 the Australian funded Kokoda Initiative introduced a $1.3 million ‘Village Livelihoods Project’ which was conceived in Canberra without consultation with the PNG Department of Community Development, the Kokoda Track Authority or Kokoda tour operators who generate the income for Kokoda tourism. As a result the program failed and as soon as the funds were expended villagers reverted to their traditional methods of gardening.
Wetherall’s former trek leader did arrange for his trekkers to bring some books and school supplies to present to the school as do the majority of other tour companies.
No further posts were published on the program. Having created an impression of another noble village project, he moved on!
Wild Spirit Adventures
On 7 April 2010 Wetherall announced the establishment of a new company, Wild Spirit Adventures:
‘Wayne and Michelle Wetherall run our Australian office and operation.
‘Wayne is passionate about people and the culture of the people in the areas we visit. He has developed a successful trekking operation in many countries after initiating a rafting and trekking business in the remote areas of Papua New Guinea. Wayne has been exploring PNG since 2002 and has been instrumental in some of the great discoveries along the famous Kokoda Track. He has also written a number of stories on the history and his experiences in Papua New Guinea.
‘He has established strong bonds with local villagers, setting up trusts to supply much needed supplies of Schoolbooks (sic) and equipment. He has initiated this same sense of responsibility in our other Wild Spirit venues.
‘Wayne’s expertise in Business, IT and Tourism provides the professional support and infrastructure to our teams in the countries we operate. Wayne has always been exploring and has an intimate knowledge and passion for the Australian war history His enthusiasm and knowledge will give you an insight into the culture and customs of our Wild Spirit destinations.
‘Wayne has successfully led exploration treks and tours into Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Thailand, Borneo China, Germany, Italy and France. Wayne has assisted in opening up the Sandakan track for Tourism in Borneo and Long Tan in Vietnam. Wayne has also successfully climbed Mt Wilhelm in PNG and Mt Kinabalu in Borneo twice including the World’s highest “ Via Ferrata”.’
These claims cannot be validated. Wetherall’s rafting business in PNG ended after three Israeli’s were drowned on one of his expeditions. There is no evidence of any ‘trusts’ ever having been established for the provision of school supplies. He fails to mention that his ‘expertise in Business and IT was related to his job as a sales manager for an air-conditioning company before he ‘discovered’ Kokoda. Both ‘Sandakan’ and ‘Long Tan’ had been ‘opened up’ more than a decade before he became aware of their existence.
Bogus Claim re Partnership with the Kokoda Track Foundation Charity
Wetherall then claimed to be a ‘Gold Trek Operating Partner’ to the Kokoda Track Foundation. There is no record of any type of partnership – gold, silver, bronze or co-delivery listed on the Kokoda Track Foundation website.
Bogus Claim re ‘Discovery’ of ‘Kokoda’s Forgotten Battelfields’
Over the next two years he went on to make spurious claims to have rediscovered Kokoda’s Forgotten Battlefields (which have never been forgotten or ‘lost’) to enhance his status as a historian, and to have ‘discovered’ original sections of the trail to enhance his ‘explorer’ status. After it was found these claims could not be validated, he moved on!
Bogus Trek Claims
Wetherall’s latest strategy to enhance his reputation is to market his imminent 100th trek.
However, a review of the Internet Archive Wayback Machine reveals a web of schizophrenic claims regarding the number of treks he claims to have completed along with the number of clients who have trekked with his company, Kokoda Spirit. A snapshot of these anomalies reveals the following spurious claims:
- 11 August 2018 he claimed to have completed 82 treks with Kokoda Spirit leading a 7700 trekkers since the company began operations in 2004.
- 9 January 2019 he claimed to have completed 91 treks with Kokoda Spirit leading 8400 trekkers.
- 12 August 2020 he claimed to have led 85 treks with Kokoda Spirit leading 8900 trekkers and two months later on 30 October he claimed to have completed 80 treks with Kokoda Spirit leading 8500 trekkers.
- 19 September 2021, when trekking was suspended due to Covid, he claimed to have completed 95 treks with Kokoda Spirit leading 8900 trekkers.
- 4 December 2021, he claimed to have completed ‘more than 90 crossings of the Kokoda Track’.
- 19 August 2022 he claimed to have completed 95 treks and ‘So far…we have seen over 10000 trekkers come on some extraordinary adventures with us!’.
- 27 February 2024 he claims to have completed ‘more than 99 crossings of the Kokoda Track’.
- 18 May 2024 he claimed to have ‘trekked Kokoda in excess of 95 times’.
- 2 June 2004 he claimed ‘trekked Kokoda in excess of 90 times’.
- 1 September 2024 he claims to have completed ‘more than 99 crossings of the Kokoda Track’ – on the same date, in different sections of his website he claims to have completed ’95 crossings of the Kokoda Track’and to ‘have seen over 8900 trekkers successfully cross the track!’.
Wetherall fails to explain how he could have led 11 treks across the Kokoda Trail when it was closed during Covid and there were no flights between Australian and PNG!
A table titled ‘Trolling for the Truth’ below details the claims he has made regarding the number of trekkers his company has led and the number of times he has claimed to have trekked it.
Kokoda – The New Black!
Within five years of Wetherall’s claimed ‘discovery’ of Kokoda, trekking across it had become the fashionable ‘new black’ for Australian bucket-listers and baby-boomers with numbers increasing by 255% – from 1,584 in 2003 to 5,621 in 2008.
Kokoda Trail Management Authority Limitations
The management authority put in place by the PNG Government in 2004 was limited to a CEO with a part-time assistant. The office was soon overwhelmed with their responsibilities for licensing new trek operators; issuing trek permits; developing campsites; maintaining the trail and meeting the increasing demands of traditional landowners.
The CEO of the authority, Warren Bartlett, was a former Australian kiap. He had worked in PNG for 40 years as a Government Administrator, was fluent in Tok-Pisin and understood the complexities of Papuan culture. The feedback he was receiving from villagers along the trail in 2008 indicated there were many more trekkers than trek permits (although this feedback was anecdotal).
Bartlett quietly appointed a local ranger, Mr Landy Noel of Efogi village, which is half-way along the trail, to audit the number of trekkers with each company as they passed through. Noel used a simple technique of seeking information from the local guides and carriers in Tok-Pisin then relaying the figures back to Bartlett via VHF radio.
When Bartlett reconciled the figures at the end of 2008, he discovered that Wetherall’s company, Kokoda Spirit, had applied for 378 trek permits – but Landy Noel had counted 855 trekkers passing through his village of Efogi!
KTA Summary of Trek Fee defaulters in 2008. Only one company, Adventure Kokoda, had not defaulted on their Trek Fee obligations.
Wetherall later claimed on his website that he led more than 1000 trekkers across the trail which indicates that either Landy Noel did not count them all – or Wetherall inflated the figure as a marketing ploy.
| TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2008 Kokoda Story It’s a tale of courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice which Wayne and Michelle Wetherall want to share with everyone. Six years ago, the Sippy Downs couple formed Kokoda Spirit – a company which takes treks across the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. Since then, Kokoda Spirit has educated thousands of trekkers about the bitter fight between Australian and Japanese soldiers which took place on the track 66 years ago – which Australia eventually won. “It’s a business that Michelle and I are very passionate about because it’s such a fantastic story of what took place,” Wayne said. “This year alone we‘ve taken over a thousand trekkers … We do anything from corporate to school groups to individuals or teams.” While the trail is 96 kilometres long, with 7,500 meters in climbs and another 7,500 meters in descents, Wayne said the key to completing the track is having a good stamina. “You don’t need to be an Olympian,” he said. |
Character References
At the end of 2008, the Australian Government assumed responsibility for the Kokoda Trail under a Joint Understanding signed with PNG.
Mr Rod Hillman was appointed as CEO to replace Bartlett. It was Hillman’s first trip to PNG and the defaulting on payment of trek fees by Australian operators was the first issue he had to resolve.
Rather than advise operators who had defaulted on their payments to pay up, the KTA (under Hillman’s leadership) entered into a series of confidential settlement agreements which resulted in undisclosed discounts and payments to the rogue companies which included Kokoda Spirit.
Wetherall’s persuasive sales skills came to the fore during his negotiations with Rod Hillman and they became close friends. So close that Hillman wrote a letter advising that Kokoda Spirit ‘had no outstanding trek fees in 2008, 2009, or 2010’. He neglected to mention whether these amounts related to the full amount of unpaid fees identified by the Kokoda Track Authority audit, or any reduced amount negotiated as part of a confidential settlement with the KTA.
‘Kokoda Spirit PO Box 7293 Sippy Downs QLD 4556 Australia Re: Confirming Kokoda Spirit has paid all outstanding KTA fees and charges Dear ‘Wayne & Michelle, This letter is to confirm the outcomes of our conversation held on the 26th April in the KTA office. In this discussion I was able to verify;
‘Kokoda Spirit has no outstanding trek permit, or other, fees to the KTA from 2008, 2009 or 2010. Kokoda Spirit has satisfied all requirements to be issued a KTA Commercial Operations License. I look forward to working closely with Kokoda Spirit into the future.
‘Regards, Rod Hillman Chief Executive Officer
May 05, 2010
It was noted that Hillman did not write a similar letter to any other trekking company (including the one company that was compliant with their payment and those in near compliance).
On 3 September 2010 Wetherall’s relationship with Rod Hillman was evident in the following announcement on his blog:
‘Kokoda Spirit to manage Kokoda Track Authority Chairman’s Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel Day Trek . . .the VIP participants on this trek have been personally invited by the Chairman and CEO of the Kokoda Track Authority.
Such a trek should have been put out to tender among licensed Kokoda tour operators at the time however there is no evidence this protocol was followed.
At the end of Hillman’s term as CEO he joined Wetherall’s company, Kokoda Spirit, on a trek across the Kokoda Trail, and wrote a glowing reference as a parting gift on Thursday, 28 June 2012:
‘Wayne and Michelle,
‘Please accept my apologies, belated thanks and appreciation for assisting me to join your trek last year.‘The trek was brilliant and allowed me to spend time with my two sons focused on them instead of organizing/ leading my own trek.
‘Kokoda Spirit’s organization and implementation was a credit to you both. The trek flowed well with competent (obviously well trained) staff who enjoyed their work. From our first meeting on Brigade Hill with the porters performing a welcome dance to flying back to Port Moresby and dinner at the Yacht Club we were treated extremely well. The relationship one of my sons developed with your porter Billy was a highlight. Cameron is excellent. He has a genuine passion for the subject and I thoroughly enjoyed his commentary and leadership of the group. This was my first experience as a ‘trekker’ on the Kokoda Track as all the other times it was work and a very different experience. It was a great insight to the experience trekkers get when they join a tour operator and if everyone supplies the experience Kokoda Spirit does then the Industry is in safe hands. Once again my congratulations and my thanks.
Cheers Rod Hillman
According to a signed statement by Hillman on 8 November 2018, Wetherall advised him that the ‘thousand trekkers’ he claimed to have led across the Trail in 2008 was just a ‘marketing statement and not actual figures’.
In 2016 the Australian High Commission went a step further and wrote a personal letter congratulating Wetherall for the ‘great work he was doing on the Track’:
Dear Wayne, By way of introduction I am responsible at the High Commission for the Australian government work in the Kokoda region.
I’ d like to pass on our congratulations in general to your company for the great work you do on the Track. I see your teams out there, they’re clearly well prepared, your potters are being treated well, and your companies interaction with campsite owners and the local communities is positive. Terrific stuff. It’s great for those individuals involved, both from PNG and Australia, it’s good for the economy, and it helps strengthen the bilateral relationship. Recognise you must be working hard to bring up the number of trekkers – that’s not easy in this economic climate. I’d welcome the opportunity to meet with you if you have time next time you’re around Moresby Always keen to hear and learn more about the Track, and discuss the Australian government approach, including to some of the challenges.
Respectfully yours, Tim Bryson
Counsellor, Australian High Commission – Port Moresby Ph +675 3259333 Ext. 379 I Mobile + 675 7200 7872 I Fax +675 325 5535 Australian High Commission – Pott Moresby Locked Bag 129, Waigani NCO, Papua New Guinea www.dfat.gov.au
The Australian High Commission failed to write to other trekking companies who had established legitimate charitable foundations, built community learning centres, initiated agricultural projects, and provided generous support to local schools and health centres.
They obviously did not have the charm that Wetherall oozed when he needed to!
The Australian High Commission was obviously unaware that Kokoda Spirit was not (according to the PNG Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), operating in accordance with PNG legislation.
Wetherall’s powers of marketing and persuasion are also evident in his Linkedin endorsements for ‘management’, ‘strategic planning’ and ‘program management’ by the Australian ‘Strategic Management Advisor’ for the DFAT Kokoda Initiative, Mark Nizette MBE:
Skills & endorsements Management Endorsed by Mark Nizette, MBE (mutual connection) Strategic Planning Endorsed by Mark Nizette, MBE and 2 other mutual connections Program Management Endorsed by Mark Nizette, MBE (mutual connection)
Australian High Commission assisting in ‘advertising’ Kokoda Spirit
It is instructive that DFAT agencies responsible for ensuring good governance in the management of the Kokoda Trail i.e., the Australian High Commission, the DFAT Kokoda Initiative, and the PNG Kokoda Track Authority, have provided written and published endorsements of an Australian company that, according to documentary evidence available, has failed to pay substantial trek fees by cheating villages of their entitlement to shared benefits; making continued unjustified and unsubstantiated claims on their website; failing to operate in accordance with PNG legislation, and who have avoided their taxation obligations.
The Last word
The last word regarding Wetherall’s character came from one of his trek leaders – a former army lieutenant decorated during the Vietnam War:
‘I led two dry season Track crossings for Wayne in 2009. The first, comprising a group of some six clients, went reasonably well. An overall assessment suggested to me that, prima facie, Wayne had his shit in order.‘
The second crossing for Wayne later that year, was however, an unmitigated disaster, and suggested to me that Wayne was flying by the seat of his pants, and that his organisation was a major accident waiting for a time and a place to happen. I forwarded a comprehensive assessment of the trek and his organisation to him and received in return only a brief acknowledgement of that report. Since that time, I’ve had essentially no contact with him.
‘It was very clear to me before, during, and after that second trek, that every facet of his organisation essentially failed to meet even the most rudimentary of common, garden variety trekking standards. It didn’t matter whether the issue was pre or post trek administration; support staff selection, management, development, competence and accountability arrangements; trek safety; or logistics: all seemed to perch precariously and consistently on a narrow knife edge, where the potential for significant problems to emerge were so obviously and consistently in evidence.‘I concluded that report to Wayne with the following advice:
“If it is your wish that KS continues to operate, and to prosper, professionally, on the Track, it is my opinion that a significant review of your Company’s philosophy, your standards and modus operandi is urgently required.‘‘It would be well beyond any possibility that I would trek for or with him again, nor would I in any way recommend any potential trekker to join his expeditions. I would not allow myself to be associated with him or his organisation.
‘My anecdotal-based overview of WW, gained inter alia, from a number of reputable sources whose opinion and judgement I would trust, and over the past seven years, is that he is a bullshit merchant of some standing, whose principal position in life seems to be based on a carefully planned programme of self-aggrandisement and self-promotion. Notwithstanding his clever self-marketing skills, his trekking “exploits” both on and off the Track appears to me to lack any real credibility, He seems somehow to survive on a predetermined network of manipulative exploitation of, at best, half-truths, something akin to a shonky second-hand car salesman!!’[iv]
Wayne Wetherall Fact Checks
Date of Birth: 3 May 1965
1995-1996NSW Technical Sales Manager, Kirby Refrigeration
1996-1999NSW State Manager, Kirby Refrigeration
1999-2002
NSW State Manager, Actrol Pty Ltd
Actrol is a wholesaler of parts to the refrigeration, air conditioning and allied industries.
2002-2003
National Sales Marketing Manager, Reliance Grou0/TubeFit
Note:
‘TubeFit’ does not generate any results in the Reliance Group Search Engine – it is not possible to gauge the extent of Wetherall’s ‘National’ responsibilities in this position.
2003-2006
National Sales Marketing Manager, RES (Refrigeration Equipment Supplies)
Note:
RES does not have a website – it is therefore not possible to gauge the extent of Wetherall’s ‘National’ responsibilities in this position.
2004
Kokoda Spirit Pty Limited (ACN:111 575 378) registered with ASIC 0n 28 October 2004.
Kokoda Spirit (PNG) Limited (1-47149) registered in PNG on 16 December 2005.
The following is an extract from the first Kokoda Spirit website on 11 February 2005:
‘Kokoda Spirit is passionately committed to the legacy and Spirit (sic) that our Australian Soldiers (sic) and their Papuan New Guinea Brothers (sic) have left for us on the Kokoda Track (sic). The Courage (sic), Endurance (sic), Mateship (sic) and Sacrifice (sic) on this sacred track have become legend. We at Kokoda Spirit are dedicated to providing our Trekkers (sic) and Rafters (sic)with the Experience (sic) of a Lifetime (sic), to Experience (sic) Adventure (sic), to Experience (sic) the Spirit (sic) and to Experience (sic) the Culture (sic) and the People (sic) this wonderful, fascinating and awe inspiring Country (sic) provides.
‘At Kokoda Spirit we are always at the forefront of new adventures in PNG. We have successfully explored and opened up 3 new rivers in PNG. We can also organise treks to Mt Wilhelm and Mt Victoria. We are also opening up trips to Alotau at Milne bay and Buna and Gona on the North Coast (sic). Kokoda Spirit has offices in both Sydney and Port Moresby. This allows us to provide you with local contacts in Australia, while our strategically based Port Moresby office provides all the advantages of local knowledge and local infrastructure. This support network ensures your trekking or rafting adventure is enjoyable and trouble free.‘Our Australian office and operation is run by Wayne Wetherall and Frank Hasiuk. Both these men are passionate about the Kokoda Track (sic), the Australian history, the people and the culture. Both Wayne and Frank have accompanied “Ossie” on the Kokoda Track (sic) and his explorations of the PNG rivers. They have established strong bonds with the local villagers, setting up trusts to supply much needed supplies of School books and equipment. Wayne and Frank’s expertise in Business (sic), IT and Tourism (sic) provides the professional support and infrastructure to the team in Papua New Guinea. Wayne Wetherall has an intimate knowledge and passion for the Australian war history on the track and is our Chief Australian Guide. He has also written a number of stories on the history and his experiences on the track. His enthusiasm and knowledge will give you an insight into the Kokoda Tracks (sic) history.
‘Kokoda Spirit has also run small group trips to explore the history and sites of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Borneo. (Details on request.)‘Wayne Wetherall achievements in Brief:‘Kokoda Spirit is the only Trekking/Rafting Company (sic) in PNG. Kokoda Spirit is also the only commercially operated Rafting (sic) company in PNG. Kokoda Spirit can offer you rafting at the completion of your trek – either on the Kumusi River near Kokoda or on the Vanapa and Angabanga Rivers near Port Moresby.’
| FACT CHECK: Kokoda Spirit ventures into white-water rafting in PNG ended after three Israeli rafters were drowned on one of their expeditions in May 2005. There is no record of Wayne Wetherall and Frank Hasiuk ‘setting up trusts to supply much needed supplies of School books and equipment’ for local villagers in 2005. There is no record of Wetherall publishing ‘stories on the history and his experiences on the track’ prior to 2005. There is no record of Kokoda Spirit organising or leading ‘small group trips to explore the history and sites of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Borneo’ prior to 2005. Prior to 2004, Frank Hasiuk worked in Real Estate in South-Western Sydney. According to a PNG guide on his first trek across the Kokoda Trail in 2004 he provided the funding for Wetherall’s initial ventures into PNG – he was mentioned on the Kokoda Spirit website for a short time before being removed. According to Wetherall’s LinkedIn profile he was employed as the National Marketing Manager with Refrigeration Equipment Supplies from 2003 until December 2006. |
2006:
Celsius Journal: Vol 34. No 5. May 2006. Page 14. Industry News – The Official Journal of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Australia
‘Wayne Weatherall is the National Sales Manager for RES. Wayne has been a great help assisting us with Worldskills.’
| FACT CHECK: It is difficult to understand how Wetherall could have been ‘at the forefront of new adventures in PNG; exploring and opening and opening up new rivers in PNG; and opening up trips to Alotau, Buna and Gona whilst he was employed as the National Sales Manager for Refrigeration Equipment Supplies at the same time in 2005-2006. There are no known records of his ‘exploring’ and ‘opening up’ of ‘new adventures’ in any of these locations – it can therefore be assumed that he made them up to enhance the myth he was cultivating in the early years of his involvement with the Kokoda Trail. |
2009:
According to an interview with the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper on 15 April 2009 he informed the reporter, Anne Lousie Brown, that he was:
‘a building industry sales executive, but “had a nagging need” to make his Kokoda Spirit dream come alive.’
| FACT CHECK: There are no known records of Wayne Wetherall’s engagement in the building industry as a sales executive. He has not mentioned this fact in his Linkedin profile or any other forum. It is possible he might just have been trying to impress the young female reporter. |
2011:
THE AWCI 66th Annual Conference:(Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries)
Reef View Hotel, Hamilton Island, QLD: 6-9 November 2011
Motivational Speaker: Wayne Wetherall
‘Wayne Wetherall is currently the owner and Managing Director of Adventure companies, Kokoda Spirit and Wild Spirit Adventures. Wayne had a very successful career in the corporate world as a National Sales and Marketing Manager and General Manager, until in 2004, he walked the Kokoda Track in PNG; a life changing experience that he has turned into a passion and lifestyle.‘In 2007 he took on the fulltime role as Managing Director of his own company Kokoda Spirit, which quickly became Number One operator of adventure treks across Kokoda and PNG, escorting over 4000 trekkers across the track. Wetherall’s adventure company has now expanded into Borneo, Africa and Nepal, with his passion to deliver life changing adventures.’
| FACT CHECK: Wayne Wetherall established his myth on the pillar of his international, national, and state athletic records which were listed on the Kokoda Spirit website on 11 February 2005. They were quietly removed from the website after the aura of the adventurer, explorer, and historian with a passion for our soldiers had been established. If Wetherall’s athletic records were true it is fair to assume they would have featured in his profile as a ‘motivational speaker’ of some note at the AWCI 66th International Conference in 2011 – that’s what motivational speakers do! |
Wayne’s expertise in Adventure tourism, Business, Management, Leadership, Motivation and Life changing experiences, provides the professional support and infrastructure to the team in Papua New Guinea. Wayne has had a very successful career in the corporate world as a State Manager, National Sales and Marketing Manager and General Manager.’
| FACT CHECK: According to Annual Returns submitted for Kokoda Spirit PNG, Wetherall did not have a ‘team in Papua New Guinea’ as the company did not employ any full-time or part-time employees. |
‘Founded in 2004 by adventurer, Wayne Wetherall, Kokoda Spirit began with an earnest desire to experience a legendary track that was once all but forgotten to time until a small band of Soldiers trekked into the interior of Papua New Guinea and fought back an invading Japanese force during World War II. This formidable frontier became known as the Kokoda Trail Campaign.’
| F\ACT CHECK:It is a stretch to relate the term ‘adventurer’ to the various suburban sales manager positions listed on his Linkedin profile prior to 2004. |
According to Wayne Wetherall’s Linkedin profile he has also ‘thrown himself out of a perfectly good plane skydiving 4 times’, and ‘caged dived with the Great White sharks off Port Lincoln’.
| FACT CHECK: Wetherall didn’t actually ‘throw himself out a perfectly good plane skydiving 4 times’ as claimed. According to Skydive.com.au a parachutist must have completed nine AFF training stages which involve assisted jumping ‘with two instructors holding on to you’ before one is permitted to jump solo. This FB post indicates that Wetherall participated in a ‘tandem jump’ firmly attached to the bosom of a qualified parachutist in the same fashion as this 95-year-old skydiver. According to Shark Diving in Port Lincoln: ‘Our crew strive to ensure all groups get a similar experience in the cage, based on shark interaction . . . Please remember that the day isn’t just about being in the cage as there is also ample viewing opportunity from on board the vessel while waiting for your turn to dive’. |
Wayne Wetherall after throwing himself ‘out of a perfectly good plane’ (firmly attached to the bosom of a qualified tandem parachutist), and cage-diving with what appear to be ‘white pointer’ fish.
Create the myth . . .
attract the admirers
[i] Email from Lawrence Appelbee dated 12 March 2011
[ii] https://web.archive.org/web/20100310114046/http:/www.kokodaspirit.com/2008_09_01_archive.html
[iii] https://web.archive.org/web/20130427185937/http://blog.kokodaspirit.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
[iv] Email from Lawrence Appelbee dated 12 March 2011
