Captain Jacob - Having served with the Salvos for 7 years, is the Founder & Coordinator of Investa Treks. Driven by my love for God & the people of Papua New Guinea, I have the desire to share the culture, history, & to show people the need in Papua New Guinea as well. With great connections to the locals in the villages where Investa Treks assist, I love to see the impact that our treks have on people as they work through the challenges they face. 

Organising and Guiding treks with The Salvos 'Investa Treks' would have to be one of the best jobs in the world, and Building Projects in villages make such a difference.

Personally travelling Papua New Guinea and guiding up to 5 treks a year, we striive to provide the best to our trekkers that make a difference to the locals we assist.    Keep scrolling down...

 

  

Papua New Guinea Manager

Helen is our Papua New Guinea manager, and is based in Port Moresby at our Investa Treks office.

She comes from the Gulf Province at a village called Sepoe, 4 hours drive out of Port Moresby. She has been working in the hospitality industry for 18 years, with the last 9 years in the trekking industry.

She has been a keen Rugby Union player for 6 years, enjoys her time coaching and developing younger players also keeping fit. She likes spending time with friends and family relaxing, when she has time. Working in the hospitality industry her goal is to take care of her trekkers and make sure they are comfortable and safe.

Representing her country, Papua New Guinea & Investa Treks is her pride. She places her trust In God for strenghth for each new day. 

She looks forward to welcoming and meeting you.

 

  

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Nathanael is from Brisbane, QLD. He works as a sheet metal worker, and loves spending time with his wife and two boys, playing guitar, writing and listening to music, and having adventures! He and his wife have lived and worked together for the Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea on two separate occasions, most recently in 2011 when they moved there with their boys. He loves all things outdoors including hiking, mountain climbing, running, fitness, surfing and snorkeling –  so naturally PNG is a place that, along with its people, is close to his heart.

 

 

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Australian Guide

Dean is a keen outdoors adventurer who has worked as an Outdoors Instructor in New Zealand, Scotland, Canada and Australia. With a background in The Salvation Army, Dean has experience as a Youth Pastor and Camp Director. More recently Dean has run his own photography and video production business specialising in sports and event coverage. In the last few years he has filmed and photographed a number of documentaries and promotional videos for mission and community organisations in Africa, Nepal and PNG, including twice filming groups (including Investa Trekkers) across the Kokoda Track. 

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Etienne - affectionately known as 'ET" first trekked Kokoda with Rod Morrison in 2007. Both ex-Army buddies they trekked Kokoda for one last 'route march'. However it was never to be as both he and Rod are now Investa's Australian Guides. ET has a diverse background and could never stay in one place. At the age of 18 he started backpacking about Europe on his own. He then enlisted and went onto serve in two Corps in the Australian Regular Army (the 5^th/7^th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment (Mechanized) Infantry and the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police) and gained various Military Leadership qualifications. He was also posted to the Royal Military College to assist with the training of Officer Cadets. After his period of engagement he left Australia and based himself in the UK for the next 10 years where he worked as a Security Contractor. Here he set up one of the first Worldwide Emergency Response Control Rooms for BHP Billiton - from London he went travelling again. He has been from A for Agra to Z for Zagreb. He spent almost two years in Outposts about Former Yugoslavia with Defence Systems Ltd as a Border Crossing Point Monitor/Special Investigator for the UN and returned to Australia at the end of the Bosnian war. Etienne today works for the Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations in Canberra.

 

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Australian Guide

Rodney “Morrie” - Rod is a distinguished Veteran and ex-career Infantry Soldier (who served with 2/4 and 5/7 Battalions, the Royal Military College and the former Parachute Regiment 3 RAR). He too is worldy travelled and has seen service in war torn East Timor and also served with the Rifle Company Battalion, Malaysia. At age 19 Rod was one of the youngest Soldiers to be attempting the SAS cadre course which pushed him to his limits and beyond. Rod has gained many military qualifications and has been awarded the Australian Active Service Medal and Infantry Combat Badge. He has a Special Forces background giving him excellent Jungle skills especially with River crossings added to this his exceptional historical knowledge of the Papuan campaign as he had ancestors who fought on the Track. Rod has Led Groups into the so called 'Lost Battlefield' at Eora Creek and the Northern Beaches. He recently returned from taking an Inaugral Group on the in-famous Black Cat Trail and Bulldog Trail in PNG. Rod spent a month on this track and navigated and walked 270 kilometres through the worlds hardest and harshest jungle Treks.

 

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Australian Guide

John Served in the Australian Army in the late 80s as an infantry soldier, 6 RAR upon discharge, he completed a mature age apprenticeship in Carpentry and joined the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) in 1994 as a volunteer and became an employee with the RFS in 1995, John have worked all over NSW in roles such as Learning & Development, Operations and Management.  He is currently the Region East Manager, located in Olympic Park Sydney.  These days John mainly works in the general management, audit & compliance overseeing the implementation of services to 18 Districts, comprising of 35 Local Government areas, from below Wollongong in the South to above Port Macquarie in the North and as far west as Oberon & Bathurst.  During periods of operations he operates in high end coordination and logistics.  John has vast experience in hands on and management of emergency situations.  Having said this, “you can take the boy out of the bush, but not the bush out of the boy”.  John enjoys getting out in the bush, “the more remote and steeper, the better”.  John first tackled the track in 2007 and recently, John and several other RFS personnel took three young adults of fallen RFS fire fighters across the track in an initiative called “Courage Under Fire”, not be content with that that, John turned around and trekked back in three days!  “It truly rewarding to work for, and volunteer my time to organisations that give so much back to the broader community and It’s a privilege to be part of Investa Treks and lead people into an environment that is so rich in history, yet relatively untouched since 1942, the people the culture the track…… it still the same”.

 

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Yesterdays Diggers are Todays Salvos ‘Soldier’ Guides:  All our Australia Trek Leaders are unique in that they are Volunteers some are ex Servicemen and others professionals in their own fields. Unlike other companies they do not Trek Kokoda as just a job. As such they are incredibly passionate individuals who have gone through Investa’s selection and Outdoor training. So you know when you book an Australian Led Trek at Investa you will have a Guide who is not only experienced but a devoted, dedicated individual who give up their own time and money to show and give you the experience you will remember for life. (please see our past Clients Testimonials). Many of our Guides also have Leadership and Advanced Wilderness First Aid Trained qualifications to ensure you the safest of Treks.