MEDIA RELEASE
12 August 2008
For immediate release
AUSTRALIAN COMPLETES KAYAK AROUND PAPUA NEW GUINEA
An Australian kayaker has completed a 2,300km sea journey around Papua New Guinea and been welcomed back to Port Moresby by the Australian High Commissioner, Chris Moraitis.
Andrew Hughes, from Tasmania in Australia spent three months travelling along the coastline of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on an adventure aimed at educating school children on the effects of climate change. This was an adventure never before attempted around PNG.
Using a GPS tracking device, Andrew was able to feed a direct signal via satellite pinpointing his exact location. His account of this adventure will be used in classrooms in Australia to help school children learn about climate change, as well as about Papua New Guinea.
The adventurer visited the Australian High Commission after completing his journey in Vanimo on Wednesday 6 August. He thanked the High Commissioner and the many Papua New Guineans, including the Abel family in Milne Bay province, who assisted with medical care when he developed a knee infection 16 days into his 97-day journey.
Andrew launched off on the Fly River on 1 May, 2008 in a sea kayak. He paddled past Port Moresby and around the coast of Milne Bay, where he encountered some of the wettest weather and most dangerous seas.
“Andrew is the true embodiment of the Australian spirit of adventure. His efforts to build friendships between Australia and Papua New Guinea are inspirational,” said Mr Moraitis.
In Morobe Province, Andrew stopped at a village where he met an elderly man to share stories. The old man claimed that Andrew’s sea kayak was the second to have ever landed on their shores. The first was a Japanese sea kayak during World War II.
For more information on Andrew’s adventures, including his Papua New Guinea expedition, visit his web site: www.expeditionclass.com
Media Inquiries: Francina Thomson, Public Diplomacy Officer, Ph: 3259333 ext 276, Email: [email protected]