The pair will tackle the humidity and rainforests as they trek along the Kokoda Trail.

They are Orange’s Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge participants for 2018, following in the tracks of other 17-25 year olds who have completed the annual challenge sponsored by the Orange Ex-Services’ Club.

The challenge aims to raise awareness of the sacrifices made by Diggers during World War II.

For Mr Parr, a year 12 student at James Sheahan Catholic High School it is a link to his family heritage of serving for the Australian defence force.

He is currently awaiting confirmation of joining the Army from next year to follow in the footsteps of his father who was a clearance diver in the Navy while others were involved in WWII.

“I had three extended family, two in the air force and one in Port Moresby,” he said.

“I’m always up for a challenge, particularly physical challenges, and this is not just a physical challenge but an emotional challenge.”

Mr Dunne, who is studying Ecological Agricultural Systems at university also has war ties as his grandfather was a navigator on a bomber plane in PNG.

He is looking forward to the challenge.

“The main drawcard for it was the experience,” he said.

The 144 kilometre trek will take them 10 days.

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They have been training with early morning hikes around Orange.

Ex-Services’ club chief human resources officer David Carson said there had been plenty of competition for this year’s trek with 24 applications initially.

Previous trekkers include Meaghan Kempson, a finalist in this year’s Spirit of Kokoda Award and Jennifer Culverson who was awarded the Spirit of Kokoda in 2017 after her trek in 2016.