About us
About Us
From Uniform to Purpose: The Story Behind Pacific Star Adventures
Founded in 2025 by Cheryl Day—former NSW Police Chief Inspector and current serving member of the Australian Army Reserves—Pacific Star Adventures is built on decades of leadership, resilience, and service. Cheryl's journey has spanned Sydney’s Olympic-era policing, remote outback towns, and international peacekeeping missions with the United Nations in East Timor. But it was emotional burnout that marked a turning point—and a return to something deeply grounding: the Kokoda Trail.
Her first trek, through Police Legacy, stripped away the weight of rank and uniform. What remained was raw humanity—shared struggle, healing, and connection. That moment ignited a lifelong mission: to use walking and wilderness as a path to renewal.
Cheryl has since hiked trails including Larapinta, Jatbula, Overland, Great Ocean Road, Tabletop Track, and even beyond Everest Base Camp, but Kokoda remains her spiritual home. Inspired by its wartime legacy—especially the “Biscuit Bombers”—she built a trekkers’ camp at Myola Lakes, creating a sacred space for reflection and resilience.
Through Pacific Star Adventures, Cheryl leads transformative treks designed to empower others, especially women and veterans. Her all-female Kokoda expeditions are a powerful testament: backpacks adorned with flowers, tears shed in solidarity, hands held high in triumph. These journeys don’t just build fitness—they rebuild purpose, community, and strength.
Still serving with 176 Air Dispatch Squadron and an active member of the Air Dispatch Association of Australia and Kokoda Tour Operators Australia, Cheryl continues to walk with mission and heart.
Pacific Star Adventures exists to guide others—step by step—toward reconnection, reflection, and rediscovered resilience. Whether you're a veteran, first responder, or someone simply seeking to reignite your purpose, we invite you to walk with us. The sky’s the limit – no one walks alone.
The Kokoda Track is physically and mentally demanding, but it is so much more than a trek. It is a cultural immersion that offers unique and profound experiences:
· Walking alongside the people of Papua New Guinea and sharing in their vibrant culture.
· Embracing the challenge of falling seven times and rising eight.
· Listening to the jungle's sights, sounds, and smells while forging deep connections with fellow trekkers.
· Reflecting on the personal stories of those on the track while learning about the history and sacrifices of Australians, Papua New Guineans, and Missionaries during World War II.
For the “Koiari” people who call the Kokoda Track home, trekking tourism provides a vital source of income, sustaining their families and communities. By walking the track, trekkers contribute to their well-being and livelihood.
Kokoda is more than a hike—it is a life-changing journey of resilience, history, culture, and connection. It is an experience that will leave an indelible mark on your soul because Kokoda is so much more.
What does the Kokoda track mean to the people of Papua New Guinea.
Quote from Ronald, a proud Koiari man and Pacific Star Adventures Trek Master.
“Kokoda is everything to me. It is a symbol of enduring relationships, a cornerstone of our (Koiari people) livelihood and survival.
Kokoda has very deep historical, cultural, economic and emotional connection to every Koiari man including myself.
The Koiari Tribe was able to survive because our ancestors long before World War 2 and the first contact with Europeans walked this track to forge relationships and establish trade with neighbouring tribes. This relationship and trade contributed in sustaining our tribe until modern civilisation.
It is through the Kokoda Track that the first Australian Missionaries reached us. They bought Christianity and civilisation into our area in 1908. This was the humble beginning of a lasting relationship between the Koiari Tribe and the people of Australia. The sheer tenacity of this relationship was further bound and sealed by the bloodshed and lives lost during World War 2.
This enduring relationship now defines all aspects of our very existence. It is only through Kokoda that the Koiari Tribe establish real progress. With funding from the Australian Government and continuous support of the Australian people, my people and I are able to earn an income as a porter, my community and my family especially women and children including disadvantaged can generate income, establish an education and have improved access to health services or assistance, we can sustain our livelihood through Kokoda tourism. We are also able to practise our faith, worship our God freely and at will. We develop and build lasting lifelong relationships with people from afar (tourists) maintaining the legacy created of our “Fuzzy Wuzzy” forefathers.
Kokoda is the marrow of our existence. The relationships formed through it …was and still is a vital component in sustaining my livelihood and the livelihood of my Tribe. God bless Kokoda!"
What does the Kokoda track mean to Joanne, a previous trekker with Pacific Star Adventures.
Quote from Jo, a proud Australian and daughter of Kokoda Campaign Veterans.
“Courage, Mateship, Endurance, Sacrifice. The 4 pillars really do embody the Kokoda Trail. You can break down each of them and they thoroughly give meaning to the conflict in 1942. When walking the track, your thoughts are consumed by the gratitude you feel for the amazing men that fought in the same footsteps that you are taking. You find yourself constantly thanking the soldiers for their service and sacrifice, learning the history while on track was such a huge part of the experience, the peaceful and beautifulness competing with the violence and stories were a tear evoking and humbling experience daily. I will never ever forget my experience, I will treasure for the rest of my life, ANZAC Day, which has always been a large part of my life, it has taken on an even more significant meaning. We will remember them. I felt so at home there for a reason unknown and just wanted to keep walking, a truly memorable experience.”