LIKE most people, Australian Warwick Duncan has a list of experiences he would like to savour before his time is up.

Unlike most people, he is making them happen.

The Australian father of four has been working his way through his own version of a "bucket list" since organ donation gave him a second chance at life 19 years ago.

Every year around the anniversary of his liver transplant, Mr Duncan tries something he's never done before.

It's his way of showing the grieving family of his donor that their precious gift hasn't been wasted, and showing the world what transplant recipients are capable of.

After dedicating the first eight years to competitive swimming, a course that gained him a swag of medals at four world and six Australian transplant games, Mr Duncan launched into his bucket list of adventures with whitewater rafting.

Exploits since then have included parachuting, parasailing, swimming with dolphins and seals, hot-air ballooning, seeing an Olympics, an African safari and visits to countries including Singapore and Ireland.

This year's adventure will be the most challenging yet, when the 49-year-old tackles the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea with sons James, 26, and Marc, 20.

"A lot of people say 'I must do that one day' but I realised 10 years ago that one day never comes," he said.

"You've got to set that date and work towards it.

"For me, the anniversary date of my transplant is the symbol. It reminds me of the chance I have.

"It's a thank-you to my donor and it's proving to myself, the world and my donor family that I'm utilising everything I've got."

Mr Duncan was a fit and healthy 30-year-old father of three young boys -- James, Scott and Marc -- when he was struck down by a mystery hepatitis strain that left him close to death within three months.

The marketing manager travelled to what was then the nation's leading liver transplant unit in Brisbane and got his donor liver on October 25, 1989.

Mr Duncan said that he had been a "picture of health" since overcoming what he called a few normal setbacks in the weeks after his transplant.

With the blessing of his doctors, Mr Duncan is now training for the Kokoda trek, including cycling and hiking twice a day.

Mr Duncan, who has also completed a Masters degree and fathered Australia's fifth post-liver transplant baby in daughter Caitlin, now 16, leaves on September 11 and begins the gruelling 96km, nine-day trek three days later with James, a nurse, and apprentice plumber Marc.

Although not sure what next year's adventure will be because he's focused on "surviving this one", he and wife Dymphna plan to cycle around France in 2010.