Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for August, 2010

The Kokoda Track Maintenance Committee was formed to define what it was that has drawn 20, 000 trekkers to The Kokoda Track since 2001, and once defined, ensure that this experience – The Kokoda Experience, will be preserved.

The Committee consists of a small team of  trekking guides, historians, local Kokoda Track land owners and is chaired by the CEO of the Kokoda Track Authority.

All committee members have a long history of involvement with trekkers walking the Track and most importantly a desire to ensure that the magic experience that trekkers have while walking the Track, defined as the Kokoda Experience, is protected and maintained for ever. A Back Track director is a committee member.

The inaugural meeting, agreed, that a trekker will have had a true Kokoda Experience if on completion of their trek they have:

• An accurate understanding of the truly remarkable war time story of Australian mateship, courage, endurance and sacrifice. The epic story slowly unfolds each day as your Trek Guide relates the war stories on the exact locations where history was made.
• An appreciation and respect for the remarkable jungle eco system the Track encompasses. The plants, orchids, trees, the wildlife, birds, the creeks and rivers, nature in all its most beautiful jungle clothing. To live- eat, sleep and pass through this natural wonderland for 9 days while experiencing the sunrises, sunsets, the rain, the heat, the cool dark jungle is for most trekkers a once in a lifetime experience that is exhilarating and rejuvenating.
  Note: Currently the Kokoda Track and the entire Owen Stanley Ranges are considered so unique that they have been presented for listing as a World heritage area.
• An appreciation of the culture of Australia’s nearest neighbor. The Koiara and Orokaiva people who inhabit the 23 villages along the Track corridor are the direct decedents of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who carried to safety and cared for our wounded soldiers. Interacting with their culture in the villages and with your PNG trekking crew who live along the Track is a highlight of the Kokoda Experience.
• And last but definitely not least, the Kokoda experience is knowing that you have faced and conquered your own physical and mental challenge and with your fellow trekkers depart PNG having had a once in a lifetime experience – The Kokoda Experience.

In practice, the Kokoda Experience will be preserved by initiatives that will ensure:

• all the war time relics that remain along the Track and in the jungle and all important war time sites are preserved and protected.
• the jungle, trees, waterways, camp sites, tracks etc are preserved and where damaged, plans put in place to repair or rejuvenate. All future development should be environmentally sensitive and only enhance the jungle experience. A yardstick of our success will be when the “moss on the rocks” has rejuvenated at the Track crossing over Ofi Creek. The moss at that crossing has disappeared over the last few years due to environmental damage from trekking.
• all stakeholders including trekking companies, land owners and all the village people along the Track corridor understand that the financial benefits of the Kokoda Track Industry is dependent on total cooperation and understanding of the importance of maintaining the Kokoda Experience for trekkers.
• a licensing system is in place to ensure that trekking companies maintain a minimum standard and have correct insurance cover, provide all necessary safety and emergency equipment and have emergency evacuation procedures in place. The true Kokoda Experience must be a safe experience for all trekkers.
  Note:Though it will not be compulsory for trekking companies to have Australian Trek Leaders to obtain a license, the Kokoda Experience for all trekkers is greatly enhanced and safer by having a properly trained Australian Trek Leader accompany a trek Team.

Back Track Adventures is committed to the above initiatives and will be participating in every aspect of the plan to maintain the Kokoda Experience for all trekkers yet to trek the Kokoda Track.

For more detailed information visit our dedicated Kokoda website:  trekkokoda.com.au

After Team 17  finishes their trek on the 05 November,  we are intending   to hold our end of season trek party for all our trek crew.  This is a party to publicly show our appreciation for the  professional job all our trek crew have done throughout the 2010 trek season. There will be presentations, food and drink, music etc etc.

As part of a special powerpoint presentation I am completing  to show at the party, I am looking for all our past trekkers, especially from the 2010 season, to forward to me any pics or especially jpg’s showing the crew, or individual crew members, in action or interacting with the trekkers or in any situation at all.  Pics of our crew in any situation would be fun to have.  I would like the crew to have a few laughs when they see themselves on the big screen.   The show is going to be all about the crew . If you or other trekkers are in the shot as well that is great.
If you would like to include a  written  message to your personal porter, or to the crew in general, please feel free to do so and we will include these written notes into the presentation. Don’t feel oblidged to include a written note, as we do not expect to include 200 written notes.
Be assured that we  will handle the presentation so all crew are thanked equally.  
Email your pics to jim@backtrack.com.au.

 Anyone who has walked the Kokoda Track will be well aware of the name Stan Bisset. Stan was an officer with the 2nd 14th Battalion AIF that  fought heroically throughout the Kokoda campaign.

Stan’s story on the Track is one that legends are made of, however, Stan would like to think that his contribution to the final victory was no more deserving of recognition then any of  his mates that he fought with shoulder  to shoulder.

Even when all are heroes, some men will always stand just a little taller then others; Stan is such a man.

Happy birthday Stan Bisset MC OAM MID,  Born 27 August 1912.

COURAGE , MATESHIP, ENDURANCE, SACRIFICE.

extract from KTA newsletter.

All Kokoda trekkers should take note

During July, Kokoda Track RangerJoe Duhube observed a porter carrying the remains of an Australian 303 rifle with a group of trekkers. The porter claimed  he had been carrying the rifle for 3 days and was taking it to his private museum beyond the Track. The ranger confiscated the rifle and the porter was advised that taking of any historical artefacts from the Track is illegal both through PNG legislation and customary law and by removing these artefacts contributes to the general decline of  the Kokoda Track experience. Artefacts like these are protected under a range of legislation administered under the National Museum and Art Gallery act 1992 and heavy penalties apply for taking or remoaval of artefacts.

All trekkers whether trekking with us or not must be aware that the removal of any artefact is illegal and will not be tolerated. Please trekkers -Protect the Track .

Back Track Team 17 will be at the village of Kokoda to be part of the inaugral Fuzzy Wuzzy Day celebrations on November 3 this year.
The KTA have  released the programme for the days celebrations which  are detailed below.  Unfortunately it is now to late to be part of this years trek and celebrations however you can book and join us in 2011. We would love to have you on board.

KOKODA PROGRAMME
FUZZY WUZZY DAY –  NOVEMBER  3 -  2010