Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘fuzzy wuzzy angels’ Category

Australia and Papua New Guinea have signed a joint agreement to protect the historic Kokoda Track. This is the second joint  understanding agreement and aims to support sustainable development of the Owen Stanley ranges, Brown River Catchment, and Kokoda Track region. Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith and PNG Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sam Abal signed the agreement at Alotau PNG  on July 8.

Environment Minister, Peter Garrett and his PNG counterpart, Benny Allen said this marked  the continuation of a joint committment to protect the Kokoda Track region. It also would help improve the lives of local communities by providing access to the potential economic benefits arising from the development of resources such as hydropower and tourism, the ministers said. A key objective of the agreement will be to honour the Track’s wartime historical significance and protect and promote its values.
extract from brisbane Courier Mail Friday July 9.

Back Track are happy to announce that Fuzzy Wuzzy Day 2010 is now official.  Mr James Enage, the CEO of the Kokoda  Track Authority has confirmed the a programme  for the inaugral 2010 celebration will be available shortly.

When contacted recently MrEnage advised, “ we are currently planning the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Day for 3^rd of November, 2010 and have agreed on Kokoda Station as the main focus place for the celebrations. Tentative Programs in discussion are flag raising ceremony which will be followed by Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Medal Presentation that will be further complimented with Cultural Dance Festival. This Cultural Dance Festival will include various groups within the Oro Province and other invited guest Provinces in PNG and may require an additional two days.”

 A Back Track trekking  team will be  attending the inaugral Fuzzy Wuzzy day celebrations for 2010.  Our Team 17 itinerary has been designed  so we will be at Kokoda Station for the celebrations. Team 17 is completely sold out and we are now taking bookings for the same trek in 2011. let us know if you are interested in being there for 2011.  Our 2011 Itinerary will be slightly modified so  trekkers can opt to spend 1 or 3 days in Kokoda after their trek so they can take part inj some or all of the celebrations over the 3 days.

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The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels  by Sapper Bert Beros

Many a mother in Australia,
When the busy day is done,
Sends a prayer to the Almighty
For the keeping of her son,
Asking that an Angel guide him
And bring him safely back
Now we see those prayers are answered
Up on the Kokoda Track,
Though they haven’t any halos,
Only holes slashed in the ears,
And with faces worked with tattoos,
With scratch pins in their hair,
Bringing back the wounded,
Just as steady as a hearse,
Using leaves to keep the rain off
And as gentle as a nurse. Read the rest of this entry »

On the morning of November 3, Team 17, our last team on the Track for 2010 will commemorate the recapture of Kokoda and the historic raising of the Australian Flag over the site where the Kokoda campaign started.

Although B Company of the 39th Militia Battalion had briefly engaged the vanguard of the advancing Japanese forces before they reached Kokoda station,  it was the battle for Kokoda and our subsequent forced  withdrawal which marked the start of the Japanese advance over the Owen Stanley Ranges towards their goal of Port Moresby. It was a moment of great pride when in the early hours of November 3, 1942, the advancing Australian forces raised the Australian Flag in the same clearing that had been so heroically defended 4 months earlier.

Raising the flag will be only one of the highlights of this trek. We will be starting this trek at Ower’s Corner and walk South to North following the battle history of the Australian soldiers  as they pushed the Japanese back over the Track. Rather than camp at Kokoda, we intend to stay the night in a village Homestay which should be a lot of fun.

Click here to view our Team 17 Itinerary >

Click here to read more about this special commemorative trek >

Back Track are excited to share details about out own ground crew in PNG. In addition to your Trek Leader (from Australia), our Head Guide and Trekking Crew are an essential part of every Team trekking the Kokoda Track.  All your Trek Crew will come from the villages along the Kokoda Track. You will on occassions meet their families,( wife, brother, sister etc),  as you pass through or stop in their home villages during the trek.   They are the direct family of the original Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.

Each  Team is guided over the Kokoda Track by a Head Guide. His expertise and experience and leadership qualities has earned him the role as  Head Guide.  He supervises  and is responsible for all the Trekking Crew and  Trekkers Personal Porters.  He appoints the various crew members to the daily roles of  Lead man , lunch site set up team and evening camp set up team. He will also oversea the crew attending to all meal preparation and acts as the liason between the  Trekking Crew and the Trek Leader.

Pic above: (left) Andy Ovoru, a respected Naduri Village leader and 2010 Head Guide with (right) Nick Huleva,  BTA Operations Mgr based in Port Moresby but from Naduri Village

Trekking Crew

There is a ratio of 1:1 trekking crew to trekkers and trek leader. The Trekking Crew carry food, mess equipment, tents and other camping equipment. They also watch out for all trekkers during the course of the days walk. During each days walk, they will assist at river and creek crossings and especially on difficult sections of trail and generally look after the welfare of all trekkers at all times.