Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Kokoda Track Initiatives’ Category

From time to time at Back Track,  we receive emails from past trekkers and I would like to share one with you now.

For all who have completed the Kokoda Track we all experience at least one significant realisation during our trek that  probably was not an expectation before we departed Australia. The sentiment expressed in the following email is typical of so many we receive.

“I was well prepared historically and physically but totally unprepared culturally. These lovely gracious people in what I would call ‘Happy poverty” what an eye opener.  I think the cultural experience became the highlight for many in our group.  The early battlefields where our innocent  “teenage soldiers” gave their all (their last and lasting gift) will always remain the highlight for me.”

PNG receives much bad press for which it does not deserve.  The people of PNG and Australia will always be linked by way of our common historical experiences which include the battles fought by Australian and PNG soldiers on PNG soil during WW2.

WE should never forget our PNG mates and comrades in arms.

If you would like to assist the people of PNG in a meaningful way and in particular those who live along the Track and are the living family of our Fuzzy Wuzzy brothers, you can. Be inspired and be generous. Go to www.kokodatrackfoundation.org.

 New Safety and Health programmes are well underway with many finished in preparation for the start of the 2011 Kokoda Trekking Season. The season will officially commence with the Anzac Day treks due to depart Australia on the 19th April 2011.
Under a programme set up by the Australian and PNG governments entitled, the Kokoda Initiative,  a number of goals were determined . Goal 1 related directly to safety issues.
Goal 1:- A safe and well managed Kokoda Track, which honours its wartime historical significance and protects and promotes its special value. Further supporting and enhancing the Kokoda Track Authority’s managementof the Track and trekking operations. Working with local communities and tourism operators to improve the trekking experience and Track facilities.  Working with regulatory authorities to improve safety for local communities living along the Track and tourists visiting the area.

Rangers are now stationed at the start and finish points of the Track at Kokoda and Owers Corner with a further ranger stationed at Efogi Village which is roughly the half way point. A new Rangers house will be built this year in Kokoda.
Having Rangers  now active all along the Track will increase the safety capacity for our industry.
In July a new Kokoda Airstrip Terminal office will be completed and drainage  and other safety projects have already been completed at the Kokoda airstrip vastly improving its capacity to safely handle light aircraft.  Back Track will continue to use the large Dash 8 planes on their scheduled runs into the tarmac strip at Popendetta to transport our trekkers off the Track until all safety concerns have been addressed.  Overall a very active Kokoda Track Authority (KTA)  have pulled out all stops right along the Track to slowly build  the Track up to  the standards of other equally well used popular walking trails worldwide.

Much work has been done on many of the trails leading in and out of the Track villages.  Some of the sections have been vastly improved with the building of well drained staircases and leveling  the more steep sections down to a safer and easier gradient for walking. Combined with roadworks programmes, charting of all  emergency evacuation points, ongoing work on the local communications system, funding for trek crew training in Wilderness First aid courses, and now  plans for proper enviromentally sensitive toilets to be built at all camp sites, the Track  is assured of retaining its reputation as one of the great jungle walks of the world.
In keeping with the Government promise to keep all stakeholders informed, Back Track representatives will be attending the KTA consultive meeting to be held in Brisbane and the Australian Governements update in Sydney in March.

While waiting at the Brisbane International  Airport this morning  for the return of Team 7, I had a chance meeting with Bill James.  Bill James is well known and respected within the Adventure Travel Industry because of his long term involvement, going way back to the good old  days  running overland buses from London to Kathmandu. But for many who have walked the Kokoda Track, Bill is  known for his excellent book, Field Guide to the Kokoda Track . This popular Field Guide, which we highly recommend to all trekkers is now in its 8th reprint. It is readily available at bookshops.
Bill had just returned from exploring an area known as the Japanese Forest fort, or as the media have recently called it, the Lost battlefield.  Though our conversation was only brief, Bill indicated that this site was very significant and unfortunately he only had time to answer just a few of my questions. It was very revealing.
It would appear that as the site is examined more closely we may learn a lot more about the battle that took place at Eora Creek during the 2nd phase of the campaign as the Australians were pushing the Japanese back over the Track  to their beachhead at Buna and Gona.
Stay tuned for more information about the Japanese forest fort as it comes to hand.  As far as I am aware no trekking companies are yet visiting  this section of the battlefield which is only metres below the summit  ridge line. 
If the site is still relatively intact and not disturbed it will serioulsy need to be protected.

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.

An enormous effort has been made around the Kokoda airstrip in March.  The entire airstrip has been slashed and mown, the new terminal area has been surveyed and cleared, 60 safety cones and 2 windsocks installed, and a signal circle cleared and painted.

The airstrip has now been cleared to the northern end of the market road. Part 2 of the safety package will see  the airstrip extended further, a new terminal building and apron and navigation and weather equipment installed later this year.