Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Kokoda Trail Tours’ Category

Back Track has recently added a new service for all our trekkers.  Our Kokoda Track trek Leaders now carry a GPS Navigation device that sends regular positional updates back to our Head office.   You can follow the progress of any friend or family member  who is trekking with us by logging into our website and accessing the link ‘ Trek Traka’ . This will show you their latest position on the Kokoda Track as well as provide you with information about the area in which they are currently trekking.
You no longer need to feel disconnected when your family and friends are travelling with Back Track.

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.

Once again Anzac Day 2011 was one of the most moving moments we have had on the Track since 2002.

Back Track has always commemorated Anzac Day on the remote summit of Brigade Hill situated approximately half way along the Kokoda Track.  We have chosen this location for 2 reasons.
Firstly it is one the Australian armies most sacred sites. On the exact location where we conduct our dawn ceremony, 52 Australian soldiers were buried who  lost their lives in the defence of their country.  In total 88 Australian soldiers from the 2/14, 2/16 and 2/27th Battalions  died or ‘were missing in action’ during the savage Battle of  Brigade Hill. The remains of the 52 soldiers buried on Brigade Hill and a further 2o soldiers who were buried  on nearby Mission Ridge were later  transferred to the Bomana War cemetary. 
Secondly,  Anzac Day ceremonies are also conducted at Isurava battle site on the Track and at Bomana War Cemetary in Port Moresby. However to attend either of these ceremonies involves having to trek in line for 9 days with so many other trekking companies and competiting for campsites and generally speaking this has very little appeal to us.

Over the years,we have considered possibly having a Team attend the ceremony in Port Moresby, however, unfortunately this also would mean that if we started the trek before or just after Anzac day,  we would still have to trek in queue with too many other groups. Just a bit too tight  and claustrophobic for us.

The weather was kind to us as dawn came on Anzac day and as the clear,morning sky glowed  faintly blue, the first suns rays hit our 2 flagpoles erected on the summit the day before . The Australian and PNG National flags  looked wonderful flying in the light breeze.  We had also erected 52  markers in neat lines directly in front of the summit momument and our flag poles. The markers  symbolised the 52 brave souls that died on Brigade Hill.

We had set up a small tent town just below the summit to accommodate our 4  teams, totalling 60 trekkers and with the local villagers from Efogi and Naduri and Menari who travelled to the summit with us to be part of the Dawn ceremony, plus all our trek crew, we were a force to be proud of as we sang and  conducted our Dawn Service.  Thank you to the SDA Pastor from Efogi  Village for his prayers conducted in the Motu language. Thank you to the Back Track Trek crew choir plus the singers from Naduri, Efogi and Menari villagers for their beautiful singing before, after and during the ceremony. Thank you to all our trekkers, those who shed tears and those who managed to hold them back, thank you for sharing such a wonderful morning.

Back Track has plans to be back on the summit next Anzac day 2012. Love to have you join us and be part of a very special  Kokoda/Anzac day moment.

If you would like to read the ceremony service, and view some pics, please visit our web page:- TBA

Having attended the Kokoda Initiative meeting held in Sydney on 9th March, I have come away with a  wonderful feeling of great hope that the Kokoda Track will continue its progress to becoming one of the world’s great walking experiences and as well for all Australians a safe and rewarding pilgrimage site.

The meeting was attended by many groups and individuals collectively termed stakeholders, who  in one way or another are dedicated to the protection of the area through which the Track passes. The concerns of all the stakeholders attending, varied from areas such as aid programmes for the  continued material, financial and social development  of  landowners and village people living in the region through which the Track passes, to the RSL concerned that the wartime historical integrity of the Track is protected.  Many Australian and PNG Government departments  were represented who are working co-operatively to ensure the future of PNG through the properly planned development of water and power resources in that region. Even University representatives and academics and historians all with particular interests in ensuring that the Kokoda Track is well managed were in attendance. 

 As a tour operator of nearly 30 years experience, most of which has been in developing nations worldwide, for me to witness such heartfelt goodwill amongst all the attendees and  passion and enthusiasm  for the long term view of – “let’s get it right’, was inspiring.

I left the meeting feeling  what more can I do and so positive that the Kokda Track will have a future that all Australians will be proud of their connection. I can assure you that this is not the case in many parts of the world. So many developing nations are driven solely by the mantra of – ‘progress through uncontrolled development.’

 All the stakeholders, though many may hold opposing views on issues ,are however united in the one goal and that is to protect and manage the Track properly.
The tour operators also have a lot to contribute and are an important stakeholder as demonstrated by the good numbers that made the effort to attend. We as tour operators have a sacred role to get our part right. We are the custodians of the Track’s history. We have been given the task to ensure that the history of the Track is properly presented both reverently and accurately to all who make the pilgrimage over the Track under our care.  This is a serious responsibility that my company for one does not take lightly or for granted.
Our company, as one, is dedicated to the preservation of the Track in all aspects so that all people not just Australians and Papuan Nnew Guineans can walk the Kokoda Track and happily and safely have their own special Kokoda Experience.

To learn more about the Kokoda Initiative  follow this link:- http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/international-projects/kokoda.html

All the Team at Back Track Adentures Brisbane and PNG wish to convey our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of  Harold Dutchy Atkinson. ( See orbituary below)

ATKINSON, “Dutchy” Harold Edward Late of R.S.L Care, Caboolture, formerly of the Sunshine Coast area. Passed away peacefully on Monday, 7th February, 2011. Aged 88 Years Loved and cherished Husband of Pat (dec’d). Loving Father and Father-in-law to Les and Glenda, Narelle and Allan, Patricia and Bryan, Sherry and Kerry, Wayne, Daphne and Beric. Much loved Grandfather to his Grandchildren, Great-grandchildren, Great-great- grandchildren and Great-great- great-grandchild. “A Good Friend to Many” Family and Friends are invited to a Celebration of Dutchy’s life, being held at Traditional Funerals Chapel, 636 Morayfield Road, Burpengary, on Saturday, 12th February, 2011, commencing at 9.30 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations to R.S.L care would be appreciated. TRADITIONAL FUNERALS Burpengary _ 38886633 A Local Family Company

The wonderful life we enjoy in Australia today is due in no small way to the courage of our soldiers who fought along the Kokoda TracK and on foreign battlefields worldwide.  Harold “Dutchy” Atkinson was just one brave courageous member of the 2/14th Btn. All Back Track Kokoda trekkers will ensure that their heroism shall never be forgotten.

“We shall never forget”
“Stand Fast”