Trek the Kokoda Trail Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Safety on the Track’ Category

 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.

Our trekkers health and safety are a major concern for us all. The Track is a remote location and if any problems are encountered along the Track it is essential that we have systems in place to handle any emergency situation.

The most important requirement is that our trek leaders have ready access to outside assistance should it be required.  Just a quick call on the satellite phone will put the Leader in contact with a Doctor back here in Australia and if there is a real medical emergency,  systems are in place to arrange for a helicopter evacuation.

From the moment one of our trekking teams departs Australia, our back up emergency operations  plan comes in to play.  24 hours a day, our operations managers  in Australia and in Port Moresby carry with them  mobile phones  linked through to our Trek leader’s satellite phone on the Track. If a call is received at any time the Operations manager carries with him a complete list of all the details of each trekker from their insurance details right through to their emergency contacts.  From back in Australia the Ops manager is therefore able to  assist the Trek leader in any emergency situation.

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.

A team of Doctors, in conjunction with the Kokoda Track Authority, have recently returned from the Kokoda Track with a wealth of research information.

Over 185 trekkers on Anzac Day treks  volunteered to give a blood sample to the research teams who were strategically placed  at Iorobaiwa and Isurava .

The study data is yet to be statistically analysed, but the general message to come from the study is in keeping with similar research in competitive endurance events. Put simply to drink when you feel thirsty. The Kokoda Track places the body under significant physiological stress and a consistent, sensible fluid intake is required. Trekkers need to avoid dehydration but must resist the temptation to force themselves to drink too much fluid while on the Track.

Its great to be able to report back to you that March saw much activity around the Kokoda airstrip. In an update from the Kokoda Track Authority we’ve be updated that the entire airstrip area has been slashed, mown and cleared and new safety cones and windsocks installed.

The plan is to continue to work to improve the Kokoda airstrip, equipment and facilities throughout the year. We’ll keep you posted.

Read our original post about new Funds to books Kokoda safety published in March 2010.