Adventure Kokoda Blog

I first met Heath Ducker as a young lad on a leadership program I used to run for Youth Insearch. He always impressed me with his sincerity and his willingness to learn.

Youth Insearch was established by a remarkable couple, Ron and Judith Barr. Over the years more than 30,000 troubled teenagers have passed through their programs and put their lives back on course. Many have achieved outstanding success within their families, their communities and their professions. Heath Ducker’s story, which includes his struggle on Kokoda, is the story of Youth Insearch. Read the rest of this entry »

A post by Charlie Lynn:

I appreciate the work that has been done along the Kokoda Trail in regard to providing educational and health support for villagers. Whilst nobody can argue about meeting these important needs I have serious reservations about the process used in determining who should be responsible for the work; the priorities/partnerships associated with it; and the ongoing lack of effective management for trekking operations across the Kokoda Trail. Read the rest of this entry »

ABC News: 23 June 2009

Australia will spend $12,000 to refurbish part of the Kokoda Track and build two memorials to Australian service in Papua New Guinea. Read the rest of this entry »

A post by Robyn Kruk, Secretary of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts:

Dear Charlie,

As a trekker who walked the Kokoda Track with you in 2007, and now as the Head of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts I would like to respond to the concerns you have recently raised publicly in relation to Australia’s efforts to assist PNG to protect the Kokoda Track. I note that some of these points have already been outlined in other correspondence to you from this department. Read the rest of this entry »

Kokoda Trek Operators have been advised by the Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts of the following planned activities as part of the Kokoda Development Program in 2009-2010: Read the rest of this entry »

Trekking companies have been advised by the Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Art of the following achievements by the Kokoda Development Program since November 2008: Read the rest of this entry »

(A study conducted by Adventure Kokoda and provided to the Australian Government at no cost to the taxpayer)

Scope

Our study was limited to the collective experience of eight trek leaders with more than 130 treks across the Kokoda Trail over an 18 year period, between them. Two of these trek leaders  have lived in PNG for extended periods and are fluent in Tok Pisin. Read the rest of this entry »

Scope

The Kokoda Trail will be divided into sections between Owers Corner and Kokoda. Trek operators will be invited to ‘adopt’ a section each and provide a detailed report covering condition of the track, likely erosion problems, drainage solutions, campsite locations, placement of toilets, helipads, airfields, creek crossings, VHF radio blind spots, strength of digicell signals and any track safety issues.

The sections will be allocated according to the route each trek operator uses.

Information will be provided free of charge to the PNG Kokoda Track Authority and will be updated on a regular basis.

Consultants who do not have an intimate knowledge of the various tracks that make up the Kokoda Trail will not be used.

Scope

The Kokoda Trail Social Mapping Study will be seek to identify all clans between Owers Corner and Kokoda and the relationships between the varios clans. The study will also seek to identify landowners of each battlesite, significant feature, campsite, creek crossing, swamp area, lookout, waterfall, hunting track and mountain range.

The results of the study will be provided at no cost to the Australian Government. It will be conducted by trek operators with up to 18 years experience on the Kokoda Trail.  A number of the trek leaders involved in the study have lived in PNG for long periods, are fluent in Tok Pisin, have a deep appreciation of the military significance of the Kokoda campaign and are familiar with the Kokoda Trail and the Koiari and Orokaiva villagers who live along it. 

Paid consultants not familiar with the Kokoda Trail, Melanesian culture and language or military history will not be involved in this study.

A recent proposal to mine part of the Kokoda Trail caused a public outcry that resulted in the Australian government entering into a ‘Joint Understanding’ with the PNG Government to protect the track and its environs from possible mining or logging activity.  Among the objectives is an agreement is to assist the PNG Government in undertaking a feasibility study for a possible World Heritage nomination. Read the rest of this entry »