The construction of conventional buildings at Owers Corner and steel wire rope swing bridges across creeks at significant battlesites is akin to desecration of the most significant symbol of our involvement in New Guinea during the Pacific War.

Whilst Australia’s assistance for the Owen Stanley Ranges to be listed as a World Heritage Area is a noble cause our commitment to the preservation of the military heritage of the Kokoda campaign is misguided. It is therefore urgent that responsibility for the development of Kokoda as a military interpretive trail be re-allocated to the Office of Australian War Graves.

This will allow the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to focus on its area of expertise in assisting the PNG Government to achieve a world heritage listing for the Owen Stanley Range.

In the meantime the Australian Government should immediately withdraw from any planned projects between Owers Corner and Kokoda.  Any assistance should be limited to training local communities in appropriate social and community development in partnership with the PNG Department of Community Services.

Australian assistance in the short term should be restricted to the upgrade of the road between Sogeri and Owers Corner to all-weather capability and the upgrade of the Kokoda Airfield to accommodate a Dash-8 aircraft.

Owers Corner Road

The road between Sogeri and Owers Corner is a disgrace and unsafe in the wet – which is most of the time. The recent expenditure of trekkers’ fees on urgent maintenance was a waste of money and akin to a misappropriation of these funds. If anybody is half-serious about sustainable tourism in PNG then the upgrade of this road should be an urgent priority.

Kokoda Airfield

At the other end of the trail the airfield at Kokoda is also a disgrace. The terminal consists of a concrete slab with a metal roof without walls. There is virtually no seating and no toilets. The paying customer, i.e. trekkers, deserve better.

Since 2001 more than 20 thousand Australians have invested around $100 million to trek across the Kokoda Trail. The GST element of these funds would be sufficient to upgrade the road between Sogeri and Owers Corner and the airfield at Kokoda to safe and respectable standard.

The villagers between Owers Corner and Kokoda are now earning more income than ever before. More than $1 million a year is received in wages and campsite fees. The next important step is to teach them how to work together for the greater benefit of their local communities. The proper PNG agency for this work is the PNG Department of Community Services but thus far they have never been consulted or approached.

There is scope for the villagers to increase their earning potential through the maintenance of the trail in preparation for each trekking season. Such maintenance should not be contracted out, as currently planned, because local people along the trail are more than capable of completing this type of work on their land.

In the last budget the Australian Government allocated $10 million to the Office of Australian War Graves for the development of an interpretative trail in France and Belgium to honour the sacrifice of our World War 1 veterans. The work will be completed in time for the centenary of our ANZAC landings on the Gallipoli peninsula.

The Office of Australian War Graves has a proud record in regard to the development and maintenance of our war graves in foreign lands. The expertise they have, and will further attain as a result of the latest budget allocation, should be applied to the Kokoda Trail which is our World War 11 equivalent.

Conclusion

More detail is available in the following submissions which have been largely ignored this far:
http://niusleta.kokodatreks.com/documents/StrategicPlanfortheKokodaTrailNoPics_000.pdf
http://niusleta.kokodatreks.com/documents/ADiscussionPaperontheKokodaEcoTrekkingIndustryNoPics.pdf
http://niusleta.kokodatreks.com/documents/KTAReportbyPaulMitchell17November2006.pdf
http://niusleta.kokodatreks.com/documents/ManagementFramework-KokodaTrackbyPaulMitchell.pdf
http://niusleta.kokodatreks.com/documents/KTADiscussionPaperbyWarrenBartlettNovember2007.pdf

Action Required

PNG Tourism should commission a research agency to determine why people trek Kokoda and what they would like to see in regard to the future development of the Kokoda Trail.

The PNG Kokoda Track Authority should be required to develop a proper management plan for trekking operations across the Kokoda Trail. This includes the certification of trek operators and campsites, the issue of trek permits, a medical insurance plan for PNG guides and carriers, the identification of landowners, a dispute resolution system, a website that allows for trekkers to provide comment on their experience, etc.

The PNG Central and Northern Provincial Governments should provide a plan for the upgrade of the road between Sogeri and Owers Corner and the Kokoda airfield.

The PNG Department of Community Services should prepare a plan for the development of Community Learning Development Centres in villages along the trail.

The Office of Australian War Graves should commission an interpretative memorial plan for the Kokoda Trail.

The impending LNG project in PNG, together with ongoing mining operations, will create heavy demands for airlines and hotels in Port Moresby. These are already at a premium during the trekking season. Kokoda trekkers (and other adventure tourism) needs should be addressed by PNG Tourism if they wish to develop the industry on a sustainable basis.

Recommendations

1. The Office of Australian War Graves be allocated responsibility for the development of an interpretative trail between Owers Corner and Kokoda.

2. The Australian Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts continue to work in partnership with the PNG Department of Environment and Conservation to achieve a World Heritage listing for the wider Owen Stanley Ranges.

3. PNG Tourism commission a study into the capacity of local airlines and hotels to meet the demand of eco-tourism.

4. The PNG Department of Community Services develop plans for the development of Community Learning Development Centres in villages along the trail.

5. The PNG Kokoda Track Authority developing a proper management plan for the Kokoda trekking industry.

6. PNG Tourism and the PNG Department of Community Services facilitate workshops in selected villagers in Central and Northern Province to determine village community needs and develop short and long term plans.

I do not know where these ‘plans’ are coming from but I do know they are being done without any consultation at all with the paying customer i.e. the trekker.

The research we have conducted with a significant number of people who have trekked with Adventure Kokoda over the past 18 years indicates that they want the track left alone. They want to trek in the footsteps of our diggers as they did it. They do not want boardwalks and bridges.

The construction of bridges at Eora Creek will desecrate one of the most significant battlesites along the Kokoda Trail. It must not be allowed to proceed in the vicinity of the battlesite. If a bridge has to be constructed because of the wish of some bureaucratic zealot it should be located at least 500 metres to the east of the current wartime crossing. It would be a relatively easy task to cut a track to a suitable crossing downstream from the battlesite to allow locals to use it if they wish.

The same principle should apply to the Goldie River, Ofi Creek and Dump 1 Crossing (I have not heard this name before but I assume they are talking about Templeton’s Crossing No 1), i.e. any permanent swing bridges should not be constructed any closer that 500 metres to the wartime track.

It beggars belief that we would want to replace the substantial log bridge that the local people have built between Efogi 2 and Naduri with a permanent swing bridge paid for by the Australian taxpayer. The crossing is not on the wartime track so it is not an issue as far as the protection of our military heritage is concerned – but it is an absolute waste of time, money and effort.

The same applies to the proposed bridge across Elome Creek between Efogi 1 and 2.

The plan for the proposed permanent swing bridges is ill-conceived and should be halted until a proper interpretative memorial plan aimed at protecting the military heritage of the Kokoda Trail is commissioned.

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.

Military Heritage

The Australian Government is committed to protecting the Kokoda Track because of its special place in our history and the incredible sacrifices made by our troops. As an example, in 2007 in recognition of the Track’s military significance, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs received $0.9 million to upgrade its Kokoda Track website, and we have commissioned a study (soon to be made public) by the Australian War Memorial to investigate the location of the wartime routes of the Kokoda Track.

Assisting PNG to protect the Track

In addition to protecting the historic value of the Track, we are mindful that the Track is PNG territory and is home to thousands of local people. As such we have agreed with the PNG Government that we will pursue a number of associated objectives including: improving the livelihoods of local communities along the track; building PNG management capacity; and protecting an important potential power and water source for Port Moresby.

We are actively working to assist the PNG Government to: establish and roll out the Kokoda Development Program (KDP) to improve basic services for local people living along the Track (including healthcare, education, water, sanitation, radio networks and transport); reform the Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) to improve administration and track management arrangements; develop a Code of Conduct for tour operators working along the Kokoda Track; and build PNG Government capacity to manage this special area.

Supporting sustainable development of local communities

In relation to the KDP, as a result of our efforts, the program has: refurbished the Efogi health centre; vaccinated more than 150 children; trained 23 village health volunteers; distributed health supplies to clinics; completed the first health patrol of the catchment area for more than a decade, with five more patrols planned for 2009; flown teachers to villages for the start of the 2009 school year; distributed curriculum materials to 22 schools; upgraded the radio network in three villages; and completed a water supply system in Efogi. Additional activities scheduled to commence in mid-2009 include: classroom and toilet construction in a number of villages; installation of water supply systems in Naoro 1 and 2; and the trial of a subsidised air transport program.

Sustainable Livelihoods Project

This project, aimed at developing income-generating options for local communities, was agreed by both the PNG and Australian Governments as a key element of the Joint Understanding, and quotes to undertake this work were sought from organisations and individuals identified by both Governments to have professional expertise in similar work in PNG or elsewhere in the Pacific.

While trek operators will be consulted as a key element of the project, it would be a clear conflict of interest to directly engage an operator with associated commercial interests to undertake this work. We also need to ensure that we include the full range of perspectives in such a study, and not only those of tour operators.

The supplier was selected through a competitive evaluation process undertaken jointly by the PNG and Australian Governments. The selected tender team includes Mr Sandy Lawson, who you have highly recommended to the Government for work in this area, and Associate Professor Stephen Wearing, an expert in tourism at the University of Technology Sydney, with whom you have previously worked. The proposed approach, including selecting the villages to be visited, was discussed with and endorsed by the PNG Government.

Improving management of the Track itself

As you are aware, the former KTA was largely ineffective. We have therefore devoted considerable time and money to assist the PNG Government to put in place improved management arrangements. While there is obviously much more work to be done, the KTA and the new KTA Management Committee, with the assistance of the Australian Government funded experts, has focused its initial efforts on establishing effective trek fee collection and permit issuing processes and putting in place agreed arrangements for distributing benefits to land owners and local communities. I am sure you will be pleased to learn that, as a result of these efforts, the first direct payments to local communities have now been made. On 5 June 2009, the KTA deposited K45, 000 into five separate Kokoda Track Ward Development Committee accounts, and has an additional K35, 000 ready to be distributed to the other nine Wards as soon as they register their Committees and open a bank account. A further K70, 000 will be distributed at the end of June and another K70, 000 by the end of September. This is the first time since the KTA was established that funding from trek fees has gone directly to local communities.

Application of Australian Track Standards

In response to your concerns about the potential application of the Australian Walking Track Standards to the Kokoda Track, the KTA (the organisation with responsibility for the management of the Track) has confirmed that it has only considered using these guidelines in relation to track works, and has no plans to use the guidelines in relation to wider issues such as campsites, facilities and publicity. I can assure you that your concerns regarding any intention to close down trekking operators are unfounded – in fact, our efforts are focused on keeping the Track open.

World Heritage

As outlined in the Joint Understanding, the Australian Government is committed to assisting PNG to undertake a feasibility study for a possible World Heritage nomination of the Owen Stanley Ranges and the Track, if and when the PNG Government chooses to do so. Australia has no role in nominating any part of PNG for World Heritage listing – this is solely the responsibility of the PNG Government. Following a request from PNG in 2007, Australia agreed to provide expertise and resources to assist PNG develop a World Heritage Nomination.

The Department’s Heritage Division has a team dedicated to this program. I invite you to contact the Division Head, Catherine Skippington, or the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Kokoda, Mr Sandy Hollway, if you have any concerns regarding the Australian Government’s involvement. In this way we can continue to provide you with up to date and accurate information in relation to the Kokoda program.

Yours sincerely,

Robyn Kruk AM
Secretary
18 June 2009

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.