Reading your words about the education system betraying Australians on their military heritage has reopened recent wounds. I trekked with Adventure Kokoda in June/July ‘06 and, as a history teacher, came back determined to rectify what I regard as an inexcusable gap in the education of young Australians. That led to my spending the next twelve months putting together material for a Battle for Australia website, ably assisted in such endeavours by the teacher-librarian and the IT wizard at the school where I teach.

Came the big day when it was all done, and I proudly put in the unit for the consideration of the powers that be, to be taught in 2008. The decision was “No”, though they thought it was a very good unit. The reason given was that there was already a broad choice of SOSE modules (I think they call it HSIE in NSW) and introducing another was not wise at this point. They did say that it seemed to be right in line with a bi-partisan political push for teaching more Australian history; and, if the National Curriculum push came to anything, they might reconsider.

To say I was (and am) upset would be one of the understatements of the 21st century. Whatever the merits or otherwise of what I’d put together, it’s a sad commentary on the progress of economic rationalism and the death of national histories that business/commerce/law units and history modules on the Incas and the Renaissance get a guernsey, while the Poor Bloody Infantry of 1942-43 are consigned to the waste bin!

So, Charlie, your sentiments are spot-on. I shall continue to stir whatever pots I can to change the status quo, without great hope or expectation. The pity of it, as you are only too well aware, is that a marvellous, terrible, relevant chapter of our history has been neglected to the detriment of our society, and especially our young.

Keep up the great work!

Regards, Derek.

“For those who respect the right of an independent sovereign nation to proclaim its own geographical identities the correct (and official) terminology is ‘The Kokoda Trail’.”

Papua New Guinea did not become an independent nation until 1975. It follows that “an independent sovereign nation” did not procliam the track between Owers Corner and Kokoda to be the “Kokoda Trail”. The name “Kokoda Trail” must therefore be a colonial inheritance from the Australian Administration.

The Official History of Australia in the War of 1939-1945 (Series 1 - Army,Vol 5, South-West Pacific Area - First Year, Kokoda to Wau by Dudley McCarthy) - pubished in 1959;

McCarthy refers to the track running from Owers Corner to Kokoda as the “Kokoda Track”. See for example the Preface at page xi.