The Rise, Fall and Future of Kokoda Tourism
Following is a proposal I submitted to the Sydney Olympic Committee in the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. It was based on a plan to have the Olympic Torch ran across the Kokoda Trail enroute from Athens to Sydney.
Each country along the route was allocated a four-hour time slot to have the torch. I believed PNG deserved a longer period due to our shared wartime heritage.
I knew it could be accomplished as I had previously organized a relay-marathon between Cairns and Melbourne as part of Melbourn’s bid for the Olympics and my previous experience organizing the annual 1000 km Westfield Sydney to Melbourne from 1984-1991.
I was also aware of the athletic ability of Koiari and Orokaiva runners as I had been trekking with them since 1991.
Unfortunately, ‘Kokoda’ was not on the radar for PNG at the time despite the increasing interest in trekking Kokoda.
As a result, I did not get any back-up support from PNG so the idea lapsed however they did agree to run it from Owers Corner to Port Moresby which failed to rate as an international promotional event.
The Hon Charlie Lynn OAM OL
Major (Rtd)
