‘In hindsight, Frontier Resources should have been allowed to proceed with the mining of the $4 billion (K10 billion) gold and copper deposit from Mt Bini with appropriate environmental protection back in 1997.
‘The mine, adjacent to the southern section of the Trail, would have delivered an estimated $100 million (K234 million) in community benefits over its projected 10-year life which would have expired in 2017.
‘With proper management this would have funded a Military Heritage Master Plan and interpretive memorials at every site across the Kokoda Trail along with schools and health centres to meet the immediate and future needs of village communities.
‘The economic future of traditional landowner communities based on pilgrimage tourism would have been assured.
‘Unfortunately, the term ‘Kokoda’ has since been hijacked by Canberra officials to give relevance to a socio-environmental agenda unrelated to pilgrimage tourism that would otherwise be unremarkable.
‘As a result, their socio-environmental priorities have seen Kokoda tourism numbers plummet by 46 percent under their watch since 2009.’
Hon Charlie Lynn OAM OL Major (Rtd)
101 Kokoda Treks: 1991-2023
Further Reading:
- Database evaluation of Kokoda Tourism: 2003 – 2019
- The Kokoda Trail: Chronology of Mismanagement: 2009-2019
- Owers Corner – Neglected Gateway to the Kokoda Trail
- The fallacy of World Heritage for the Kokoda Trail
- The fallacy of a ‘Lost Battlefield’ on Kokoda
- Kokoda: A Trail of Woe by Rashmii Bell
- Environment Bill for Kokoda – A suicide note for Kokoda Tourism
- DFAT in Kokodaland
- Mark Nizette: Kokoda Advisor or Foreign Influencer?
- Case for a Visitor’s Centre at Owers Corner
- Proposed Joint Understanding for commemoration of the shared wartime heritage between PNG and Kokoda
Burial party on Brigade Hill
