The Kokoda Track is where the Australian army made their final stand against the invading Japanese army during the Second World War. It is also one of the most beautiful mountain tracks in the world.
One of the world’s greatest treks, the Kokoda trail links the Northern and Southern Coasts of Papua New Guinea. The journey covers 96 kilometres of drastically changeable terrain, leading trekkers through rugged jungle, mountain streams, traditional villages, and a plethora of natural wonders. It is a significant historical stretch, being the sight of one of Australia’s bloodiest World War One campaigns. When the Japanese invaded the Northern Coast of New Guinea with the intent of Marching to Port Moresby and capturing it, the Australian troops defended the Capital, saving the coast of Australia from coming under serious threat. Many young Australians fought and died along this ruggedly beautiful trail. Those who take on this trek do so in memory of them. Rae Walter shares her Kokoda Trail experience…
We had chosen to walk the track over 10 days, staying each evening in a tent or in the village guest house. Clothes were washed at the end of each day. Nothing dried completely but with such high humidity, it was not long before I was saturated after starting out each morning. Wisely, I had decided to have a porter who would carry my main pack, leaving me to walk with a day pack. The climbing is relentless and knee bandages helped stop the steep descents making my knees feel like jelly. In contrast, our porters were able to move nimbly over the track sometimes with bare feet while we moved slowly with the protection of our expensive trekking boots.
The views in the highlands are amazingly beautiful and I was grateful that inaccessibility had kept development at bay. While there are still many relics of the war along the track, it was easy to miss these if I focused only on where I would be taking my next step.
If you have been contemplating walking the Kokoda Track, then I can only say, go for it! For me, walking the Kokoda Track was a rewarding experience that had something of the sense of a pilgrimage as I followed in the steps of soldiers who fought in this difficult terrain. From July 1942 to January 1943, over 2,000 Australians were killed in action and thousands more were either wounded or racked with disease or illness. The memorial at Isurava, with four marble pillars inscribed with words dedicated to the Australian soldiers – sacrifice, endurance, courage, mateship – pays homage to the sacrifices of these brave young, men and gave me opportunity for reflection and remembrance as I struggled to understand how a war could have been fought under such difficult conditions.
Lest we forget.
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