GUIDANCE FOR NEW TREK LEADERS

I always prefer to trek North-South. Firstly, the trek does not

seem so difficult. It is all in the mind but that is what I feel.

Secondly, the military history briefings are easier to start where

the real action started. The South North briefings start at the end

of the Australian withdrawal. It seems more appropriate to cover

the fighting before we start on the withdrawal and later advance.

A military history briefing at any one point, has to be made in two

parts – Australian withdrawal and Japanese withdrawal. At the

end of one story, we stop and explain the other story.

“Here in the initial confrontation is where the field hospital was set

up at Eora Creek. Here in the Japanese withdrawal is where the

HQ was set up on the hill above us.”

Thirdly, for schools treks, it is easier to give the ecotourism briefing

by starting at the more spectacular end of the tectonic plate. Rouna

end is spectacular but best explained last. Kokoda is closer to the

ring of fire. Rouna is in the back yard.

Military history starts with the Australians 39^th battalion withdrawing

to the Kokoda Plateau.

Kokoda Plateau. This marks the beginning of combat where Lt Col

Owen was killed. From here, trekkers can learn of the importance of

the Kokoda Airstrip and see Deniki high in the mountain when the sun

reflects on the roof of the house built there.

As well, they can view the panorama of the plain and horizon line that

extends up the Yodda Valley and down past the massive ridge lines of

the Eora Creek Gorge.

Deniki. This is the point at which B Company of the 39^th was found

resting after the abortive defence against the advancing Japanese.

As well, it enables a panoramic view of the Kokoda Plateau and the

expanse leading up Yodda Valley the site of gold mining of the 1930s.

Isurava Battlefield. This is focus of the trek the result of initial major

confrontation with the Japanese in what some call the Australian Battle

of the Alamo. Here trekking groups hold a memorial service.

As well, it is a major viewing site for grandeur and panorama of Eora

Creek Gorge. In eons past, this gorge would have been an inlet into

the sea. Here we see the remnants of massive granite boulders, that

once degraded into latosolic clays.

Isurava Rest House.  Here is a key site in the withdrawal where AIF

troops and a company of the 53^rd dug in to slow the Japanese advance.

See the battle map in the book of Bill James. The withdrawal of troops

began here.

Alola. This is what I call Y junction as the intersection of the tracks from

Isurava and Abuari. It was site of Brigade HQ and the base of operations
of the 53^rd Battalion. It was the casualty clearing station. From here soldiers
moved to the Abuari side down the massive V shaped gorge.

It was the point in the Australian advance at which the Australian troops

broke into two brigade groups to pursue the Japanese, one to Kokoda

airstrip and one to Oivi Gorari.

Abuari. This is the briefing site I prefer most though most N-S treks do

not generally cross to Abuari. From here we see the layout of the Isurava

battlefield clearly from the opposite ridge line.

We see the battle site was a ridge line bordered by two creeks. As well,

we view the terrain showing the Japanese outflanking to the rest-house.

Eora Creek Camp.  The action in both directions speeds up here. This is

the site of the field hospital that was evacuated in the Japanese advance

with wounded left behind. It was the point at which the 39^th was to act

as rear-guard.

In the Japanese retreat, this was the Japanese HQ sited on the hill and the

dogged action by the Australian infantry to dislodge them.

There was serious command disagreement as to whether an outflanking or

frontal attack was appropriate. Outflankers won. Frontal attacker Captain

Catterns won the Military Cross for his section.

Lake Myola. From a tactical viewpoint, this is a key site as the focus of

strategy was more appropriate supply of the troops at Isurava. Brigadier

Potts could not have the 2/27^th brought forward until the full resupply

was made.

There are two lakes. One was the major site of evacuation of wounded,

seriously delayed and the eventual site of the airstrip. In the advance, the

larger lake was a supply point.

Troops were fed out on to the track battalion by battalion. A supply depot

was set up at Templetons Crossing to reduce traffic to Myola and save time.

From an ecotourism viewpoint, Lakes Myola are key features as probable

volcanoes as part of the Pacific ring of fire along the same line of latitude as

Mt Lamington. These have been dormant over the eons.

The 53^rd was taken out of battle and ordered to Lake Myola with newly

promoted Lt Col Cameron in command. This was not a matter of shame

but a humane decision by command to relieve both the 39^th and 53^rd.

Eora Creek begins in the ridge lines on the other side of the larger lake

behind the guest house. It moves silently across the lake as a pristine

finger of water. Trout are caught by trekkers who brave the cold and

wet. A hot shower at the guest house never goes astray.

Naduri. There are two major ridge lines leading down from the top of

the range. As we move down the ridge line to Naduri, we look across

to see the long ridge line to Kagi and major route taken by Australian

and Japanese troops.

Naduri has a pleasant camp where we meet an old man now 105 years 

and father of Andy. There is dispute as to whether or not he was a fuzzy

wuzzy angel. Soc Kienzle claims that his father’s records do not show

his name. But the old man was a village constable, whose ranks have

never been recognized. That is close enough.

Kagi. If we take the other ridge line, we come to Kagi. From a military

history angle, I prefer this route as we see the panorama of the fall of

Brigade Hill. From the top camping site, we see the battle ground.

From the top, we see glint of roofing at Brigade Hill camp site. To the

left we see a massive mountain on which the 2/14 th and 2/16^th were

dug in. From here they confronted Japanese who moved silently up the

valley that stretches out across from the trekkers at Kagi.

We see Mission Ridge partly obscured where the Australian troops dug

in. The 39^th met the 2/27^th at Kagi and weapons and ammunition were

passed to incoming troops soon to be cut off on Mission Ridge below.

Efogi in war time was on a track down to the right of Kagi.

Brigade Hill. This is the site of the disaster of outflanking. With colour

photos in the Bill James book we see that the Japanese were well dug in

on the night before the attack on the saddle. Japanese were contacted

early in the morning before the attack on The Saddle. There was an

Australian bayonet charge as reported in a newsletter of the 2/16th

Association.

We see that the brigade HQ was further down the track than we originally

thought. Many men were killed here on both sides. Rations / ammunition

supplies at the HQ must have been abandoned.

Look towards Port Moresby to see distant Hombrum Bluff on a sunny

day as we stand at the memorial. In front is the ridge line down which the

2/14^th and 2/16^th retreated in understandable disarray. Ecotourism seems

to be less important at this point.

Menari. The village found a place in history as the point at which the
39^th and walking wounded had reached when Brigade Hill fell.

To stand in front of the community school we see the ridge line down

which 2/14^th and 2/16^th troops had retreated. Later there was to be

a Japanese machine post set up to fire down on the Australian troops.

To look towards Brigade Hill ridge  above the Damien Parer memorial

we see that the track does not go up forever as the relief maps would

show. The track goes up to the top of the ridge line and then follows

the ridge line to Brigade Hill.

Naoro. This is a village on the route of the track with no major tactical

reports to make. The village was once on the flat but now moved to half

way up the track. There is a massive stand of Klinkii pine almost at the

top of the ridgeline.

Iorabaiwa ridge line. This is a key tactical point at which the retreating

troops dug in. New trek leaders be reminded that the track followed the

parallel ridge line to the track that now goes down to the village. Gun pits

are found along the old track to the right of the memorial for the trekker

who died.

There is the old tree cut down to hold a platform for a Japanese mountain

gun. Today seventy years later, the tree is still there across the track from

the memorial for the trekker who died. The new growth are now massive

trunks no longer saplings.

Imita ridge. Here the Australians dragged an artillery piece to blast the

Japanese on Iorabaiwa ridge line from where General Horii was ordered

to retreat.

Uberi. In the vicinity was the Salvation Army tea and biscuit stand set up

by Orbost milkman Chaplain Major Albert Moore. See the report on this

blogsite.

Ower’s Corner. From here the trek start and end. From here the artillery

pounded the Japanese. From here a flying fox ferried supplies down to

Goldie River. Then the real slog began.

As we travel back to Port Moresby, we pass through the areas of massive

tectonic uplift shown by the lodes of conglomerate rock.

Herein ends our military history and ecotourism briefs. I find that I can lie

on my bed and trek Kokoda in my mind and soul in about 3 minutes. I am

mainly flying at tree top level.