Campaign Itinerary

Day 3

(Trek day 3) Trek to Templeton’s Crossing via the Lost Battlefield at Eora Creek. (BLD)

(Trek day 5) Trek to Efogi 1 Village.  (Half Day) BLD)

(Trek day 7) Cross the Brown River and  ascend the Maguli Range to camp at  Nauro Village. (BLD)

Morning transfer to the airport for your flight home to Australia.

Hoi Village. We fly by scheduled flight to the tarmac strip at Popondetta airport. From there we travel by private vehicle along the Japanese advance route from the coast via such historic sites as Wairopi, the Kumusi River, Awala, Oivi and Gorari. On arrival at Kokoda, your leader will explain the battle history as you explore the Kokoda battle site and museum. After lunch, we have a short acclimatising walk to our first nights beautiful campsite at the small village of Hoi. Our only objective today is to relax, acclimatise and reach our first nights campsite before dark.

2012 Team 10 (21 July – 31 July) variation: Awala, 1st Japanese encounter’  70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 10 will commemorate the first encounter made by elements of the 39th Btn  with Japanes soldiers at Awala on the 22nd July 1942. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held at the Awala memorial.

2012 Team 11 (28 July – 07 August) variation: Kokoda, the 1st Battle  70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 11 will commemorate the first battle at Kokoda between B company 39th Btn and the Japanese forces  on the28th/ 29th July 1942. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held at the war memorial site at Kokoda station.

Day 3

Trek day 2

(BLD)

Alolo Village. We start early so we can walk at a slow and relaxed pace. The morning walk is very steep. You’ll be glad you trained hard.  The scenery is spectacular with sweeping views as we trek via the original war time village of Deneki, the site of the 39th  Militia Battalion’s first defensive position after withdrawing from Kokoda.

We push on for lunch at the Isurava War Memorial located at a significant point on the Isurava battle site which the Kokoda Track disects.We inspect Kingsbury’s Rock, the site of  the action which earned Pte. Bruce Kingsbury his Victoria Cross.On 29 August 1942, during the height of the Battle of Isurava, which featured full frontal Japanese mass assaults and brutal hand to hand combat,Kingsbury, who was one of the few survivors of a platoon which had been overrun by the Japanese, immediately volunteered to join a different platoon which had been ordered to counterattack. He rushed forward firing his bren gun from his hip, clearing a path through the enemy and inflicting a number of casualties. Kingsbury was then seen to fall, shot by a Japanese sniper (near Kingsbury’s rock) and instantly killed. His actions, in delaying the Japanese to give sufficient time for the Australians to fortify their positions, have been identified as what undoubtedly saved the Battalion Headquarters, and he was awarded the Victoria Cross as a result.A full briefing is given on the now legendary 4/5 day battle of Isurava. It was here that the 2/14th Infantry Battalion arrived to support the 39th Militia Battalion and the legend of ‘The Ragged Bloody Heroes’ was born. Within clear sight, and only a short distance on the other side of the valley,a parallel trail marks the locations of the 53rd Militia Battalion’s defensive positions. These positions were abandoned before the onslaught of an overwhelming Japanese push up that side of the valley while the Battle at  Isurava, opposite, was raging.

Your Trek Leader will detail the sequence of events of the 53rd Battalion’s withdrawl and by pointing out the geography and detailing the trail networks, explain the significance of this withdrawal to the ultimate outcome of the battle at Isurava. The 2/16 Infantry Battalion despatched to bolster the 53rd Battalions defences were unable to make a significant impact on slowing the Japanese advance from that flank.  The 2/16th and 53rd Battalion now found themselves having to regroup with the withdrawing forces from Isurava to commence a series of rearguard, strategic defensive actions now part of Australian military folklore. From Isurava it’s a short walk to our guest house/camp site in Alolo Village. This afternoon, while exploring the area, we will visit some very special campaign sites.

2012 Team 14 (25 August – 04 September) variation: The Battle of Isurava 70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 14 will commemorate the major battle for Isurava  between the Australian AIF and Militia forces against  the full strength invading Japanese army between the 26th and 30th August 1942. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held at the Isurava memorial on the battlefield.

Templeton’s Crossing and the lost battlefield. Our walk today begins with a short, taxing descent followed by a long gradual ascent to Eora Creek battle site. We leave our packs on the main trail and ascend a short side trail to the Japanese Forest Fort.  Recently another extensive section of this  Forest Fort, located only a short distance further up the ridge has been revealed by the local landowners. This new section  is now referred to as “The Lost Battlefield”.

The Japanese Forest Fort which incorporates  The Lost Battlefield, covers part of a high ridge with a commanding position overlooking Eora Creek. For many years now all our trekking teams have been visiting this important site. Your trek leader will explain the forts defensive significance and how the battle to capture the fort unfurled. You will explore the Japanese mountain gun and heavy machine gun positions. Still clearly visible are large quantities of munitions and artifacts. Many Australian soldiers lost their lives here, before the Japanese fled.

Until the higher section of the Japanese Forest Fort has been properly surveyed, documented and any human remains identified and respectfully removed for proper burial, no trekking companies will visit the higher section.
The trail is always challenging today and the beauty of the jungle provides a wonderful distraction. We camp beside the creek at the battle site at Templeton’s Crossing.

2012 Team 17 (20 october – 05 November) variation: The Battle of Eora Creek 70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 17 will commemorate the capture of the Japanese forest fort at what is now known as the Lost battlefield of Eora Creek. It was here between the  22nd and 28th August 1942  that the Japanese put in one last valiant attempt to stop the Australian forces pushing them back to Kokoda. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held at the Eora Creek memorial.

Naduri Village. A long climb on slippery trails to our highest point on Mt Bellamy (2190 metres). From the Kokoda Saddle, the beautiful forest trails eventually lead us to Myola Lakes. The occasional sweeping panorama adds to the beauty of our surrounds. Myola lakes – The dry lake beds were at various times during both phases of the Kokoda campaign the site of one of the Australian Army’s major supply depots. It was initially hoped that wounded would be able to be airlifted from the lake sites especially during the Australian withdrawl and that supplies would be able to be flown here to avoid the long haul by native bearers.

Myola is most remembered as the site for low level dropping of provisions by the Australian Air Force. Live munitions, never recovered after misplaced air drops can still be discovered embedded in the exposed banks of the creeks flowing across the lakes.

Tonight in Naduri is special.  Our friend and Head Guide, Andy Ovuru welcomes us as guests of honour in his village. You will have the opportunity to meet one of the few remaining Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, Ovuru Ndiki, who is Andy’s Dad and hear his fascinating war time story.We plan to have a village ‘Sing Sing’ (celebration) tonight. We stay in the village guest house and camp site area. (B,L,D)

Efogi 1 Village. After a farewell from our friends we have a half day walk to Efogi 1, nestled in the shadow of Brigade Hill and nearby Mission Ridge, two of the more significant battle sites along the Track. A chance to rest, wash clothes, explore the village and prepare to conquer the last half of the Track.

2012 Team 15 (03 September – 13 September) variation: The Battle of Brigade Hill 70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 15 will commemorate the major battle at Brigade Hill and Mission Ridge, between the full strength Japanese forces and the retreating Australian forces reinforced by the 2/27th Btn between 6-8 September 1942. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held on the summit of Brigade Hill.

Menari  Village. Beautiful views again await us today as we begin the slogging ascent of Brigade Hill via Mission Ridge. Your trek leader will point out the paths taken by the Japanese forces on their famous’ night time lantern procession’. This now legendary procession, lit by burning lengths of cable stripped from Australian field wireless lines, was undertaken on the eve of the battle of Brigade Hill in an attempt to put fear into the  hearts of the  2/27 Battalion dug in on Mission Ridge. Time is taken to explain and show how and where the Japanese managed to cut the Australian defences which eventually led to the Australian defenders having to withdraw.

On a very sacred battle site on the summit of Brigade Hill, a short, dignified ceremony is conducted in honour of the soldiers and in remembrance of their bravery.

As always, we follow the steep ascent of Brigade Hill with a long descent. We stay tonight, in the guest house and camp site area of Menari Village. We visit the site where the brave 39th Battalion paraded before they were withdrawn from the fight on the eve of the battle at Brigade Hill. Exhausted and on the brink of total collapse the remaining ‘Ragged bloody Heroes’ struggled back to Port Moresby. They would return to the fight at another time.   As today is also a short walking day, you will have time to explore Menari village, swim in the nearby  creek and possibly meet another of the remaining Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels who lives there.

Nauro Village. An interesting day in differing terrain as we cross swampy flatlands, ford the Brown River and push on in the increasing heat up seemingly never ending slopes to camp at new Nauro Village high on on the Maguli Range. As we walk the Track today,you can imagine how the exhausted and wounded members of the 39th Battalion must have felt as they took this exact same route on their trek back to Port Moresby from Menari Village. It is a very humbling experience.  Sunrise and sunset are beautiful from our campsite on the edge of the village.

Port Moresby Our final half days walk starts with the steep ascent and then the descent of Imita Ridge.This is the site of what was known as the ‘Golden Staircase’. There are 3 paths from the Goldie River to the summit of Imita Ridge. Each were used by the Australian forces. The steeper sections were improved by cutting steps and reinforcing them with timbers cut from the forest. Today the timber reinforcing has long since rotted away.

There are those who believe (and diary records to support the view) that there were several staircases constructed on steeper sections of these early ridges encountered on the trek towards Kokoda. We push on via major Australian army supply sites and after we cross the Goldie River, it’s a steep 40 minute hike till we triumphantly arrive at Owers Corner and our awaiting transport, a cold drink and lunch.  We’ve done it!  Back to Port Moresby for a swim in the hotel pool, clean up and prepare for a final nights celebration at the hotel. On the way to Port Moresby, we stop at Bomana War Cemetery, where Australian soldiers  who died in the Kokoda campaign and in other campaigns in the Pacific have been laid to their final rest.This visit is the final tribute we pay  to these brave soldiers before our return home tomorrow. A personalised Certificate of Achievement, suitable for framing will be presented to all Team members at dinner tonight.

2012 Team 9 (07 July – 17 July) variation: ‘39th Btn’ 70th Anniversary Commemorative trek. Team 9 will commemorate the first movement of  Australian soldiers over the Track on the the 7th July 1942. A special Commemorative ceremony will be held at the 39th Btn memorial at McDonalds Corner.

Home Morning transfer to the airport for your flight home to Australia.  WELCOME HOME.