Kokoda Trail

Located north of Australia’s mainland is the third largest island country in the world, Papua New Guinea. Its capital, Port Moresby, is on the island’s south-eastern coast. With a population of eight million people, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has 851 known languages making it the most linguistically diverse country in the world. The majority of its people live in remote villages with only 13% of its population located in urban areas. Administered by Australia from the early 1900s, Papua New Guinea gained its independence in 1975.

During World War 2 a series of land battles were fought from July to November 1942 between Australia and Japan. The objective for the Japanese was to capture Port Moresby to take control of Papua and have a base from which to attack the Australian mainland and isolate them from the United States. Their strategy was to advance from the north coast through the Kokoda Trail and over the Owen Stanley Mountain range. The battle for the Australians was extremely difficult. Australian troops consisting of 2,000 soldiers were up against 10,000 elite Japanese troops who were determined to capture the capital.

The battle conditions for both sides were appalling. The Kokoda Trail was a narrow, single dirt track with steep climbs up mountains, followed by steep descents into deep valleys. Surrounded by dense jungle, movement was slow, exhausting and all on foot. Heavy equipment, ammunition and supplies had to be carried and when it rained – daily rainfall of 10in (25cm) was not uncommon - the track turned into calf-deep mud. If this wasn’t hard enough, add mosquitoes, leeches, heat and humidity to the already rain-drenched soldiers. Food supply was limited, a cup of tea or coffee was often just a dream.

Along with hundreds of hikers who walk the trail every year, I embarked on a journey to test my mettle and to honour the soldiers who battled in this campaign. My trek began in the town of Kokoda on the north side of the track where on the edge of a grassy oval were four white memorial stones, dedicated to those who fought here. At the edge of the village, I crossed beneath a set of arches that marked the official start of the Kokoda Trail.

From here I will be heading up the mountain for nearly 50% of the trip and descending for the remainder of the trek to Owers’ Corner. Steep elevation changes, numerous river crossings, deep vegetation and plenty of bogginess awaits.

Without further ado, I headed into the jungle.