Relaxing in the Daintree before departing for New Guinea
Arriving in Port Moresby
Walking
Brigade Hill
Artefacts museum
Village life
The carriers
River crossings
The walkers
Fighting the war
Memorials
Ishurava memorial
The jungle and mountains
Tired
The finish line
Gona beach
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Learn more about the Battle for Kokoda
Relaxing in the Daintree before departing for New Guinea
Before departing for New Guinea, there was a stopover in Cairns, and a chance to visit the Daintree rainforest.
Arriving in Port Moresby
Arriving here was an experience. No one initially knew what to do, and there was no one to pick
us up. We stood around the entrance to the airport, not sure where we could go. Eventually someone made
a call to the tour company and we got picked up an hour or two after landing.
Nothing dries in New Guinea. Mick and Jules relax in our hotel room.
On the ceiling fan is Julian's washing, shortly before being flung around the room by Oada.
Walking
The trip mostly involved walking. Pictured here is Julian carrying everyone's packs up a hill.
Brigade Hill
Brigade Hill saw some of the bloodiest fighting between Australian and Japanese soldiers. There is a memorial there for fallen soldiers.
When we got there, the local villagers had prepared a lunch for us and set the place up.
They also sang some songs for us. Very touching. It was surprising how genuinely they felt
about the fallen soldiers.
Artefacts museum
Julian is holding some old mortar bombs left for us in a clearing by a local land owner.
Our tour guide Frank wasn't impressed, worried that they may be set off. I highly doubt it....
In one of the villages a hut had been set up as a museum, with a range of military artefacts. Julian
holds a machine gun.
Village life
One of the most amazing parts of the journey was visiting the villagers and meeting their inhabitants.
Almost all of the carriers were recruited from villages along the way, and it was obvious their families were
pleased to see them when they passed through.
The carriers
River crossings
The walkers
Fighting the war
It's amazing how untouched the region is, with WW2 gunpits still existing alongside the track.
The gravity of what you are visiting and experiencing hits home when you realise teenage soldiers
hid in these pits waiting for the advancing enemy, in many cases with orders not to retreat....
Memorials
Ishurava memorial
The jungle and mountains
Most of the trek was spent under the cover of dense foliage. The jungle was covered in dense foliage, and it was unnecessary to even use sunscreen.
On the odd occasion when the jungle would open up into clear surrounds the sun would beat down hard.
