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Location
The Kokoda Trail is a prewar walking track linking the
village of Kokoda to the outskirts of Port
Moresby. The track ran
from Gorari and Oivi to the village of Kokoda which stood on a small
plateau 400 meters above sea level, flanked by mountains rising to over
2,000 meters. It then climbed over steep ridges and through deep valleys
passing Deniki, Isurava, Kagi, Ioribaiwa, Ilolo
and down to Ower's Corner, where the trail begins
History
The Battle
of the Coral Sea May 5-8, 1942 resulted in the Japanese failing to launch a sea borne assault against Port Moresby. Instead, the Japanese Army 144th Infantry Regiment commanded
by General
Horii's that had landed on the north coast of New Guinea and during July 1942 launched another attack on foot crossing the Owen Stanley
mountains and using the Kokoda Trail.
Defending was the Australian
7th Division that halted the Japanese advance only 30 miles from town, Due
to losses, and lack of resupply, the Japanese began to fall back
towards their beachhead at Buna.
Today
This historical trail is walked by those interested in history
or challenging treks. Most trekkers are Australian, but
the track is becoming more popular every year for visitors of all nationalities and also Papua New Guineans. The route takes several days to walk at a reasonable pace. Occasional landowner
disputes occur over the trail, but a 'trek permit' spread fees between
all villages.
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Last Updated
October 1, 2009
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