Welcome to our special battlefield tour of the Northern Beaches and Gorari.
If you’ve ever wanted to explore what happened through the Kokoda Track campaign but not sure if you want to commit to trekking the Kokoda Track itself then this is the way to do it.
We will take you to first to Popendetta to visit the memorial. Then onto the Gona. Buna and Sanananda over the next few days to explore the final position the Japanese held before being pushed off the Papua New Guinea main land,
Next we will travel to Gorari a place of significance as the last major battle between the Japanese and Australian troops before the beachheads. This is the battle that broke the spirit of the invading forces as the young Australian Troops drove a wedge between the Japanese Troops and used a pincer formation to close in on them.
In 2018 we unveiled a memorial to the 133 Australian soldiers killed in action here and the 225 wounded. We will spend a night in Gorari and hold a special service to remember those that fought.
We will then move to Kokoda Village and talk you through the military history and battle briefings from 1942. We will camp for the night at Kokoda before making our way back to Popendetta and on to Port Moresby where will take the last significant step of the tour and visit the Bomana War Cemetery. The rest place of almost 4,000 Australian Soldiers from the Pacific Campaign.
This tour is filled with emotion as we immerse you in the Military History of 1942 but is not physical in the way the Kokoda Track itself is. Easily accessible by everyone.
Here’s a podcast where we sat down and chatted to John Tannock about how the Gorari Memorial came to be.
LISTEN HERE
| Start | Brisbane, Australia |
| Finish | Brisbane, Australia |
| Duration | 8 Days |
| Hotels | 2 Nights |
| Tents | 5 Nights |
| Meals | All meals provided. |
| Group sizes | Approximately 15 – 20 People |
| Activity | This is a small-trekking adventure with only 3 days of trekking up to Alola and back. All other transport is by vehicle and aircraft. Historical tour of the Beachheaads – Gona and Buna. Kokoda Village, Deniki and Alola overnight stays and military history tour including Isuarva Battlefield. Visit the Gorari Monument. |
The following are included in the price of your Gorari Tour:
Today you meet our team at Brisbane International Airport and we fly approx 3 hours to Port Moresby where we meet Kila and our PNG Team.
We will transport to our hotel where we will go through our equipment, packing and a briefing. Followed by a hearty team dinner and an early night ready for an early start the next day.
Today we catch an early flight to Popendetta (approx 25 min flight) and then transport by road to the village of Sananda. We will jump onto PNG banana boats here and make our way to our accommodation for the night which is right on the beach in a small guest houses.
This morning we again jump on Banana Boats and visit the beachheads of Buna and Gona where the Kokoda Campaign truly began with the landing of the Japanese.
This is also where the Kokoda Campaign ended as the Japanese forces were pushed off the Kokoda Track and back to the beachheads.
Today we head back to Popendetta and jump on trucks to take us to Gorari Village and visit the local sites of Gorari and Baribe. We will experience a cultural welcome with the local villagers.
We will visit the many important sites of the infamous battles of Remembrance Day 1942 where the Japanese put up significant resistance before finally being forced back to the beachheads.
These will include Baribe, Waju, Gorari and the surrounds.
Today we will have a Dawn Service at the Gorari Memorial to commemorate the Battle of Oivi/Gorari. The
last major battle of the Kokoda Campaign before the Allied Forces made their final assault on the Japanese
forces at the beach heads. Today we will also look to explore the local sites and spend some time exploring
Baribe. In the afternoon we will drive to Kokoda village and visit the museum and the Kokoda Plateau where
the campaign for the Kokoda Track kicked off in July 1942.
Today is a day to explore the surrounds of Kokoda Village and walk you through the history of the battle for
the Kokoda Track before we make our way back to Popendetta in the afternoon ready for our morning flight
to Port Moresby.
Today we drive back to Popendetta and jump on a plane to Port Moresby to return to the hotel.
Before the hotel we will make out way to Owers Corner where the Australian Soldiers first made their way onto the track to head north and meet the advancing Japanese Forces.
We get to clean up our gear, have a nice hot shower and enjoy a nice dinner and a few drinks before our early flight home tomorrow.
Flight back to Brisbane.
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Contact us to learn more about our trips or to create your own.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
Register your interest to receive our electronic brochure so we can fill you in on the exciting details of this adventure.
