Kokoda Track Foundation

Monday April 21st, 2008

LAST UPDATED

Kokoda Initiative Tourism Stakeholder Workshop

By Patrick Lindsay, KTF Chairman

 

On Friday April 11th, 2008, the federal government held a meeting in Canberra to map out some future initiatives that could be undertaken by key Australian stakeholders for the better management and protection of the Kokoda Track.


The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Kokoda, Mr. Sandy Hollway.

In attendance were:

plus Trek Operators:

 

A summary of the meeting and the issues discussed is as follows:

 

1. Frontier Mining

The company has broken with convention and dealt with the landowners directly (instead of dealing with the PNG Government) and has raised expectations amongst the landowners that they can expect millions of dollars of income.


This has left the PNG Government with the difficult task of defusing the unrealistic expectations. The PNG authorities have asked the Australians to refrain from speaking directly to the Kokoda landowners until they have had a chance to resolve the Frontier Mining issue.

Frontier Mining has applied for a five-year extension of its exploration permit, rather than a mining permit. Why would it take this action if the deposit was as big and valuable as the company claimed?

 

2. World Heritage Listing Application

The Australian Govt has agreed to the PNG Govt’s request for assistance in preparing the WHL.


For the purpose of the WHL application, the definition of the ‘Track’ will be from Ower’s Corner to Kokoda and the footprint of the application will include the Owen Stanley’s Range around the Track.


The application will be centred on the unique eco-diversity of the region, with its historical significance an added reason. It doesn't mean there can be no mining or other commercial activities within the listed area, rather any such activities should not detrimentally affect it.


The application typically takes two or more years to achieve.


3. Track Management

For the purpose of considering the management and tourism potential of the Track, the definition of the track extends further from Kokoda down to the beachheads at Buna, Gona and Sanananda.

As an example of the great tourism potential of the Track, Bruce Leaver, First Assistant Secretary of the Environment Dept’s Parks Australia Division, gave a presentation on the Kakadu National Park.


It showed how a properly researched and implemented master plan, together with close consultation and co-operation with the indigenous landowners, can produce a wonderful result – a sensitive eco-tourism asset, controlled by the landowners and returning substantial income to them.


It showed that such an approach to the Track could be a viable alternative to the promised windfall from the Frontier Mining project.

 

4. Summary of Workshop

a. The Aust Govt will fund consultations with the PNG Track landowners as soon as the mining issue has been resolved.


b. The Dept of Environment has sent a Senior Project Manager to PNG to work with their Environment Dept to consider ways of resolving the problems with the KTA.


c. Sandy Hollway proposes to establish a separate trust account to handle this season’s trek fees, under the supervision of consultant accountants in Port Moresby. Trek operators would pay their trek fees into this account where they’ll be quarantined until a resolution of the KTA issue.


d. An AusAid mission is standing by waiting for PNG Govt permission to talk to local landowners about short, medium and long-term projects aimed at providing benefits to communities along the Track as a sign of goodwill and as a visible alternative to the mining.


e. Sandy Hollway and his team will urgently consider some financial commitments to benefit the landowners.


f. Ministers from both national government will meet in Madang on April 26 to sign a strategic agreement which will provide the framework for future co-operation. It will be broad and the detail will be filled in later.


g. Sandy Hollway recognises there must be substantial assistance to the communities along the Track that will improve health and education and revenues from trekking and other possible commercial opportunities.


h. The World Heritage Listing will not ‘lock up the area’ from economic activity but it must be consistent with the main themes of protection. The team working on the listing will research the historical definition of the Track – considering all the small minor tracks involved (which may be valuable to help alleviate over-trekking).


i. The Kakadu experience suggests that a master plan should be researched and prepared for the Track but in parallel with the current action because of its urgency (ie the rapid degradation of the Track). This could take up to two years but would aim at best practice.


j. The team has undertaken to keep a close watch on the current degradation of the Track and to consider alternative revenue sources to communities to encourage them to stop the track slashing and extension of camping sites etc.


k. Sandy Hollway believes – and he was supported in this view by John King from Tourism Australia – that the Track has ‘tremendous tourist potential’. He likened it to ‘New Zealand … with excitement!’


l. Sandy Hollway secured agreement from the trek operators that, provided they could get security that the Track would be open and they would not be held to ransom, they would be prepared to invest in the industry in PNG.


m. Sandy Hollway secured agreement in principle from the trek operators that they would accept a voluntary Code of Conduct, to be drafted for final agreement by a small group of operator representatives, facilitated by Sandy and assisted by Stephen Wearing.


n. The meeting agreed it would try to hold similar meetings twice a year – probably before and after the trekking season.

 

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