Kokoda is a station town in the
Oro Province
Oro Province, formerly (and officially still) Northern Province, is a coastal province of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital is Popondetta. The province covers 22,800 km2, and has 176,206 inhabitants (2011 census). The province shares l ...
of
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
. It is famous as the northern end of the
Kokoda Track, site of the eponymous
Kokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then the Australian Territory of Papua. It was primar ...
of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. In that campaign, it had strategic significance because it had the only airfield along the Track. In the decades preceding, it had been a foothills settlement near the gold fields.
Kokoda is located within the administrative divisions of
Kokoda Rural LLG
Kokoda Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea.
Wards
*01. Asimba
*02. Kovelo
*04. Saga
*06. Iora Lss Blocks
*07. Kebara
*08. Abuari
*09. Alola
*10. Waju
*11. Hangiri
*12. Ambene
*13. Ilimo
*14. Hamara
*15. ...
.
Establishment of the station town
The British colonial administration found that a base for the Papuan Native Constabulary and colonial control was required to subdue the region and the government station of Kokoda was founded in 1904. Government officer Henry Griffin forced local people to become laborers and carriers to construct the town and build roads in the region. If they refused, Griffin would order his troopers to shoot their pigs and steal their taro plants. From Kokoda, the British and Anglo-Australian forces subdued the
Orokaiva and neighbouring tribes.
World War II
An amphibious landing by Japanese forces to capture Port Moresby was postponed indefinitely after the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under ...
. The Japanese command believed there to be a road leading through the Owen-Stanleys from Kokoda to the south coast. An invasion force was landed on the north coast near
Buna and
Gona from 21 July 1942. Two battles were fought in and around the village during the opening stages of the Kokoda Track campaign. Kokoda was reoccupied by Australian forces on 2 November 1942, following the Japanese withdrawal back to the north coast.
The station is linked by a rough road and a two-hour journey to the provincial capital of
Popondetta
Popondetta (sometimes spelled Popondota) is the capital of Oro (Northern) Province in Papua New Guinea. Popondetta is a city.
In 1951 the city became the focus of relief efforts after nearby Mount Lamington erupted and killed 4,000 people.
...
.
In August 2009
Kokoda airstrip was the destination for
Airlines PNG Flight CG4684 that crashed whilst attempting to land.
All 13 people on board were killed in the crash, including nine Australian passengers who were due to trek the Kokoda Track, a Japanese passenger, and three Papua New Guineans, including the two pilots.
Climate
Kokoda has a
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southe ...
with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
See also
*
Kokoda Rural LLG
Kokoda Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea.
Wards
*01. Asimba
*02. Kovelo
*04. Saga
*06. Iora Lss Blocks
*07. Kebara
*08. Abuari
*09. Alola
*10. Waju
*11. Hangiri
*12. Ambene
*13. Ilimo
*14. Hamara
*15. ...
*
Kokoda Track campaign
The Kokoda Track campaign or Kokoda Trail campaign was part of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign consisted of a series of battles fought between July and November 1942 in what was then the Australian Territory of Papua. It was primar ...
*
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Australian-administered Mandated Territory of New Guinea (23 Jan ...
*
Kokoda Memorial Hospital
Kokoda Memorial Hospital is a hospital located in Kokoda, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. It was built by Rotary Australia volunteers in 1995. The building of the hospital was financed by the Government of Australia
The Australian Govern ...
References
{{Reflist
Populated places in Oro Province