On this trip I met with Juneas Repiriri of Wakunai, who is spokesman for the clans along the Numa Numa Trail. Accompanying him were Great Chief Pedro Manai, Vincent Sivo (or Sibo), his brother Kevin Sibo (or Sivo), Ben Ateviri, Justina Kungkam and her baby together with Luke Raupeto, tour operator for nearby Mt Balbi.

They heard my story of 30 years ADF Reserve service, 15 years of ADF adventurous training visits to PNG and 24 years of trekking in PNG.

The leaders from the Trail clans politely accepted my story but wanted more time to allow all the clans to consider it.

They reminded me that some of my contacts were not locals. I agreed, but said they were reputable Bougainvilleans who saw merit in my story.

I told the Numa Numa leaders that I regretted being persistent, but their saying ‘we are not yet ready’ seemed to mean ‘never’ and I had been granted funds and using them wisely was better than returning them unused.

We understood each other and I was pleased we had talked face to face.

The Great Chief indicated his willingness to start clearing the track while the other clans were being consulted.

As a gesture of good faith I offered them seed money of K2,000 and food and equipment I'd brought, and these were accepted as such.

I’d previously proposed buying a pig for a mumu but one cooked pig could not be shared equally amongst several clans.

NB: I saw no sign of pigs, uprooted ground, or ‘forest fruit’ on the ground, or ‘banis’ (log fences) around village gardens during my Mt Balbi trek. My Guide said all pigs at lower levels had been killed and eaten…

Our conversation then turned to the Trail itself and, when they mentioned a winch the Army left behind at Barges Hill, I showed them its image in Karl James’ book, 'The Hard Slog: Australians in the Bougainville Campaign', which I had brought with me.

They photographed images of two excellent maps from the book and I left them with some copies together with an extract of the Bagana 1:100,000 survey map which names Keenan's Ridge (he was a Coast watcher), Choko Ridge (not named after the vegetable but Choco, 'chocolate soldier', a derogatory AIF term for militia or reserve soldiers) and Pearl Ridge (the wife of a Colonel) - all places of battle along the Numa Numa Trail.

The clan leaders' local knowledge will allow each Trail battlefield to be identified as we search for abandoned weapons, fighting pits and unexploded ordnance (which will be marked).

The resultant battlefield guide will recognise the individuals concerned and honour all Australians who served on Bougainville in World War II, of whom 516 died and another 1,572 were wounded, mostly Infantry.

The Trail leaders agreed that my story was acceptable and that I would be allowed to walk the Trail, but not on this trip.

First, all clans must be informed and allowed to have their say and I must be prepared to make another visit, perhaps later this year. I agreed.

Meanwhile, as the proposal went out to the clans and we awaited their advice, I would walk to nearby Mt Balbi with Luke Raupeto's guide and carriers.

I was driven to Rotokas (Togarao), start point of the Mt Balbi track. Mt Balbi had occasionally been a drop zone for supplies to Coast watchers.

I took three days to ascend through dense rainforest to the top camp, then walking through some swamp grass before arriving at extensive old lava fields.

Exposed along creek lines was the bedrock of ancient grey rounded boulders covered by pinkish pebbles and stones, or sometimes a thick layer of dirt.

This was covered by remnants of thin solidified volcanic crust (once molten slurry) with steaming yellow sulphur vents and what looked like five enormous caldera of various ages, one containing a blue lake with (I was told) undrinkable acidic water that turned people’s skin grey. Two other lakes were out of sight.

Mt Balbi at 2,670 metres is a dormant volcano with two peaks and several secondary hills. It sprawls over some 25 map squares.

Away from the encrusted areas, the peaks were covered with greyish fragmented stones, not volcanic scoria.

We needed to take care on the way to the first peak because of the crumbling cliffs of the caldera.

There were frequent signs of erosion and my guide spoke of a huge landslide down the eastern flank in 2007, probably caused by Cyclone Guba.

Clearly visible to the south was Mt Bagana, its steam plume indicating an active volcano, and beyond it the dormant Mt.

Under blue skies my visit in this wonderful and fascinating place was like walking on the moon.

It took over a day to descend to my Togarao start point where I was informed Juneas Repiriri had asked me to visit him at Wakunai.

Juneas said all except one clan leader had accepted my Numa Numa proposal. They would let me know about the last one's decision and I must prepare to return to Bougainville later this year.

Meanwhile I must write to Juneas and set out exactly the places I wanted to find and why they are important. I would then be permitted to visit only those places.

I would be the only outsider allowed to visit those places on the Numa Numa Trail. The clans may allow ADF soldiers entry in due course, but civilian trekkers (apart from descendants of soldiers perhaps) are unlikely to be invited. I accepted those points.

We did not discuss the likely costs beyond previous advice of K550 a day for the period of my visit, but we all understand how many days might be involved.

The Numa Numa Trail clans are not looking for visitors and I may be the only one acceptable. In any event, I do not have a trekking business, nor the personal liability insurance required to bring clients, nor a local PNG trekking company as a business partner.

Being a handshake agreement, this might not suit legal or commercial ideals, but it recognises the ownership of the clans, including their right to refuse entry.

The clan leaders are trustworthy and I can wait until all clans are supportive. I have just enough left in my grant for another visit, touch wood.

I’ve requested a six month extension of time to, say, March 2024, to complete the battlefield study tour guide.

And I now have enough books, insight and experience to complete a draft document by, say, February 2024.

I returned to Buka in Luke Raupeto's hired vehicle (owned by a wantok), giving Juneas Repiriri a lift at his request.

Along the way, he complimented AusAid for funding construction of two roadside markets where local women sell garden produce. The market consists of raised concrete floors, steel uprights supporting a wide roof under which there are ample tables and benches. We even saw a caretaker with a wheelie bin removing rubbish.

Passing the Emperor Range on our left, Juneas pointed out some of the places where Coast watchers Paul Mason and Jack Read had operated - one jump ahead of the Imperial Japanese forces prior to their evacuation in July 1943.

Juneas knew of them from his father and a book by or about Paul Mason which I'd not heard of but shall obtain. [Probably ‘Coast watching in World War II : operations against the Japanese on the Solomon Islands', 1941-43’ edited by AB Feuer which includes two chapters by Paul Mason and six by Jack Read – ed]

In turn, I showed him ‘Jack Read, Coast Watcher; 1941-1943: His Bougainville Reports’, with its Foreword offering high praise from Commander RBM Long, then Director of Naval Intelligence, and Commander Eric Feldt's ‘The Coast Watchers’.

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Footnotes

I was told of a former soldier who walked the Sisivie section from Rotokas to Torokina eight or 10 years ago and complained to his guide that it bypassed most of the Trail’s battlefields. A legitimate complaint maybe, but still a map reconnaissance failure. Such treks are apparently advertised on the net along the lines of 'Not the Numa Numa Trail'.

I met an elder from Siwai, where my driver from Buin and I stayed last year, while visiting Hiru Hiru village where a family friend's father was killed in action in March 1945. I learned that recent floods had washed away Imperial Japanese Army bones buried in the southern sector of Bougainville by Japanese after the war. If the elder was referring to the mass graves by Slater's Knoll, that's possible; erosion was evident last year.

I walked Rabaul-Tol Plantation with Matt Rogerson (Colonel, Royal Australian Signals, retired) and Australian Defence Force Academy personnel in 2019 and 2022, as organised by Zac Zaharias (Lieutenant Colonel, Royal Australian Engineers, retired).

I also walked the Kokoda Trail with SOC personnel from five nations in October 2022, as organised by Charlie Lynn (Major, Royal Australian Corps of Transport, retired).

Trekking PNG battlefields gives most ADF members initial experience in tropical rainforest, creek and river crossings and most include coastal travel. Experienced trek leaders are vital - former service personnel with proven records of getting the best from PNG villagers and leaders, able to give sound tactical, logistics and leadership lessons to their ADF charges, day after day, battlefield to battlefield.

I’m leading another Kokoda trek for Charlie Lynn, finishing on Anzac Day. After, still with two weeks of allocated leave, I’ll visit the Solomon Islands for the first time, obtaining my visa on arrival and using my personal funds. With a hire vehicle and guide, I plan to visit what remains of the Guadalcanal battlefields, walk to Edson's Ridge and camp overnight, then take a ferry or fly to visit Munda and Kolombangara. Time permitting, I'll continue around the Solomon Islands circuit and fly home to Melbourne from Honiara via Brisbane on 11 or 12 May 2023.