See also About the Kokoda Track: 1942 and Today
[The sun shines on a valley running through a jungle-clad mountain range.
Title: The Kokoda Track.
Text: Exploring the site of the battle fought by Australians in World War II.
Long rows of white marble military headstones stretch hypnotically across the green lawns of a large, well-maintained cemetery. Small colourful shrubs are planted between the headstones. The thousands of headstones are engraved with military badges and the names and details of the fallen soldiers.
Text: Bomana Cemetery. 19 kilometres from Port Moresby at the southern end of the Kokoda track.
A blanket of thick white cloud shrouds the lower slopes of a jungle valley.
Text: The Battle of Isurava, 26-31 August 1942.
A black and white photo of a smiling dark-haired man appears over the valley.
Text: During this battle, Private Bruce Kingsbury won the Victoria Cross for bravery, losing his life.
A creek winds through thick jungle, its water foaming white over dark rocks.
Text: Eora Creek.
A black-and-white photo superimposed over the trees shows a local man and children carrying a soldier on a stretcher over a rocky creek.
White cloud shrouds mountain peaks.
Text: The Battle of Mission Ridge-Brigade Hill. Efogi 6-9 September 1942.
Aerial footage follows a rugged mountain ridge that's covered with dense jungle.
Text: A week after Isurava, another attempt was made to stop the Japanese advance. Again the Australians were defeated with 87 dead and 77 wounded yet these figures are not a true reflection of the disaster which occurred at Efogi...
Wide, flat marshland is surrounded by rugged mountains.
Text: Myola 2.
A series of black and white photos are superimposed over the landscape. The first shows soldiers filing through long grass. In the second photo a soldier kneels, his head bowed, his arms crossed in front of his body. More soldiers are crouched behind him. The third photo shows a soldier supporting a local woman. The photos fade, revealing the vast green and brown plain.
A road runs between a village and the base of a wide grassy plateau.
Text: Kokoda Village.
The black-and-white photo of a dark-haired officer is superimposed over the village.
Text: In the first engagement at Kokoda on 28 July 1942 the Japanese defeated Lieutenant Colonel Owen's force. Lt Col Owen was struck by a bullet and died the next day. He was the first Australian to receive the American Distinguished Service Cross.
In a plain dotted with trees, grass-covered mounds form a rough E-shape.
Text: The Battle of the Beachheads. Gona, Buna, Sanananda. November 1942-January 1943.
Palm trees fringe a narrow beach of dark sand. A series of black-and-white photos show soldiers and vehicles near tall palm trees. Soldiers aim a machine gun.
A wide creek runs past low buildings and through clustered palm trees toward a bay.
In a black-and-white photo 10 soldiers pose grinning near dark trees.
A photo shows two Australian soldiers with two Japanese prisoners.
Three young soldiers in helmets and crumpled tropical uniforms grin at the camera.
Three Australian soldiers stand sombre-faced near bodies lying sprawled on fallen palm fronds.
A soldier gazes directly into the camera. He is bare-chested and has a light beard. He wears a slouch hat with its brim down.
A soldier wearing only shorts and boots puts flowers by the white cross headstone of Private BS Kingsbury. More white crosses are arranged in long orderly rows.
A large group of soldiers pose near tents.
Text: The War in Papua had begun with Australian retreats from Kokoda in July and August 1942 in the face of the Japanese advance. Driving to within 40 kilometres from Port Moresby, the Japanese retreated. The Australians, now advancing along the Kokoda Track drove the Japanese back, retaking Kokoda on 2 November 1942.]