the Last walk of the year.

Sunday 30th December, 2007.

The decision has been made. This Sunday's walk will be at Varirata for one last trek through the mud, before the real Moresby wet season begins. But as mentioned in the last post, we will be attempting the track in reverse order, but we will park up near the first lookout. From here, it will be uphill and down dale until we reach the third and arguably most rewarding view. From these lofty heights we will plummet down to the picnic area, and then follow the creek back to the cars.

This will be a cool walk with high humidity. Check some of the reviews and previews on this blog for other thoughts of Varirata. But, it will be wet underfoot, you will see leeches and you will fall on your backside at least once. Wear boots with good grip, or go barefoot. We will be picking up some guides along the way and they will lend a hand if you cannot manage the slippery conditions.

A walking stick/pole/bit of timber will help you stay upright, and it pays to take your time. Bring water, and bring swimming gear, because it is good fun splashing in the cool rapids as we leave. You will need K5 per person to get into the park and bring some extra cash for the cost of guides and our police mates.

This is a popular walk in the past, so remember to try to keep the group together, be mindful of your walking speed and the speed of others, and try to keep the group together. There are some steep sections of the track, but the rewards at the lookouts are awesome. Except when the cloud is low...

It may rain. 4WDs are not required, as the road in is sealed all the way. Meet at the normal time, at the normal place.

Varirata. 23rd December 2007.

A non-sanctioned walk.

On a non-bushwalking weekend, we decided to head out and see what the conditions were like at Varirata. It was wet. It had poured with rain all day Saturday in the ranges that surround Moresby and Varirata had received good falls.

We had a chat with Robert our Guide and decided to proceed with a well known and well used regular loop, which takes in three lookouts all with spectacular views of Bootless Bay and the Magi Hwy.

The leaf litter was heavy underfoot and this provided a level of grip which meant that only certain parts of the track were slippery underfoot. The moist conditions meant it was favourable for leeches and all sorts of mulch dwelling invertebrates. Butterflies and Spiders were also commonplace and it wasn’t unusual for the lead walker to be continuously brushing webs from one’s face, and the occasional spider.

The birds were also out in force with the extra insects about, and their bird calls filled the cool jungle air. Despite the comparative coolness of the morning, the lack of a breeze meant that the humidity was close and it was a relief when arriving at the lookouts to feel a gentle breeze.

Overall, a fantastic walk with plenty of things to look at and listen to and one that I think we should do in reverse this coming Sunday. Keep an eye here for details.

PAU – Mt Erima. December 16th, 2007.

This walk was undertaken on quite a hot morning, and in the middle of the festive season. So needless to say, what appeared to be a reasonably easy short wander around PAU, ended up being a fairly brutal climb to the top of Mt Erima. By all means not a tall Mountain, not even a tall Hill, but just a rocky outcrop at the very base of the Owen Stanley Range. But thanks to an early baking sun, the climb rewarded those who made the effort.

The start of the walk was fairly relaxed as the group of us left the PAU markets, walked past the veggie and banana gardens and across a small shallow creek. From here we wandered around the corner of a small hill, and then it was decided to go straight up the edge. The odd occasional scraggly tree was a refuge as we all realised that the sun was up and cooking. After some time climbing, we stopped and looked up at the tower that crowns Mt Erima, it looked a bit daunting as our guide said that was to be our destination. Those who had climbed the mountain before gave us a degree of confidence by saying that they were going to stay at base camp and watch us suffer from afar.

But first we had to get to base camp. It looked like a simple walk down the valley, up the other side, over the spur, and across to the fence that surrounded the water treatment plant. Well the spur proved difficult as we found the group having to use hands and feet in order to maintain grip on what was soon becoming a vertical rock face. And crumbly rock too. You could feel the heat radiating off of the rock face, making every pore sweat.

But finally, we made it to the shade of base camp under a mango tree. There were those of the group who decided to rest awhile and then there was the few of us who decided to scramble up the sun-baked climb to the tower. The rocky track to the top was near vertical in parts as we had to scramble with hands and feet to get to the top. But the views at the top and the shade on the darkside of the mount were a relief from the sun. After sometime spent relaxing in the shade, we then slipped down the track back to base camp.

From here, it was a steep walk down into a grassy meadow area and then a flat walk along the creek and back to the Market gardens. The creek crossing was deeper on the return and the cool water felt good on hot and tired feet. All in all a good fun short walk and a good introduction for a few of the first time walkers.

Taurama Barracks to the Pyramid. Dec 2, 0h7. A Preview...

In partial celebration of KRudd's victory in the Great Aussie Election of Oh7, the POM bushwalkers will be wandering around the Motuan Pari villages. Pari is the birthplace of the late Sir Billy Skaite and is also home to Dame Carol Kidu. From our bushwalking advantage on high, we should be able to look down on the abode of these two proud Papua New Guinean politicians. Sir Billy Skaite Jr still resides in the village.

But back to the bushwalking, we will make our way down to Taurama Barracks and then after alighting from our vehicles, we walk up and up and up. It is a brutal strain on the Calf muscles and Achilles tendons but the view from the top of the initial climb is fantastic. From the top, its a undulating walk to an old World War Two gun emplacement, and this is a great place to stop for photos and a fresh breath of Motuan air.

We then head along the tops of the hills and find ourselves amongst wild pigs and cycads, an almost prehistoric vista, where one can imagine Dinosaurs roaming through the savanah. From here, its a plummet down to a boggy swamp land, and a track to the local Surf Club. At the Surf Club, if you look up to the left, you will see the Pyramid.

If we are all feeling rather chipper, then we shall take the casual stroll to the top of the Pyramid... Sorry, replace casual with disgustingly brutal and replace stroll with punishment...

But it has been achieved before.

From the base of the Pyramid it is a flat walk in the sun back to the barracks and back to our cars. This is a tough walk and if the Moresby Sun is in all its glory, then it is even harder. We can take solace in the fact that due to the recent rain, the vegetation will be green and this will give us some purchase under foot. You will require good grippy footware for the up and down sections as it is made up of that shaley stuff that litters the hills around Moresby, the swamp areas will contain Mosquitos, there is little shade on the whole walk and we saw a snake the last time we were here. A little tiny snake.

And there are pigs, but they are shy.

All those who are interested, come along to the normal meeting place at the normal time, bring sunscreen, a bucketload of water, insect repellent, a big hat, good shoes/boots, some cash for the off-duty coppers, a snack or two for nourishment, and a camera set to Panorama.

4th November. Varirata.

I'm led to believe that the next fantastic POM bushwalk will be at Varirata National Park, see your Lonely Planet for location details. We will still meet at the normal time and at the normal place, and as always with security in place, we will make our way to the start of the walk in convoy. Unfortunately, I will be away and will miss this walk.

Varirata is a fantastic place for a walk and if it is as wet as last time, then you'll be in for a giggle also, especially if poor shod walkers are witnessed going back down the hill faster than they are getting up! Keep and eye and ear out for the local guides as you may see Pigs, Deers or Wallabies amongst the growth, although the group needs to tread quietly for wildlife to be seen.

Heard is another thing as you will hear Birds of Paradise amongst the tree top canopy.

Remember to wear suitable footwear, when the track is wet, it is treacherous, but when dry, its a whole load of fun. The views from the lookouts are awesome and some of the best you'll see of Moresby and surrounds. Also remember to try to keep the group together, this walk is prone to stretching out the wheat from the chaff and it is difficult in parts. The security that travel with us are there for our safety so keep that in mind. Also please check out the Smart Traveller site for updates on Security issues in PNG. Go here: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ for further details.

And because this walk in mainly undercover doesn't mean you might not get sunburnt, and remember your insect repellant... Talk to your fellow walkers, because there are BBQs on site for the after walk lunch, and there is an awesome waterhole to swim at on your way out of the park. And it cost K5 per person for entry into the park, and go check out the Koiari Tree House, its a renovators delight nowadays!!!

Bisianumu Falls. a Review...

Last Sunday was a great walk. What started out as a leisurely stroll to the glory of Bisianumu Falls ended up being a fair walk. The second leg of the journey considerably longer than the first third.

16 intrepid walkers showed up at the morning meeting place, and we then travelled up to the Sogeri Plateau. The track out past the Sogeri Memorial towards McDonald's and Ower's corners was dry for the first part. We then entered the old Rubber Plantation and found our way to our safe car park.

Upon alighting from our vehicles I soon discovered that my local friend had left the day before to go hunting for Pigs and Wallabies, but young Inky was on hand to help act as our guide for the day. He remembered the POM bushwalkers from previous walks, and he knew where we wanted to go. So with guides alongside, we made our way to Bisianumu Falls.

It is a pleasant walk and not too taxing, but after just over an hour we made it to the Falls. We rested for a while and remained longer to appreciate the spectacular views on offer as one looks North over the Goldie River and beyond Imita Ridge to spy Kokoda Gap in the distance. The Owen Stanleys look fantastic from this point of view.

After a brief swim for some, we then decided to take the longer route home, and it was quite warm as we wandered up a spur to join a short ridge line, accompanied by the sweet sounds of the local birdlife. On top of the ridge, we turned left and made our way to the swamp where Inky told me that some time ago, a white man released his pet Crocodile into the swamp and it can still be seen amongst the reeds and palms on the far side.

A short time later, we were back into the Rubber Plantation and amongst the cool shade again. We were welcomed back warmly by the local community who were keen to share in our tales of the walk. And with their beaming smiles, we left to head back to POM but with the promise that we would be back again soon.

Mt Diamond Walk. (a review by another regular walker)

It was an overcast morning as we headed out to Mt Diamond school along the Magi Highway. After turning off at the (Name?) roundabout there was an easy drive along a short stretch of dirt road to the school grounds, an assortment of buildings among massive shade trees and manicured lawns. Five lads from the school armed themselves with grass machetes and acted as our guides leading the fourteen of us off on a track that snaked through head high, sharp edged guinea grass. This soon opened out into a bush road along a lush green valley of short grass dotted with gum trees and palms. After a while we started winding up through small hills of gums and grass trees. It was still overcast but had become hot and steamy so we took frequent breaks and admired the scenery. On one of the hillsides we came across a small arched entrance which was an old copper mine. Peering inside we could see a well defined shaft heading deep back into the hill. Apparently during the 1930’s they used to mine copper from this area, using donkeys to pull loaded carts down the hills and to a wharf at Bootless Bay. Part of our track lay along one of these old copper haulage roads.

We dropped down to a patch of forest and came across a lovely cool, fast flowing river and nearly all went through the rigmarole of taking off shoes and socks and wading through it, only to come to another river crossing ten minutes down the path. This time many of us were not so fussy and quickly ventured across. By now we were walking through fairly thick rainforest with the canopy overhead, the river flowing close to the path and occasionally crossing it and although hot and a tad slippery, it was great to be in the forest. Two hours after setting off we reached a gorgeous waterfall and all took a good half hour break. Rested we set out and went back along the same route and this time most of us strode straight through the stream and river crossings squelching our way back to the school. It was a really enjoyable walk, hot and steamy but not too hard and definitely worth it for the beautiful scenery of grasslands, rainforest and the waterfall.


ed note: I've lost the images that went with this walk. If anyone has a good snapshot of the Mt Diamond walk, could they forward it to me please?

I'm not lost...

Hi everybody. Sorry the blog has not been updated for some time, as I have been absent from NCD. But the walking has continued and there is talk that one of the new walkers has some wantoks out 9-mile way and that they may arrange a walk there next.

Keep you posted :)

B-17. 19 August. Wau, MP.

Okay, so in the photo you can see some dude walking and the head of a young boy whom was our guide for the day. In the background towards the left of the action, you can see what remains of a B-17 Bomber that didn't make it to the Wau airport(?) on the fateful day some years ago when it ditched into/onto the grassy knoll in the hinterland of the Morobe Province.

If you look closely enough.

What a fantastic walk, 'tis a pity it wasn't a sanctioned POM Bushwalkers/Boating walk but when one has a chance to go see a War relic sitting in the middle of a paddock not far from Lae and in relative safety then I apologise for walking up and over grassy knolls... not really.

It was awesome and something that every POM Bushwalker needs to do. Imagine a rough and bumpy dirt road track for near on one hour only to abandon the LandCruiser to walk shin deep through a icy cool mountain stream, fill up one's water bladder and then march for 40 minutes over the grassy fields of Wau.

Then to see a B-17 Bomber sitting some distance away in a paddock.

It's a challenging walk to the B-17 but rewarding to say the least. When you finally climb inside the cockpit and can still read some of the instrument panel instructing you not to heat up the oil for more than 4 minutes then it is worth the effort to climb there.

There are bullet holes in the tail rudder.

The young boys whom accompany you on your walk are there to add colour and intrique to your walk... They will show you all sorts of flowers and seeds and insects and they all take up the space in your memory card.

But Wau has so much to offer the tourist, and the angry faces in town will soon soften as soon as they know you are not part of the Harmony mine. But make the effort, Wau will give you a wow of an experience ;)

Mt Diamond. September 9.

I'm sorry, I cannot help with the details of this walk. This is one for the more permanent members of Moresby, whom may have trampled across the hills surrounding Mt Diamond and the SouEastern edge of Varirata.

From what I may have heard, this walk involves some kind of altitude gain, so it maybe a corker with some spectacular views from on top.

More info may come later.... keep half an eye on this 'ere site.

POM Boating Club... 26 August.

(a review)

Unfortunately, the boating trip that was, never happened, but hey, this is the Land of the Unexpected. What was originally planned as a boat trip from Lea Lea to Kidu became a pleasant stroll around Lea Lea, not that I think anyone was disappointed, but it was interesting that the largest attendance of the year so far was on the promise of a boat trip...

Bushwalkers, or Boaters?

I'd wager that we are all walkers at heart, but the temptation of a boat ride so close to Moresby was incentive enough to get up bright and early and travel to Lea Lea village. (Contact has been made with Lea Lea and they are still keen to give us another shot, at a later date... you will be kept posted)

But back to the review.

In what turned out to be a rather pleasant day, a large group of walkers all wandered around the rolling hills of Lea Lea and return via a lengthy walk along the beach. Complete with some very generous locals who were sure that we all needed a drink of Coconut water.

The pleasant walk started with a morning wander through the village and then out amongst the Mangrove bridge and mud into grasslands dotted with Pandanus and Cassava. After a march up on top of one of the local hills to admire the view and surrounds, we then cautiously made our way down the stony slope to a valley of Dinosaurs and out onto a wide salt crusted mud flat. Across the other side lay the beach and our return to the Village.

What a wonderful village with atypical Motuan warmth and goodwill, and all the walkers/boaters certainly enjoyed the Sunday break from the joys of living in Moresby...

Taurama on the 29th of July. (sorry for the delay in posting)

A Big Thank You goes to CO whom has provided a walk report and photo from the walk recently to Taurama. It was a walk I was unable to attend but it sounds like a good one. This was the first of two walks that included PMV rides in which I have missed, but maybe one day...

Like any bush walking Sunday, we woke up early and headed over to the Ela beach hotel to meet with the rest of the walkers.

Fifteen minutes after, it looked like there were just four, and possibly another couple in the car who showed up for the walk. As we were about to make our way to the Yacht Club, another fellow walker arrived. Shortly close to eight, the rest of the walkers drove into the car park. Before we know it, there were ten of us and we were back in business.

As we were approaching the Taurama hill, we were greeted by beaming kids from the neighboring village. Some looked excited to see us but others waved shyly as we were near.

It was an almost perfect day: the early part of the morning started off a tad ominous with the gunmetal grey sky and looming dark clouds. But that soon cleared up and all we had to fight off is the intermittent gusting wind as we ascent. It didn’t take long to warm up the cold muscles and at the first stop, we caught a glimpse of the city from atop.

As we trudged along the foot path on the side of the hill, we finally reached the half way mark with names etched on the bark of a tree. Many islands and sights are visible where we were standing: the Pyramid Point, Manubada (aka Local) and Loloata islands, to name a few. Nestled between the hills and the sea, many of us were just contented to pause and soak in the spectacular view.

The parched vegetation soon gave way to a few Aloe Vera looking plants. Just off the edge of the hill, we spotted a couple of what resembled cylindrical tanks. Upon closer observation, these were actually gun encasements used during the war. Undeniably, where we were standing, it was a good vantage point to spot enemy warships from miles away.

Moving along, we were told that it’s downhill from here on! The trip down was quick and relatively easy. Being annoyingly cautious, every step I took was slow and deliberate. Even though the pair of runners wasn’t the best of shoes for this terrain, I can safely declare that I much prefer the suffering of a climb with firmed footing than slippery, sliding steps with little grip.

As we were descending, the sun peeped through the clouds and it took about 20 minutes before we reach the barrack compound. Mango trees abound but alas it wasn’t the season yet. If you are a lover of most tropical fruits, just like me, the thought of plucking the juicy and fragrant mangoes off the trees is enough incentive to send me running in full speed down the hill.

After a few minutes rest, we decided to head towards the bus stop where we catch the PMV out of the Barrack. Lucky for us, the bus was in waiting and 50 toea poorer and ten minutes later, we alighted at the POM Grammar School. The ride had saved us the sweat and time on the dreary asphalt.

All in all, it was a relatively leisure but enjoyable walk. The view more than compensated for the impending soreness from the climb. Borrowing from the MasterCard tagline, the first ride on the PMV is ‘priceless’. After all, it’s not any given Sunday where a non local gets to hop on one without much hesitation.

We started off uncertain of what’s in store for this walk but we returned with anticipation for the next adventure.

Tennis to Taurama. Sunday 29th, July.

I have never done this walk but I am informed that it is a relatively easy, straightforward walk. But having said that, I will not be in attendance as I am currently scribing this note some 1850miles away.

Please meet at the normal time and normal location and the group will make their way to the Tennis Club and then wander across undulations to Taurama Barracks. That's all the information that I have at the moment.

Like with all walks around Moresby, please bring along plenty of water, a hat, sunscreen and some cash for the coppers. From a distance, the terrain looks like it may cover some Moresby naked hills and therefore if it is sunny, it will be a hot morning. But not like Burn's Peak was.

I hope you all have a great walk, and remember this is Moresby and you should exercise a degree of caution whenever you partake in the walk. Make sure you have checked all of your security arrangements and always try to keep the group together.

Blogless in Port Moresby

Well, this Blog Author is going OS for a few weeks so I will not be updating this 'ere site. Sorry!

If I were you and I was wondering what will be happening regarding the next Sunday walk (29th of July) then I would just wander down to the normal meeting spot at the normal time and see if others show up. Eh? Maybe they will, maybe they will all sleep in for a change?

Having said that, I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable walk and I hope it is not nearly as much fun as the last walk I missed. I'm still annoyed about that!!! grrr...

I may still be able to check the emails and also update this site on the odd rare occasion but please do not rely or expect anything.

Catch Mulai.

Ower's to Imita.

What a walk! After a dodgy altercation with an alarm clock that has failed us on more than one occasion previously, we finally arrived at the meeting point and were met with a larger than expected crew of hardcore serious trekkers.

We then travelled to Ower's Corner via all points of Moresby picking up fellow wantoks from Madang to Rigo to Hagen; all keen to see what lay beyond Sogeri. At the Village of Sogeri we discovered that our guide had started without us and was well on the way to Kokoda, so we picked up Mr Entertainment and made our way to the start point. Due to the corrugated, rutted nature of the road to Ower's, all of our convoy were reluctant to carpool and tackle the 4WD course themselves.

At Ower's we were greeted with a swag of Trekkers whom had just completed the entire Kokoda Track and were in search of their PMV to take them down to Moresby to a Hot Shower and a Cold Beer. Come to think about it, the whole journey to Imita and back was full of trekkers starting or finishing the track.

Well our Sunday stroll started off with a steep descent down to Goldie River. Along the way there was murmurs that perhaps we had all taken off at a fair clip but it was dismissed as decent trekking; despite the odd fall upon one's derriere.

After removing boots and socks, we crossed the chilly Goldie River but what a gorgeous Gorge of rocks and rapid water. It was then time to head upwards towards Imita Ridge, and time for the track to get muddy. The best part of the track was that it was amongst the shade of some fantastic rainforest and not exposed to the PNG sun.

As the steps got steeper, the tree roots formed a natural ladder; there was more roots than a Heidi Fleiss' Closing Down Sale...

But I digress, the serenity was amazing. It would have been more peaceful if the birds would have shut up!

So there we were, on top of Imita Ridge, none of us saw any bloody golden staircase, only muddy steps... On top of the ridge we met a group of trekkers whom were heading south to the Goldie River. We all stopped for kai where Mr Entertainment recited the famous WW2 poem about the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels which was written at Dump 66 and he also danced a dance that the Koiaris would.

After a rest we wandered back down towards Goldie. The walk was going so well, there was Pandanus of all sorts, huge strangling Ficus and massive Pterocarpus. We all thought it was a Sunday stroll.

And then it hit, the last stretch of trekking from Goldie up to Ower's was disgustingly rude. It was brutal. Many of us walked for 10 steps only to lean over our staves/poles and suck in huge breaths of Oxygen. But eventually, we made it, we also passed out on the grass of Ower's Corner. Exhilaration, and relief filled us as we had a taste of what it was like to walk the Owen Stanley Track.

The Golden Staircase. July 15th.

Well, the opportunity came knocking and I grabbed at it with both hands.

This Sunday's walk is something that I have wanted to do and some of us have already done so, and some of us have as part of the Kokoda Track, but it will be an all day affair walking the first part of the Kokoda Track, from Ower's Corner to Imita Ridge.

The walk will be around 7 hours in duration and we will have to depart town at 7am in order to complete the walk during daylight hours.

We will start from Ower's Corner and I have arranged for secure parking arrangements, and with already arranged guides, we will wander down hill to the Goldie River, cross over and then up the other side to the top of Imita Ridge. Starting altitude around 735mASL and descending to 420mASL, then climbing to 850mASL.

And then back again.

The Goldie River is approximately 1 metre deep and around 20 metres across. It can also be described as cold and wet and is a fairly fast running river.

But for those who would like a taste of what the Kokoda Track is like, then this is a good opportunity. You will need to bring plenty of water, some food (this is an all day walk) and suitable walking gear (hat, and shoes). The area has not received any rain for some time and is dry, but still greasy underfoot, and it could rain at any moment.

A 4WD is required to get you to Ower's Corner, as the Road from Sogeri to Ower's is heavily rutted. It is dry at the moment and solid underwheel, but the ruts are large and good clearance is required.

This walk is tough and remember, although we can help arrange guides and parking, your own personal safety is your own responsibility. Ower's Corner does suffer a reputation for raskol activity, so remember to ensure all your relative security proceedures are in place.

An alternative for those not wanting to attempt this challenging walk is to perhaps arrange for a PAU walk?

POM Bushwalkers. the Next Walk?

In previous emails, it has been mentioned that we may be heading out to Fisherman's Island for our next stroll. With the logistics and weather an important issue, I am currently unable to offer a review of the next walk, but I will when available...

Also, because of the ease of Yesterday's stroll around Lea Lea, our resident Chimbu Police friend has suggested we walk from Maloro (sp?) Markets out to Taurama. He also quietly says that this is the toughest walk that he has been involved in and is a good workout. Especially after such a soft walk yesterday...

Hmmm? Who knows, but keep an eye on this space for updates.

Lea Lea. A Review...

Well, what an easy walk.

On the coolest morning of the year so far for Moresby, we travelled out to Lea Lea Village where we accidently met our guide for the morning. He then led us across the bridge and along the beach for a pleasant stroll in the morning.

Part way along the beach some young men who had obviously had liklik spak the night before tried to convince one of the female members of the bushwalking group to fund the purchase of a banana boat for all the young men. Needless to say the young men failed in their attempt...

Towards the end of the beach, we then headed inland for a wander amongst the mangroves, whilst trying to keep the Mozzies at bay. We visited the amazing Mangrove beach bridge and one of the wells in which the Lea Lea Village collect their water.

We then wandered back through the middle of the village and finished our day at a reasonable time and still feeling reasonably good. It was a great morning escape from Moresby and thanks to our guide, we learnt a great deal about the life and times of Lea Lea Village.

And the drive out and back from the Village was fantastic too. Seeing the Owen Stanleys blue in the morning sun as we made our way to Lea Lea was indeed a fantastic view. Oh and there was an abundance of Pandanus!

01 July. Lea Lea.

The next walk on the agenda is Lea Lea. This village is about 30 minutes drive from Moresby and is situated on the Motuan coast. The people of this Village are gorgeous and the smiling children will steal your hearts.

After we arrive at our destination, we will then cross the mouth of a river by ways of a small timber jetty-like structure. Sure it sways a little, but it's okay. As we wander through Papa Village we then make our way to the mangrove flats. Here we will see some amazing wooden structures, but we will also get very, very, very muddy as we cross the Mangrove flats. Your shoes will stink for weeks... and keep and eye out for the little red one-armed crabs, these dudes are very shy but en masse they make a cool display.

After the mud the walk wanders through Jurassic landscapes and down to a junglesque creek bed which is the location of a well in which we will see many Meris wandering to in order to get fresh water for the Village.

After the well, the track opens up to a saltplain, and on the other side is the beach. From here, it is a walk along the beach to return back to the start.

This walk undulates over the first part but flattens out once we reach the salt plain. But the walk is of some serious length and there are large portions of the walk that are exposed to the sun. The walk back along the beach takes its toll on calf muscles and everyone normally ends up weary at walk's-end.

Bring plenty of H2O and a hat. Sunscreen is essential and medication for those who require. This is a long walk, so snacks can provide energy and win hearts amongst the local kids who will follow us. They will soon give up when we wander to far and they will return to greet us along the beach. The kids aren't stupid, they are not going to waste their Sunday morning wandering off aimlessly.



Remember that we will still be in PNG and that you should think seriously about your own personal safety. The small monetary cost of the walk covers the off-duty Policemen and Guides whom are there to help provide a secure experience, but they cannot guarantee your safety if you find yourself wandering too far ahead or behind the group. Remember communication is a vital key; let someone know where you are heading at all times. This walk is about like-minded people who are keen to get out of Moresby and have a wander around the local environment, photography and learning about the flora and fauna and people is a big part of the enjoyment of the POM bushwalkers.

This walk does start some distance away from the city of Moresby so for all the latest up to date travel advice, see the Smart Traveller Website.

Cool, hope to see you there. Walkers should meet at the normal spot at the normal time, and we will then car-pool to Lea Lea.

Burn's Peak. a review

This walk was very tough. Everybody suffered. No-one actually re-visited their breakfast but I am sure that I wasn't the only one thinking about vomiting. Dehydrated and weary, we limped to the end.

But it was fantastic!

The day started off fantastic in the Northern suburbs of Moresby, the weather was coolish in the valley as we started our trek towards Fairfax Harbour and the ridge of hills in between. We passed through remnants of market gardens as the last few peanuts were harvested before all the grass gets set alight. A cherry "Morning" and a wave as we passed the last of the gardeners...

Then the path went upwards, and it didn't let out. By the top, the Sun had started to crank and their was no wind to be felt. We then went up and down, up and down, up and down... Confusion occurred on one peak and it wasn't long after that a quarter of the group decided that the better option was to bail out and head for the settlement below and opt for vehicular transport.

Those that remained, suffered. Heads were about to explode as the Sun beat down, and the thought of trying to drink fluids only triggered gag reflexes. We stopped frequently at the little shade we could find, and somehow spirits were okay as we told stories of yore. But when we started walking again, it was merely survival; left foot followed by the right foot, then another left, then right, left, right, left, right and so on until we made it...

Still, somehow, everyone had a good morning out and enjoyed the views of Moresby and surrounds. And speaking with the intrepid today, most of us pulled up okay after the experience. Good times... good times...

Burn's Peak

This is a tough walk. It starts at the University grounds and immediately heads skywards through a treeless valley. In fact, there are less and less trees the further you wander along the 4 inch wide tracks that scrawl their way around the naked hills of Moresby. These tracks are worn by naked feet through even the hardest of stone.

But the views and the rewards are fantastic. During the walk, you will experience fantastic views of suburbs from Gerehu to Waigani through to Gordons, the other side of the ridge you will enjoy views of the stilt villages that hug the coastline of Fairfax Harbour; Hanuabada and beyond. On the last few climbs of the day you will see the CBD of Moresby in all it's glory, and more likely you will spot a few Campaign slogans along the way...

One can even play "spot_your_house" as you take an eagle's eye view of the compounds that lay strewn across Paga and Touagubu Hills. But make sure your eyes don't stray too far from the track below your feet as you are guaranteed to end up on your arse at some time during this walk. The ground is full of rock and shale and is loose underfoot. Just make sure the good Doctor has prescribed the right kind of footwear so as to avoid any unecessary falls.

This walk involves leaving some vehicles at a pre-arranged location and driving the others to the start of the walk. At the end of the walk, some drivers will have to be returned to their cars in order for all vehicles to be connected with their drivers.

This walk also will skirt along the edge of a settlement towards the end of the walk. Although there has been problems at this settlement in the past, your personal safety should be maximised if you have notified your respective security arrangements before travelling and also if you keep within vision of the Police Officers that are employed on the walk. Remember that the hired help are there to protect for not only the duration of the walk but also in the travel to and from the starting points. At all times try not to find yourself alone on the track and ensure that others know of your exact movements.

The meeting and starting point is the same as normal and seeing as you will be exposed to the dry tropical sun of Moresby, ensure you carry plenty of water and personal protective gear like a hat, sunscreen and necessary medication. The length of this walk is approximately 10-12 kms and there are some considerable altitude gains.

Hope to see you out on the track this weekend.