Porters block Kokoda Track over feud between Australian company and PNG

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The Kokoda Track is being blocked by disgruntled tour porters after an Australian company they work for has had its licence cancelled.

Kokoda Tour Operators Association President Mick O’Malley said porters from Adventure Kokoda have blocked parts of the track after its chief executive Charlie Lynn allegedly refused to pay trekking fees.

Porters for Adventure Kokoda allegedly blocking the track.Credit: Paul Ume

“His porters, who I don’t blame at all, have blocked the track and aren’t letting trekkers pass through … because their licence has been cancelled and they’re without a job and without an income,” O’Malley said.

“There’s tour operators on the track at the moment who I’ve spoken to this morning, who are telling me that Charlie’s porters are still blocking the track.”

Adventure Kokoda porter Paul Ume is leading the blockade and said they would continue restricting access until they got their trekking licence back.

“It’s completely blocked right now; we can’t allow any tourists or tour operators to pass by us unless … we get our licence,” he said. “It’s the only place we get our income from.”

A sign by porters closing the Kokoda Trek.Credit: Paul Ume

The feud comes after Lynn, who is also a former NSW Liberal politician, allegedly refused to pay the trekking permit fee to the Kokoda Track Authority, a Papua New Guinean body which tour groups legally have to pay.

Lynn and Adventure Kokoda have been contacted for comment.

The Papua New Guinean government released a statement last week that Adventure Kokoda would have its tour operators licence cancelled after it alleged the company “attempted to evade paying trekking permit fees.”

PNG Minister for Environment and Conservation Simo Kilepa said Lynn wrote to Adventure Kokoda in February saying his company would refuse to pay the trekking permit fee but eventually Lynn paid the government back.

A blockage of the Kokoda Track with an Adventure Kokoda sign.Credit: Kokoda Tour Operators Association

“The committee had an urgent meeting on Friday last week to consider reports that this company had attempted to evade paying trekking permit fees to the Kokoda Track Authority as required under PNG law,” Kilepa said.

“It is reported that cheques were eventually paid to the KTA after the groups had commenced trekking.”

According to reports by the ABC, Lynn requested information on the trail’s condition and the adequacy of campsites before making the trek payments in full, but those requests went unanswered.

Lynn also reportedly paid further amounts to campsite owners separately.

O’Malley said Lynn had some valid reasons for being frustrated by the PNG government, however was now making things difficult for all tour operators.

“Some of [Lynn’s] points are quite valid and I agree with, I just don’t agree with the way he’s gone about trying to fix or deal with these issues,” he said.

“The thing is his one company is causing so many dramas for other trekking companies and other people.”

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