Teacher Description – Kokoda Track Campaign Colouring Poster
This colouring poster introduces pupils to the Kokoda Track Campaign (1942), one of the most important battles involving Australian forces during the Second World War. The campaign was fought in the rugged mountains and dense jungles of Papua (now Papua New Guinea), where Australian soldiers defended the route to Port Moresby against advancing Japanese forces.
The poster highlights important locations including Buna, Kokoda, Isurava, and Port Moresby, together with the remembrance message “Lest We Forget.” The words Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice represent the values associated with the Kokoda Campaign and the Isurava Memorial.
As pupils colour the illustration, encourage discussion about the difficult conditions faced by the soldiers, including steep mountain tracks, tropical jungle, heavy rain, disease, and limited supplies. The activity also provides an opportunity to explore the importance of remembrance and to recognise the contribution of the Australian and Papuan people during the campaign.
Curriculum links: World War II, the Pacific War, remembrance, Australian history, geography of Papua New Guinea, citizenship, and historical understanding.