Abuari

Abuari was a small village in the Owen Stanley mountains in Papua that stood on a narrow track that left the Kokoda Trail at Alola. When the Japanese advance along the Kokoda Trail was held at Isurava in the last days of August 1942, they sought to outflank this position via Abuari. On 28 August troops from both the 53rd and 2/16th Battalions pushed forward along the track to Abuari to stop the Japanese. On 29 August A and B Companies of the 2/16th were unsuccessful in their attempts to force the Japanese from Abuari and D Company of the 53rd embarked upon an outflanking move. Rough country prevented the company making much progress and the companies of the 2/16th renewed their frontal assaults on the morning of 30 August, again without success. By midday the Japanese were infiltrating the area between the Australians and the junction with Kokoda Trail at Alola. Late in the afternoon the Australians were ordered to withdraw back to Alola.