A major route into the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea's Central Province appears to have been blockaded, amid a feud between a trekking operator and the track's managing authority.
The group says they have blocked entry to at least two separate groups of people looking to hike the track.
It comes after Adventure Kokoda's licence was cancelled last week.
In a statement, Environment Minister and Kokoda Initiative Committee chair Simon Kilepa said the licence was cancelled for allegedly "evading paying trekking permit fees".
The statement also said the Kokoda Track Authority claims Adventure Kokoda's owner Charlie Lynn wrote to them in February, informing them his company would not be paying trekking fees.
Under PNG law, all tour companies are required to pay fees to the Kokoda Track Authority (KTA) for permits in order to walk the track.
Mr Lynn has confirmed he was in touch with the KTA in February and March, but said the acting chief executive ignored his email requests for information on the condition of the trail and the adequacy of campsites.
He told the ABC he had a "duty of care" to the company's trekkers and made a decision to pay a portion of Adventure Kokoda's fees to campsite owners.
Mr Lynn said he did this to "assist them in preparing the sites to meet the safety and welfare need of their paying customers".
"Once the Acting CEO realised this he contacted our PNG Manager and ALL [sic] trek payments were paid within 24 hours of my departure," Mr Lynn said.
"In addition to this we also paid an extra 13,000 kina ($5,567.35) to campsite owners-and have receipts for each payment."
He says the loss of the licence has left guides and porters "desperate and devastated".
The group at the track say they want Adventure Kokoda's licence to be reinstated and that hundreds had blockaded the entry to the north and the south.
People behind blockade call for licence to be renewed
Landowner and worker Paul Ume said he and others had set up the roadblock out of frustration with the licence cancellation.
"We don't get jobs from around here, this is the only way we get income, the only way we put food on the table for our families to eat," he said.
"Adventure Kokoda employs about 300-400 boys from South to North."
"We are frustrated, why couldn't [the authority] just give us a warning or something like that."
Mr Lynn said he "did not have anything to do with any blockades".
"Many of our … 350 guides and porters have high school education and are landowners across the trail," he added.
"Adventure Kokoda is their sole source of income and they have just lost their jobs. They have therefore decided that nobody is going to walk across their land until they get their jobs back and I reckon that's fair enough."
Environment minister received 'disturbing reports' about the company
Environment minister and Kokoda Initiative Committee chair Simon Kilepa said in statement that he had received "very disturbing" reports over the conduct of the company.
"Despite being previously warned in writing by the [KTA] CEO, and again advised by the KTA ranger at Owers' Corner, Mr Lynn led the trek after continual refusals to pay KTA trekking permit fees," he said.
"This action was attempted again … resulting in more than 100 tourists trekking without a valid permit from KTA."
"It is reported that cheques were eventually paid to the KTA after the groups had commenced trekking."
South Australian veteran and father Paul Miller died while walking the Kokoda Track with Adventure Kokoda last month.
Pacific International Hospital said those with him attempted cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but he was pronounced dead after he was flown to Port Moresby.
The trek was intended as a fundraising effort run by veterans and first responders support group Operation Unity SA.
Many Australians travel to PNG each year to walk the Kokoda Track in an effort to retrace the steps taken by soldiers during World War II.
April is one of the peak periods for tour groups in the area in the lead-up to Anzac Day.
