The island rises sharply to the central summit of Mount Vineuo, 2,536 metres (8,320 ft) above sea level.

Other sites were obstructed by coral reefs or exposed to the weather, or could only accommodate shallow-draught vessels drawing 12 feet (3.7 m) or less, making them unsuitable for development.

Upon reaching Goodenough Island they were unable to locate a suitable hiding place during the day for their landing craft, which had to be left on the beach, where the Allies discovered them.

[2] News of what had occurred on Goodenough Island reached the Japanese command on 9 September via an orderly who had made his way back to Buna in a canoe.

The destroyers USS Selfridge, Bagley, Henley and Helm, under Captain Cornelius W. Flynn, USN, were detached from Task Force 44 to intercept.

Isokaze escaped, despite a near-miss, but Yayoi sank after taking a direct hit on the stern that set her on fire.

[12][13] The presence of shipwrecked Japanese sailors on Normanby Island presented no military threat to the Allied forces at Milne Bay, who had repulsed the Japanese landing there earlier, but Captain A. T. Timperley, the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) officer responsible for the D'Entrecasteaux and Trobriand Islands, argued that they posed a threat to the indigenous population and Australia's reputation as its protector.

[13] On 3 October, the submarine I-1 arrived at Goodenough Island, and dropped off rations, ammunition, medical supplies, a radio, and a landing craft.

I-1 returned on 13 October with more rations and medical supplies and a second landing craft,[16] but an Allied aircraft that dropped a flare drove her off.

On 15 October, the Japanese received a radio message warning that the Allies were showing considerable interest in Goodenough Island and were likely to invade.

The New Guinea Force will: As part of an operation codenamed "Drake", the 2/12th Infantry Battalion, a Second Australian Imperial Force unit from the 18th Infantry Brigade, which was composed mainly of men from Queensland and Tasmania, was selected to invade Goodenough Island, having taken part in the fighting around Milne Bay in August and September.

Intelligence reports indicated that there were approximately 300 Japanese troops on the island, mainly concentrated in the Galaiwau Bay–Kilia Mission area in the south-east.

[19] Boarding the destroyers HMAS Stuart and Arunta in Milne Bay on 22 October,[20] the Australian troops were transported to Goodenough Island escorted by Task Force 44.

[23] The Mud Bay force travelled in Arunta and came ashore at around 23:00 in the Maclaren King, two of the ship's launches, the three Japanese landing craft and the two powered whaleboats.

[24] A base was established at Mud Bay, where a dressing station was prepared and heavy equipment, including all but one 2-inch mortar per company, was cached.

[26] The force pushed on toward Kilia, but made slow progress that night due to the steep terrain and heavy rain.

The troops who had crossed the creek found hand grenades were being rolled down the hill at them; those behind it were pinned down by heavy and accurate fire.

Having lost six men killed and ten wounded, with three more posted as missing, the Australians were forced to fall back under pressure from the pursuing Japanese.

Lieutenant Clifford Hoskings later received the Military Cross for silencing a Japanese machine gun in the ensuing fighting.

Arnold launched an attack on Kilia at 09:10, supported by two three-inch mortars and a hundred rounds that had been brought up from Mud Bay.

Instead, Japanese aircraft strafed the Australian positions, as well as the ketch Maclaren King in Mud Bay with wounded men on board, causing further casualties.

[8][31][32] The 2/12th Infantry Battalion then pressed on from Kilia to Galaiwai Bay, meeting no resistance and finding well-prepared but unmanned defences.

The 1st Battalion, 91st Engineer General Service Regiment, was assigned the task of developing Vivigani Airfield into a major airbase capable of handling heavy bombers.

They fabricated dummy structures, including a hospital, anti-aircraft guns constructed of simple logs pointed at the sky, and barricades of jungle vines which looked like barbed wire.

[36][38] A new garrison, the Australian 47th Infantry Battalion, a Militia unit under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Tasker, arrived from Milne Bay on 4 March 1943.

Responding to reports from ANGAU, the police and civilian informants, patrols searched the island for Japanese survivors.

[40] In a week of vigorous patrolling between 8 and 14 March 1943, the 47th Infantry Battalion located and killed 72 Japanese, captured 42, and found another nine dead on a raft.

[41] A remarkable coup was achieved by a patrol under Captain Joseph Pascoe that killed eight Japanese who had landed in two flat-bottomed boats.

Work on the airbase at Vivigani continued until November, by which time there were taxiways and dispersal areas for 24 heavy and 60 medium bombers, and 115 fighters.

[50] In August 1943, Goodenough Island was chosen as the site for a number of hospitals to treat casualties incurred as Allied forces advanced through the Pacific.