EAST NEW BRITAIN PROVINCE
In East New Britain, beautiful Rabaul, half buried during the 1994 volcanic eruptions, is re-emerging as a city with a difference. There are few places where the dramatic consequences of the contrasting moods of nature can be experienced so intimately. The drive from the airport, now located at Tokua about an hour from Rabaul, is along a narrow road winding its way around the the Gazelle Peninsula. Through the coconut trees villages of thatched huts surrounded by colorful flowerbeds and tropical fruit trees look out over calm waters. The Tolai children with their blonde hair and wide smiles stop
their play to wave at passing traffic. Across the Harbour is Tavurvur, bellowing great clouds of black ash filled smoke, some days grumbling, other days bellowing. From this warm tropical lushness enter the now lunar-like landscape at the base of the volcano, Vulcan. Amidst the tangled mess of rubble and ruins covered in layers of muddy volcanic ash three former resort hotels have been resurrected and stand amidst the desolation to welcome the visitor. The history of Rabaul is one of wreckage and regrowth. Modern historians will find a treasure trove of World War II relics, tunnels and caverns to explore within driving distance of Rabaul. Close to the centre of Kokopo, are the remnants of Gunantabu mansion, build in the 1880's by the legendary "Queen Emma". War wrecks also litter the surrounding reefs. The excellent visibility makes this is an exciting dive spot all year round. Forty five minutes by boat from Kokopo are the Duke of York Islands offering sport diving, snorkelling and picnics under the coconut trees.
ENGA PROVINCE
Enga Province, sharing a border with Western Highlands Province, features rugged mountains high valleys and fast flowing rivers. The Engan people are a hardy race living mostly by subsistence farming. Tribal warfare is still a common way to settle inter-tribal disputes and ceremonial life encompasses the giving, receiving and displaying of wealth. Ceremonies are presided over by tribal elders, distinguished by their two metre high head-dress displaying the brilliant colours of plumes from the bird of paradise. Proud warriors painted in bright ochre dance long into the night to the beat of the Kundu drums. The ceremonial singsing can last for days during which time many pigs, the greatest symbol of wealth, are presented as gifts. Men slaughter and prepare a feast of pork, green leaves and vegetables cooked in a deep earth pit over hot coals. After several hours it is shared amongst the guests with the choicest cut being offered to the guest of honour. Some monetary wealth has come to the Engan landowners since the introduction of coffee plantations and more importantly the development of the Porgera gold and silver mine, estimated to be the largest gold mine outside South Africa. Despite these facts, development of infrastructure has been slow. The rugged terrain does not lend itself well to progress. Landslides and broken bridges are
common along country roads and walking is often the only alternative to travel by four wheel drive.
Trekking enthusiasts will find their efforts rewarded by the magnificently unspoilt surroundings. In the west of the province is Laiagam. The National Botanical Gardens here have a collection of over 100 species of native orchids and more than thirteen species of rhododendrons. Lake Rau, in the middle of Enga, is a crater lake 300 metres above sea level, a days walk from the nearest village of Pumas. Wabag is the provincial headquarters, about four hours drive by bus four wheel drive from Mt Hagen. The Wabag Cultural Centre includes a museum with a fine display of wigs, war shields and masks and an art gallery. The centre also houses a workshop where young artists are taught the skills of sand painting, an art form unique to Enga Province. Using ground stone in natural hues as a medium, the sand painters create landscapes and legendary figures on a base of wood or plasterboard.
WESTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE
From the lowland rainforest, to alpine grasslands, to the shrouded misty peaks, Western Highlands Province is a land of colour and vibrancy. The capital city, Mt Hagen is a commercial centre where wealth from coffee and tea plantations has brought rapid change to traditional life style. Old and new ways live curiously together, not always harmoniously. Mt Hagen has a reputation as the "Wild frontier" of the Highlands. The Saturday market in Mt Hagen is a focal point of local life and provides a meeting place for traders from all over the province. It's a kaleidoscope of fruit and vegetables, birds, animals, people in bright shirts and skirts, some wearing flowers or grass in their hair. The men traditionally wear a long bread and the women wear an array of brilliant scarves and carry their brightly coloured string bags. These bags, called bilums, are used to carry everything from babies to firewood and are made by threading an entire length of string through each loop. Traditionally the string is made from tree bark, although these days many women buy synthetic yarn from the local stores for their bilums. Handicrafts can also be found at the Western Highlands Cultural Centre in Mt Hagen. It features a reconstructed village hut and has a museum with exhibits of artefacts and curios. Sing-sings are held regularly throughout the province. These are gatherings of clans in traditional costume where ritualistic dancing and singsing is performed for ceremonial reasons. Sing-sings are not normally staged as a public performance. However there are many opportunities throughout the year to watch a ceremonial sing-sing. The most popular time to visit Mt Hagen is August when the annual show is held. Hundreds of different Highland tribes are represented, each wearing their distinctive tribal head dresses of feathers and flowers and body paint. It is a wonderful opportunity to see a glimpse of the richness of traditional Highlands social structure. Away from Mt Hagen, Western part of the Province offers spectacular walking and trekking adventures. The Wahgi Valley is a magnificent natural tract of lush greens, roaring rivers, virgin rainforest and ordered gardens. There are several walks available depending on time and energy. For the serious trekker, the 4509 metre summit of Mt Wilhelm can also be reached from Mt Hagen. Accommodation in Mt Hagen ranges from bush material lodges to international standard hotels. Air Niugini has flights from Port Moresby to Mt Hagen daily and direct flights are available from Cairns, Australia to Mt Hagen. Third level airlines also provide services from other regional centres.
SIMBU PROVINCE
In the heart of the Highlands is Simbu Province, bordered by Madang to the north and the Gulf country to the south. It is the smallest but most densely populated of all the provinces. The terrain is extremely rugged, with many of the valleys inaccessible. Some of the highest mountains in Papua New Guinea are in Simbu Province including Mt Wilhelm, at 4,509 metres, the highest peak in Papua New Guinea. Known to avoid mountain climbers around the world, for the reasonably fit, it is not a difficult
climb for those who like to be physically challenged. There is a clearly marked track which passes through traditional Simbu villages, through dense rainforest, into the valley before reaching Pindaunde Lakes where there are basic huts for overnight stays and on. The view from the summit is spectacular, on a clear day the stretching from the north to the south coast. Cold weather gear is a "must" as it can get rather cold on top, sometimes snowing. Guides and porters can be arranged as well as organised trekking expeditions. A trout and rabbit farm at the base of the mountain has a guest house with easy walking tracks nearby. Kundiawa, the provincial headquarters is set in picturesque surroundings beside a spectacular airstrip built on a sloping ridge beneath the towering mountains. Kundiawa is not an attraction in itself but a stepping stone for mountain and river adventures in other parts of Simbu Province. Only a few kilometres from Kundiawa, close to the main road, are the Keu Caves, suitable for caving expeditions. Three are a number of other caves around the district which are burial places
for the remains of warriors killed in battle. The Wahgi River is considered by experts to be one of the best rafting experiences in the world as the river rushes through deep chasms, stretches of rapids, under small rope bridges and waterfalls. Serious bushwalkers can follow a four-wheel drive track down to the coastal town of Madang. The three or four day walk offers the intrepid bushwalker some of the best look-out views in the country.
EASTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE
With a history of gold mines and coffee plantations, Eastern Highlands has had more exposure to European influence than any other Highlands province. It has a history full of colourful characters- miners, missionaries, patrol officers, plantation owners. Traditional dress is seldom worn this days, although the Highlanders still live in villages of neat clusters of low walled round huts built amongst the rolling kunai-grass covered hills. Goroka, a small outpost station in the 1950's has developed into a well organised town with modern facilities. It is a major Highlands commercial centre of 25.000 people at an altitude of 1600 metres. It has a climate of perpetual spring. Today Goroka has become known for its annual show, held every September. It is a marvellous opportunity to gain an overview of PNG cultural diversity. The shows were first held in the 50's as a means of gathering together the different tribes and clans. At times there could be more than 40.000 painted warriors dancing to the beat of the Kundu drums. The scenario was an amazing success and grew from its original concept of a local get- together into a major tourist attraction. Amongst the performers are the legendary mud men of Asaro. Tribal folklore records that centuries ago the warriors of Asaro were defeated in a tribal fight "payback" raid, and, to make themselves look fierce in the process, covered their bodies with grey mud.
According to legend, the ruse worked. Their enemies fled at the sight of these ghostly apparitions. The mud men recreated the drama at the Goroka show and for hotel tour groups. The Raun Raun Theatre Company, based in Goroka is a highly acclaimed performing group which tours both nationally and internationally. The J.K. McCarthy Museum in Goroka is named after one of Papua New Guinea's legendary patrol officers. It is second only to the National Museum in Port Moresby and exhibit a wide variety of artefacts, handicrafts, war relics and a collection of photographs which portray Highlanders early contact with Europeans. From the Post Office the street leads to a track that climbs to Mt. Kiss Kiss lookout. A long steep walk ends with a magnificent view across the valley. More serious trekking can be found south of Goroka at Lufa, the base of Mt. Michael. There is a cave nearby with some interesting prehistoric paintings. From Goroka on the road to Kainantu is the village of Bena Bena, a centre for weaving. The men operate the hand looms, weaving pleasantly coarse rugs, bedspread and place mats. Eleven km out of town by four wheel drive is the Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park. This is an area of around 80 hectares set in beautiful mountain scenery. The park includes a botanical sanctuary, where exotic plants from all over PNG have been added to the local, natural orchids and rhododendrons.Near Goroka its possible to visit working coffee plantations, processing plants and the Kotuni trout farm. There are a number of options for accommodations in Goroka, ranging from top range to the Goroka University Campus. Air Niugini has daily direct flights to Goroka from Port Moresby. Third level airlines also provide connections to Goroka from various centres. Local PMV buses travel regularly between Lae and Goroka.
MOROBE PROVINCE
Morobe Province curves around the waters of the Huon Gulf. The Saruwaged Mountains, rising from the sea at the tip of the Huon Peninsula are blanketed by tangled and impenetrable rainforest. To the south-west, the fertile Markham Valley rests between equally awesome ranges while the waters between Huon Peninsula and New Britain are dotted with volcanic islands. A network of roads connects the capital city of Lae with Madang to the north west, through the Markham Valley to the Highlands in the west and south to the Highland areas around Wau and Bulolo. Lae, with its 80.000 inhabitants, is the second largest city in Papua New Guinea. It was a tiny mission station before the 1920's gold rush at Wau transformed into a major port and industrial centre. It was the last place to farewell famous pioneering American aviator Emelia Earhart, as she took off on one of the final legs of her round the world flight before disappearing without a trace. Lae was a strategic base for the Japanese during World War II. The graves of thousands of allied soldiers killed in battle can be visited at the Lae War Cemetery, situated within the grounds of Lae's Botanical Gardens. A tour through the Gardens provides the visitor with a glimpse of life in the rainforest. Huge trees smothered in vines and creepers are home to brightly coloured birds and lizards and a display of exotic orchids. More recently the Rainforest Habitat, occupying an area of over 3,000 square metres, has been purpose built to create a display of some 15,000 native and exotic plants, 21 species of birds including the magnificent Raggiana Bird of Paradise as well as crocodiles, lizards, butterflies, turtles, frogs and fish. Known as the "Garden City" modern day Lae is an attractive, tropical city well serviced by banks, international standard hotels, department stores, local markets and street stalls selling produce and artefacts. A good collection of artefacts including sand paintings can be seen at the Melanesian Arts Centre and the Morobe Arts and Handcraft shop. The Lae University of Technology also has an artefacts collection of rare and valuable pieces, Sepik carved pillars and a coffee shop built in traditional "haus tambaran" style. Further afield is the town of Finschafen, first settled in 1885 by the Germans and still a major Lutheran base. The Labu Lakes across the Markham Valley are home to crocodiles while the beaches on the ocean side around Maus Buang and Labu Tali are breeding sites for the leatherback turtle, weighing up to 500 kg and measuring up to two metres in length. Daily Air Niugini flights connect Lae with australia and most major national centres, while second and third levelairlines fly regularly from smaller towns. As the Port of Lae services both international and coastal shipping it is possible to reach most northern coastal centres by boat.
ORO PROVINCE
Few people would expect to find fjords in Papua New Guinea. The Tufi area on the south east coast of Oro Province is one of PNG's best kept secrets. Situated on Cape Nelson, Tufi is a spectacular place to visit. Cape Nelson, jutting out into the Solomon Sea, was formed by the eruption of three volcanoes, whose fast flowing lava created the rias, or fjords. Unlike the fjords of Scandinavia, the water is always warm and the sheltered bays are home to stunning coral formations and tropical marine life. The fjords are over 90 metres deep and rise vertically out of the water to over 150 metres. Wide entrances are protected by reefs and they funnel into the mountainside where mangroves form a canopy over narrow waterways. The vertical faces of the gorge are covered with moss and orchids and waterfalls cascade directly into the sea. The open market displays the handcrafted pottery, jewellery and tapa cloth that are typical of the region. Tapa cloth is made from the beaten bark of the paper mulberry tree and decorated with exotic designs in natural earth colours. In October every year there is a Tapa Cloth Festival (The background of the left coloum of this home page is Tapa design). Other festivals held locally are Martyrs Day and the Korata Church Day.
The province is also the home of the largest butterfly in the world, the Queen Alexandra Birdwing, which has a wingspand of 30cm. With the diminishing rainforest, this species is unfortunately fast becoming extinct. Oro Province has a history of drama, from the early gold rush days to the devastating Pacific campaign of World War II. The northern end of the Kokoda Trail terminates at the village of Kokoda and from here to the coast, and around the beaches of Buna and Gona, some of the most violent and bitter fighting of World WarII took place. It is estimated that over 15,000 Japanese soldiers died on the Kokoda Track. The area is still littered with war relics and at Jiropa Plantation, on the Buna road there is a Japanese plaque commemorating their dead. Not long after the war, Mt. Lamington erupted, wiping out the district headquarters at Higaturu killing nearly 3,000 people. Today the provincial capital is located in safe distance from the volcano, at Popondetta. Mt. Lamington is a favourite climb for bushwalkers. There are road links between Popondetta, Tufi, Ioma, Kira, Kokoda and Afore with PMV buses traveling regularly between the district. Oro Province is served by Air Niugini, MBA and other third level airlines, with flights to Popondetta and Tufi.
MILNE BAY PROVINCE
Milne Bay Province takes in the land at the extreme eastern end of Papua New Guinea together with seven groups of islands, the Trobriand, Woodlark, Laughlan, Louisiade archipelago, the Conflict Group, the Samarai Group and the D'Entrecasteaux Group. The names come from a variety of explorers from as early as 1660 when D'Entrecasteaux sailed through and left his name behind. Over the years Milne Bay Province has been visited by missionaries, miners, traders in pearls and people, scientists, Japanese and American warships. During the war Milne Bay became a huge naval base that hundreds of thousands of servicemen passed through. Today thousands of tourists arrive to enjoy diving around the wreckage left behind from the war. There are 160 named islands and 500 cays and atolls scattered over 250,000 square kilometres of ocean. In many parts of Milne Bay, the reefs are characterized by dramatic drop-offs, clefts and overhangs. Alotau, spectacularly sited on the edge of Milne Bay is a good base of visiting the outlying islands. Fergusson Island has an active thermal region, hot springs, bubbling mud pools, spouting geysers and volcanoes. Misima Island was the scene of a 1930's gold rush from which a major mine has now been developed. Woodlark Island is populated by people of Melanesian ancestry. The islanders are renowned for their expertly crafted wood carvings with unique patterns. One of the best locations to enjoy the charms of the friendly and peace loving Milne Bay people is the Trobriand Islands.
Their unique social system is dominated by hereditary chieftains who continue to wield tremendous power and influence, although inheritances and lines of power are passed through the female side of the family. From June - August the Milamala, yam harvest festival is held. The Milamala starts with a procession of men carrying the newly harvested yams from the garden storage hut to the village yam houses while the women ahead sing and dance. During the festival time, traditional rites are observed. It was from Malinowski anthropological studies of the customs and sexual practices during this time that the Trobriand's became known as "The Islands of Love" (Make no mistake though: these parctices do not include outsiders !) Fresh water caves are found all over Kiriwina island. Near Matawa Village there are several deep limestone caves housing burial antiquities and skeletal remains. At Wawela there is a beautiful curving beach on a cool, deep lagoon. The village children fishing from their outrigger canoes are happy to give visitors a ride out to the reef to enjoy snorkelling. The Trobriand Islanders will offer for sale their beautifully carved walking sticks, figurines, fish and turtle shaped bowls made from local timbers including the much sought after ebony.
WESTERN PROVINCE
Western Province, on the southern coast, bordering Irian Jaya, is a perfect destination for fishermen, photographers and lovers of flora and fauna. The countryside here is unlike anywhere else in Papua New Guinea. Wide open grasslands are home to rusa deer, wallabies and wild pigs, crocodile, and lizards linger near the river banks and teams of wild fowl and ducks fly across rivers. Two of the greatest rivers in the country, the Fly and the Strickland, run for almost their entire length through Western Province. The premier tourist destination in Western Province is Bensbach Wildlife Lodge, located on the Bensbach River. The mouth of the river forms the border between Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. The area is a vast open, seasonally flooded plain, lightly populated with people, but crowded with birds and animal life. Lake Murray, in the centre of the province, is the biggest lake in Papua New Guinea. There is a crocodile research station at the lake. During the wet season the lake spreads to five times its 400 square kilometre area. Western Province is home to the giant OK Tedi gold and copper mine, one of the largest mines in the world. Established in 1980 in rugged mountainous terrain, the mining operation processes 80.000 tonnes of ore each day. Daru, the main town of the province is situated on a small island of the same name just off the coast. Once a busy pearl and beche-de-mer trading port, it is now the centre of growing fishing industry. Crocodile skins from the province are packed and exported from Daru.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE
In the centre of Papua New Guinea is the Southern Highlands Province, called "The Papuan Wonderland" by explorers who "discovered" these hidden mountain valleys in 1935. The Southern Highlands is a land of lush, high valleys wedged between impressive limestone peaks. The headwaters of the Kikori, Erave and Strickland rivers cross the province, beneath towering Mt Giluwe, the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea. International caving expeditions have discovered caves of enormous depth and length and anticipate further significant finds in areas yet to be explored. This cool alpine setting is the home of the Huli and Duna Wigmen. Famous for their elaborate and colourful dress, these proud warriors have great reverence for birds, imitating them in ceremonial dances and decorating their wigs with feathers, flowers and cuscus fur. The wigs, are woven from human hair, donated by wives and children. Everlasting daisies are especially cultivated for use in the wigs, while their faces are painted with yellow and ochre. The women, by contrast wear black for their wedding and coat themselves with blue-grey clay when mourning. Clans in the Southern Highlands have a strong and intricate social system little affected by change. It is one of the few places where the traditional way of life can be seen in everyday living. Ceremonial rituals are strongly observed. Men and women can still be seen wearing traditional dress, tending their gardens and pigs and building their bush material huts. Visitors to the tribal wonderland of the Southern Highlands can stay in a variety of accommodation from basic guest houses to luxurious mountain lodges. Accommodation at the Ambua Lodge in the Tari Basin is in luxury bush material huts, set on a hillside of flowering gardens with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and rainforest. The crisp mountain air is perfect for taking advantage of the many guided tours organised by the lodge. Walk along rainforest tracks to go bird watching, take a trip in a dug-out canoe down the river to see the waterfalls or go by four wheel drive to visit a village and watch a traditional singsing. South of Mendi, the capital of the Province, is Lake Kutubu. The beauty of this tranquil setting can be enjoyed from the Lake Kutubu Lodge, situated on a ridge overlooking the lake. The Lodge built by the local people to allow visitors to observe traditional life in comfortable surroundings is constructed of bush materials. Butterflies and Bird of Paradise are common in this area. The Lodge will arrange tours to some of the beautiful rivers and waterfalls nearby. Warm cloths and wet weather gear are recommended for visitors to the Highlands and, particularly for women, conservative dress would be considered more appropriate, ie. long skirts rather than shorts and a sarong over swimsuit when swimming.
GULF PROVINCE
Gulf Province, located on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea is dominated by highland mountains, lowland river deltas and wide expanses of seasonally flooded grass plains. The Turama, the Kikori, the Purari and the Vailala are just some of the great rivers that flow into swampy, delta-land of the Papuan Gulf. The people of the delta-land build their houses on piles high above the muddy river banks. As the rivers change course they frequently have to move their villages. Each village is centred
around the men's longhouse, known as a dobu or ravi, in which weapons, important artefacts, ceremonial objects and, in the past, the skulls of enemies were stored. Men slept in the longhouse, women in smaller, individual huts outside. Cannibalism was a way of life for the fierce Gulf people until the arrival of Christianity. Although head-hunting has not survived the onslaught of European civilisation, seven distinct styles and artistic craftsmanship have been categorised. A thriving market for carved masks, bull roarers, headrests, skull racks and Gope boards keeps local craftsment busy. Gope boards are elliptical in shape and incised with brightly coloured abstract patterns. Warriors were entitled to have a gope board for each act of bravery and a board from the vanquished enemy's canoe held particular significance, transferring some of its previous owner's strength to the victor. Delta towns Kikori and Baimuru, although set well back from the coastline, are both serviced by coastal freighters. Canoes are still an important means of transport for villagers. The provincial centre of Kerema enjoys its government status solely because it is situated to the east of the lowland delta region and is drier. The town affords most of the basic amenities and services. Very few tourists visit the Gulf and tourism facilities are not readily available. Keen fishermen and canoeists visit the area and bushwalking expeditions have retraced the journeys of earlier explorers. Trekking to Wau through the Bulldog Road, created into he early 1900's during the gold exploration epic, is one such route. There are some guest houses available and village stays are possible. The Hiri Moale Festival commemorates the traditional Motuan trade voyage from Central
Province to the Gulf, in search of sago in exchange for the Motuan clay pots. This event is held every August. In November the Provincial School of Arts and Crafts holds its annual festival. Gulf Province has about 500 km of roads, mainly along the eastern coast and mountains. River and sea transportations are a common mode of travel.
NATIONAL CAPITAL DISTRICT
Port Moresby, the nation's capital and the main entry point for international visitors does not present an immediate picture of an ideal tropical paradise. During the winter months it is dry, dusty and brown. Summer is wet, humid and overgrown. It is a place of stark contrast. Ramshackle huts sit alongside glistening glass towers, dusty plains turn corners to expose a glittering harbour and fearsome frowns turn to welcome smiles. Port Moresby opens the door to the "land of the unexpected". The city is located in an area called the National Capital District or NCD. It is on the southern coast of the country and surrounds part of Fairfax Harbour. Port Moresby was named by Captain John Moresby in 1873. The following year a mission station was established at the village of Hanuabada, a traditional Papuan village and home to the Motuan people. During the Second World War, the small town Port Moresby was transformed into a large military camp, accommodating tens of thousands of troops during the Pacific campaigns. At the end of the war Port Moresby was the only town of any size left standing in Papua New Guinea and was chosen by the governing Australian administration to be the seat of government. This was the beginning of the urban drift that brought people from almost every tribal group of Papua New Guinea to the city as well as attracting a large population of foreigners. It is now a cosmopolitan city, embracing 20th century technology and development while trying to retain the traditional values of its varied population. It is a blend of old and new. Remnants of the colonial days can still be found in downtown Port Moresby and elements of traditional life have been maintained in the nearby villages. After being destroyed during the war, Hanuabada was rebuilt in the traditional style with its houses perched on stilts over the water. Parliament House exemplifies the striking harmony of modern architecture and traditional design. The National Museum and Art Gallery exhibits cultural features of Papua New Guinea's complex tribal lifestyles. The annual Hiri Moale festival held every September celebrates one of the epic trading voyages between Central Province villagers and the people in the Gulf of Papua. It is a three day festival of traditional dance, singsing, drama. During the festivities, Port Moresby's Ela Beach is lined with stilt houses, canoes and swaying dancers decorated with leis of frangipani and hibiscus. In June people come from far and wide to take part in the Singsing at the Port Moresby Show. It is a good opportunity to experience the colour and vibrancy of Papua New Guinea. Equally colourful is the display of native orchids found at the Botanical Gardens. The collection of over three thousand orchid species, unique to Papua New Guinea is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. They flower all year round with peak flowering season for most orchids between December to March.
CENTRAL PROVINCE
Surrounding the National Capital District is Central Province, a narrow coastal strip which rises to the 4000 metre high Owen Stanley Ranges which form its northern border and divides and isolates the Province from the north. 46 kilometres from Port Moresby is the Sogeri Plateau. At 800 metres the air is cool and pleasant. Sogeri is the starting point for the famous Kokoda Trail. A little further on is Variarata National Park. Covering an area of 1,000 hectares, it was the original hunting grounds of its tree-house dwelling landowners. At certain times of the day, birds of paradise, wallabies and deer can be seen along the walking trails. At the end of the trail the lookout presents a panoramic view of Port Moresby and the coastline. The road to Sogeri passes the historic Bomana War Cemetery and Gardens and the Moitaka Wildlife Farm, a crocodile research farm which also has a collection of native animals and birds. Yule Island, two hours drive west along the Hiritano Highway was one of the first areas to have European contact. Catholic missionaries settled here in 1885 and still maintain a presence in the area. It is a popular spot for peaceful getaways and seafood delights. |
