MOROBE & PROVINCES of all offer opportunities to stayinlocallyrunguesthousesandsoakupsomerays.of Laealloffer opportunities coast,theFinschhafenway alongthecoast.Madang’snorthern area andtheforeshore south there slaponsomesunscreen isplentyofscopetograbasnorkel, andbanana-boathopyour carefree self. Oncehere, you’llbeshiftingdownthementalgearsinnotime. Forthe adventurer prettier sister. Despite beingheavilybombed inWWII,Madanghasreturned tohersunny, popularity withhardcore trekkers nowthattheKokodahasbecome‘overrun’. visitorsandtheMorobeProvince’s shipsallattract BlackCatsunken Trackisslowlygaining links tojustabouteverywhere else. WWIIbattlefields,warcemeteries, wrecked planesand industrial hubandhasbecomethemostwell-connected cityinPNGwithroad,seaandair and bombedbytheAllies. economicand TodayLaeisfindingher feet asanimportant 1930s gold-rusheraandshegrew uphard.Inthe ‘40sshewasinvadedbytheJapanese ranges and,ultimately, theHighlands. Papua coastintoaseriesofthicklyforested NewGuinea’snorthern hills,imposingmountain quinine after aboutofmalaria. PMV, MorobeandMadang,withtheirbeachesbays,willbeas welcomeasashotof If youhave justrolleddownthepot-holed onanarse-spanking roadsoftheHighlands Provinces Madang & Morobe 124 © LonelyPlanetPublications „ Madang, situated onasmallpeninsulajuttingintohalcyonicharbour,isLae’syounger, But thatiswhere theirsimilaritiesend.Laeistheabandonedchildof1920sand theyare similar–bothrisefrompristinebeachesand baysof Geographically speaking

„ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS POPULATION: 905,000 Calling intoLaeto pay yourrespects atthe Suitingup todive thewrecks andcarnageof Beingoneof thefirsttowitnessbeetle- scrambleashore Watchingleatherbackturtles upthecreature underthe Soaking comforts a fullmoon ‘prettiest towninthePacific’ north of north overWWII orsnorkelling thepsychedelicreefs ( p149 ) villagershighinBismarckRange bejewelled at bat-packed trees of the Cemetery Labu Tali Area Conservation Habitat Madang ( p129 ) andtocheckoutthecritters at singsings (p142) Madang oftheisolated ( p129) 10) the (p140), 15) under (p135) Simbai War War „ AREA : 62,470 SQKM Simbai Conservation Area Madang Labu Tali Lae MOROBE & MADANG PROVINCES 125 In September 1943 Allied troops took In September took 1943 Allied troops Postwar, Lae transport hub became a major Volcanic eruptions at eruptions Volcanic 1937 in from reeling the Japanese, In early 1943 slopes blanketed in one of the most tan- in one of slopes blanketed in PNG. gled and impenetrable rises from Province Further north, Madang and Bismarck the coast into the Schrader Range and the highest country; peaks in the Mt Wilhelm (4509m) stands near the border Simbu Province. with for goods shipped to and from the Highlands.for goods shipped The road between Wau and Lae had been built during the war and work on the Highlands Hwy was made a priority so it could service industries. The and tea the fast-growing the 1980s and Highlands mineral boom of heavy-cargo ’90s, with its need for massive in Lae becoming the main shipments, resulted PNG. of port and industrial centre GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE in the is the hump The steep of ‘dragon’s back’, an area leading down to northern coastal ranges and swamps. The Finisterre, grasslands and RawlinsonSarawaget Ranges form a rib lower with the along the Huon Peninsula, knowledge of clan disputes) and voyeurs and voyeurs clan disputes) of knowledge today. battles Highlandswatch and started the Huon Peninsula derness of that saw them fight retreat on an incredible Range towards the Finisterre their way over and eventually all the way to . Madang, Australian military-history Today, groups of Shaggy buffs over walk the route occasionally the most desperate some of scene of Ridge, the campaign. Lae,fighting of Wau, during the badly damaged and were Madang war and Salamaua was never rebuilt. rebuilt. completely and was demolished prompted a decision to move the capital of capital the of to move a decision prompted to Lae,New Guinea intervened but WWII Lae,and instead Rabaul Salamaua and be- also bases. The Japanese Japanese came major took Madang. at Milne Baydefeats the , and by attacking to take attempted the mountains over towards Wau, marching fought Wau was The Battle from Salamaua. of the ammunition ran out, hand-to-hand after the same way much in watching with villagers (with an advanced researchers that foreign Salamaua, and finally Lae. Many and finally Lae.Salamaua, Nadzab Many the mountain escaped into wil- Japanese PROVINCES MOROBE & MADANG •• History

Lae the station was a tiny mission before The legendary prospector ‘Sharkeye’ Park Park ‘Sharkeye’ prospector The legendary In 1926 a richer field was discovered at Edie field was discovered In 1926 a richer Arguably the most rapid change, how- the most rapid change, Arguably The first European to spend any length length to spend any European The first HISTORY 1937, pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart1937, pioneer aviator took off a round-the-world the final legs of on one of without trace. flight and disappeared gold rush but soon became a thriving commu- gold rush in true PNG fashion, around nity clustered, that, in It was from here its central airstrip. until after WWII. Today, local people still WWII. Today, local people still until after than a work the fields but it’s nothing more cottage industry. The goldfields continued to be productive The goldfields continued to be productive miners turned to aircraft ( p312 ) and within a ) and within p312 turned to aircraft ( miners in was being lifted air freight more years few the world put together. of PNG than the rest Creek, high in the hills above Wau. To squeeze high in the hills above Creek, the these streams gold-rich the most out of ( p137 ) to Wau, a mere 50km a mere ) to Wau, p137 Black CatTrack ( the track itself and unhappy away. Malaria, many lives. tribesmen claimed 1921. By the mid-1920s the gold hunters were were 1921. By the mid-1920s the gold hunters flooding in, arriving at Salamaua and strug- gling for eight days up the steep and slippery is credited with discovering gold near Wau in with discovering is credited Lutheran Mission arrived during this time arrived Lutheran Mission Lutheran base. a remains and feat to the mosquitoes feat and decamping for New Britain. The comforts of the relative to Bogadjim on Astrolabe Bay, and then Bay, and then to Bogadjim on Astrolabe finally conceding de- before on to Madang, malaria, boredom and alcohol all taking a all taking a and alcohol malaria, boredom north, first toll. The company moved heavy ever, began when the Company establishedsettlement a at was a disaster, in 1885. It with Finschhafen studies make fascinating reading. studies make on two more visits. Maclay’s relations with with relations visits. Maclay’s on two more good and his remarkably local people were months before leaving to regain his health, to regain leaving before months came He by malaria. was badly affected which rived at Astrolabe Bay, south of the present the present Bay, south of at Astrolabe rived in 1871 and stayed for 15 Madang, of site of time on the PNG mainland was Russian Russian time on the PNG mainland was of ar- He biologist Nicolai Miklouho-Maclay. their pots, which they’ve been trading with they’ve their pots, which eons. for Highlanders peoples and Morobe ments date back 15,000 years. Bilbil and Yabob Yabob Bilbil and 15,000 years. back ments date famous for are Province people in Madang gest people have been living in this part of beenliving in this part of have people gest Simbai settle- 40,000 years. PNG for about Ancient axe heads that have been sug- found have heads that axe Ancient lonelyplanet.com