raonraonpng: Historic Salamaua an allure of the Huon Gulf

Salamaua was a small township built by German and Australian Colonial Administration on the north-eastern coastline of Papua New Guinea and now Morobe Province. At those times, Rabaul and Port Moresby were the other active colonial townships. However, the Second World War (WWII) came around and Salamaua township was changed forever but name and place remain with significant history.

Just before the Government of Papua New Guinea could issue nationwide lock-down notice to contain the spread of Corona Virus (Covid-19) after the first case was detected in Wau-Bulolo. The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority team led by the CEO, Mr. Jerry Agus, media coordinator, Mr. Colin Taimbari and officers Dustan and Nathan were in Lae to scope and study the significance of tourism in Salamaua and Huon Gulf.

Salamaua is actually not an island but a peninsular with a sandy isthmus which is at risk at the moment and sooner disappear due to the climate change effects and Salamaua Point would be another island if mitigation actions are not taken quickly.

From historical records, most of the fearful battles and raids between Japanese and Allied Forces were done in Salamaua which was one of the administrative hubs for the Territory of New Guinea. Salamaua township was an important area for the Allied Forces as it was a hub for coastal shipping to support the gold mining operations at Wau. Buildings and facilities were constructed on the isthmus forming the township which was later forcefully occupied by Japanese and then taken over again by the Allied Forces through engaging in the gruella warfare techniques using the Black-Cat Trek.

The Huon Gulf District Administration team picked us up from the hotel and took us to the old Department of Civil Aviation yard where 2x 80hp dinghies were waiting for us at the beach. We loaded the dinghies with water and food supplies for the whole day turn around trip.

The sea was calm and weather was fine with grayish dull sky that was covering the sun which would have been otherwise too hot enough to give some of us tanned skin looks after the trip. As we approached the famous Huon Gulf Bay, the local guide was explaining to us of the good things about the bay relating to the history of WWII, the people, the beach, flora and fauna, the rich marine biodiversity that serves as the best fishing spot in Lae and Papua New Guinea.

Tourism is still not fully understood by the villagers along the bay as a key livelihood support for the rural communities. Nevertheless, those few people who are seeing into the realities are benefiting from it immensely as local tour operators and guides. The local tourism resources and assets need to be effectively use to draw the attention of the international and local residents of Lae. The tourism resources are owned by the communities and needs coordinated effort to develop it by placing the basic amenities that are convenient for the tourists and start opening the areas economically to tourists.

We were told of the Pineapple Beach, a long stretch white sandy beach which is a popular spot in the bay for the Lae residents, the exotic Bula Waterfall and nesting place for the leather-back turtles at Pusama village are what makes the Huon Gulf appear unique and special for tourists.

For the six villages situated along the bay, they have something unique to offer to the visitors if its not with their history, culture, tradition, landscape or local dish; there is always a unique Morobe feeling. While cruising across the bay to Salamaua, I was so overwhelmed and amazed by the picturesque of the bay with the backdrop of the Saruwaged range and I was asking myself, ‘’how privileged are the villagers of Bosonu, Alsini 1 & 2, Buakap, Kena and Lagui to have the best of both worlds at their ends.

Lae city is few miles away, the fresh mountain rivers, streams and creeks that connect with the sea within the bay's shorelines that is unmatched with any bay in the pacific. The mid-mountain rain-forest with diversity of flora and fauna are endemic to the area making the bay standout as one of the unspoiled tranquil paradise that awaits visitors for amazing experience.

The Japanese and Allied Forces have fought here in the Huon Gulf Bay for good or bad reasons known to themselves but tells a good story for our generation to optimize with tourism these days and connect with the opportunity.

The thoughtful local guide continued his talking as we slowed into the Salamaua bay. At first, I thought we were sailing into a private resident or resort area but I was told that, it’s the Salamaua station and jetties were owned by individuals and business houses in Lae with their houses build on the shore and connected to the private jetties.

It is not surprising as Salamaua used to be one major township in the colonial days and the peninsula is a state land. The colonially established education training center and health clinic are no longer exists these days. I was shown the areas were those most important government services used to be but now no longer available to be seen. Now, there are privately built permanent houses that have taken over the spaces once used to have government service buildings like schools and hospitals. These houses are built by the big business houses in Lae for their company staff retreat and holidays out of Lae city.

By looking around the area, the tourism fever was rocking slowly in the area and someone need to plan it outright to make it a consistent tourism spot rather than for individuals and business houses to creep and creep out without connecting with the community or make it an area of interest for tourists.

To my astonishment of the area, I asked my colleague Colin Taimbari over his thoughts about this beautiful place and he smilingly said; ‘I would love to see a bar that is fully stock with all kinds of beers or spirits and a bar with good music not only for weekend but weekdays too’,. Indeed, I agreed with him, someone needs to start somewhere and it becomes a pull factor by building curiosity at first instance since the market accessibility options are just presented at the door step by the Lae based business houses already established in the area.

As we were approaching midday with our work still progressing, it was lunch hour and the sun was too hot and taken a break quenching the thirst with a kulau at Salamaua Haus Kibung, a lodging facility owned by the Huon District Development Authority. They have bungalows with good common shared kitchen facilities, shower and toilets. The area used to be popular among the trekkers on the Black-Cat Trek but after the incident on trek the place received minimum number of guests apart from trekkers.

After lunch, I was restless to know more of the area out of curiosity from what I read on news articles and blogs of Malum Nalum about Salamaua. My interest was to have at least record one untold story of Salamaua. Fortunately, I met up with Mr. Waga Ahi who was in his late 60s, a former telecommunications technician with Telikom now lives at his waterfront home in Salamaua.

According to Mr. Ahi, he grew up in the debris filled Salamaua after the WWII and he assumed to have born ten (10) years after the war. He confirmed that the first Bank of New South Wales or later known as Westpac Bank was first established in Salamaua. When asked of the difference after independence, he said, things have changed and facilities to services deteriorated from time to time and the beautiful township of Salamaua is gone but still in my memories. These days kids might think life was like this before but there was once a modern Salamaua and now we living in the same place with faded images with memories of a good place. Mr. Ahi’s full story will be featured on the next article.

It was time to cruise back to mainland Lae after a brief scoping of Salamaua and we had a quick stop over at Salamaua Point. What happens here is; this is the transit or stopover area for the betel nut traders between Lae and Popondetta. The trade has been going on for some years now and this area is ideal place for resting, for soft drinks and fuel for their dinghies. We got our soft drinks and fuel for the dinghies and cruise back to Lae.

As we were approaching the coastlines of Lae (old DCA beachfront) the tide of the Markham River dragged us towards the east. The skillful skipper maneuvered against the current and landed us safely on the beach.

With the courtesy of Mr. Colin Taimbari, the trip was featured live on the 93FM’s afternoon show with Kasty giving prominence on Salamaua trip with update on the activities undertaken by the team and it was great having CEO of PNGTPA, Mr. Jerry Agus on board the scoping trip as well.

We have a big task ahead and we will take one step at a time with awareness at the forefront whilst those in tourism business in the area will be asked to work with us all for collaborative effort to make Tourism a Huon Gulf people’s livelihood support and Morobe’s center of tourism attraction.