Popondetta Travel Guide

 
by bernieatrye
 
  •   Hotels
    by bernieatrye
  •   Hotels
    by bernieatrye
  •   Hotels
    by bernieatrye
  • WW2 Wrecks with Mt. Lamington in the Distance
      WW2 Wrecks with Mt. Lamington in the...
    by Bwana_Brown
  • In the Southeast Tip of PNG
      In the Southeast Tip of PNG
    by Bwana_Brown
 

Explore Popondetta

Things to Do  

Leave as soon as you can
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Longdrop 2 reviews

There is nothing to recommend Popondetta. Even the battlefields have been allowed to disappear. If you are going to Kokoda stay as little time as possible at Popondetta and pray that the Koiari landowners don't close the track demanding compensation and that Air Niugini doesn't dump you off the return aircraft - like they did me.

Written Aug 2, 2011

Address: All over

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Mt Lamington volcano
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bernieatrye 2 reviews
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Walk to the site of the former Government Station at Higaturu which was destroyed in 1951 resulting in the death of over 3000 Papuans and Europeans. A local guide would be needed to make the walk and transport required to reach the start of the treck which is off the Kokoda Road some 20 klm from Popondetta.
In 1951 Higaturu situated some 12 klm from Mt Lamington was capital of the Northern Province with many small plantations and small villages in the vicinity. Mt Lamington was not recognised as a volcano until it began erupting mid January that year and on the 21st January there was a massive eruption which destroyed everything within 12 klm of its path.
Some 3500 in that that path of destruction died immediately and hundreds on the perimeter suffered horrific burns.
21st January 2011 is the 60th Anniversary of the eruption and will be marked by a memorial services in the nearby villages.

Updated Feb 26, 2010

Address: Popondetta

Phone: n/a

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Relics of World War 2
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Bwana_Brown 3530 reviews
A B-25 Bomber and P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter

The area around Popondetta and up into the Owen Stanley Range separating the town from Port Moresby saw some of the most vicious fighting of the Second World War. The Japanese had siezed all the outlying islands to the north and also made a landing here on the main island of New Guinea. Rather than trying to capture POM by sea, they decided, in 1942, to attack from the north over the mountain range. Australian and local forces fought pitched battles here and in the mountains and were able to stop the advance. In fact, a few months later they had completely defeated the invading force, in the first land defeat of the Japanese army during WW2. A lot of American airpower was involved in the struggle, with many of the relics still very much visible when I was there. These ones were just sitting there beside the local airport. Even up to recent years, old aircraft remains have continued to be stumbled upon in the thick forests of the mountain slopes.

Updated May 21, 2005

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These Things Don't Disappear in a Hurry
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Bwana_Brown 3530 reviews
Aircraft 'Revetments' From WW2

As we took off for Port Moresby, I was surprised to see these aircraft revetments still very much visible, as a white Cattle Egret flew by. These earthen-walled horseshoe-shaped structures each sheltered a parked aircraft during the War. The idea was that, other than a direct hit in a bombing attack, the walls would shield the parked aircraft from flying bits of shrapnel.

Updated May 21, 2005

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Downtown Popondetta
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One of the Main Streets in Popondetta

This is what one of the few streets in town looked like 25-years ago. In more recent reports I read that the main area of shops and stores is further dilapidated and all stores have to have guards to protect them. However, the outlying villages are still quite well-kept with their typical construction using local materials such as palm fronds and wooden poles.

Local industries consist of Palm Oil processing and a lumber sawmill. The villagers get in on the act by collecting the palm oil fruit and then deliver it to the nearest road for pick-up by company trucks from the processing plant.

Updated May 21, 2005

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Hotels  

Comfort Inn: The DisComfort Inn

Comfort Inn: The DisComfort Inn, Popondetta

 Longdrop Says:  The Comfort Inn is the best and most expensive hotel (K370 p/n corpporate rate) in Popondetta (used to be known as the Lamington Hotel). I stayed there for three miserable nights. The rooms are dirty, curtains full of holes, the aircon barely fixed in the wall, the cracked... 

Oro Guest House: Popondetta's Friendly Guest House.

Oro Guest House: Popondetta's Friendly Guest House., Popondetta

 bernieatrye Says:  In October 2009 I spent two weeks in Popondetta and stayed at Oro Guest House. Situated in Kongolo Avenue it is only a short walk to the town centre. Although the rooms are 1950's standard they were clean and serviced. There are two block of rooms and the one at the back set... 

Transportation  

Fly High!
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Bwana_Brown 3530 reviews
The Owen Stanley Range - from 28,000 feet

Whether I was flying to Popondetta or anywhere else north or east of Port Moresby, you first had to clear the 13,400 ft. (4,070-m) Owen Stanley Mountain range. Luckily, this was no problem for Air Niugini and it's fleet of aircraft. On this trip, we were at 28,000 ft. as we cleared the cloud shrouded mountains, plenty of room to spare!

Written Jul 2, 2005

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Off The Beaten Path  

Power to the People
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Bwana_Brown 3530 reviews
Popondetta Diesel Power Station

Popondetta was not a very big town, even though it was just about the only one of significance in Northern Province. As a result, the diesel power station was also not very big, consisting of three 150 kW British-made Lister-Blackstone engines driving ECC generators. Isolated stations like this were located throughout the country to provide some measure of modern comforts to the local industries. However, because of the cost of running these scattered facilities and the limited amount of power that they could produce, air-conditioning (very demanding of electricity) was not allowed in homes and in only a few businesses.

Here, a bunch of the local Electricity Commission employees (in their company-issued garb) are looking at the large control and protection panels on the ends of the generators to make sure that they were not being overloaded. It was the bits and pieces in these boxes that I mostly had to fix or check-out in my job. The round-thing at the bottom right is one of the 150-kW generators and, just above it, the long thing with the black stripe is one of the diesel engines.

Even though Popondetta is just a short flight away from Port Moresby, over the Owen Stanley Mountain range, I only made two visits here during my stay in the country. Too many other 'fires' to fight!

Updated May 21, 2005

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Favorites  

Popondetta is Located HERE
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Bwana_Brown 3530 reviews
In the Southeast Tip of PNG

Favorite thing: Just over the Owen Stanley Mountain range from Port Moresby. This 300-mile long range divides the southeastern tip of PNG into northern and southern areas and it is heavily forested. Although the highest mountains in PNG are located in the central part of the country (Mt. Wilhelm is the highest at 4500-m or 14,800-ft), the Owen Stanley Range is quite impressive in it's own right. Mount Victoria is it's highest peak, at 4070-m or 13,400-ft. It is not possible to drive across this range, but a combination of roads and the Kokoda Trail walk will allow passage if you are fit and the weather is not too wet!

Updated Jun 29, 2005

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Map of Popondetta