Kokoda - The Movie
A feature film titled KOKODA
is set for release around Australia on
ANZAC Day (April 25). Directed by Alister Grierson,
the movie is based on true events on the battlefield
along the historical Kokoda Track in 1942. The
action/adventure movie tries to capture the
struggles of the war and highlights the spirit of
endurance, courage, mateship and sacrifice. It
captures the significance of the Kokoda Track then
and now under the sub-title 'Mates Became
Heroes. The Track Became Legend'. Director
Grierson was on the Kokoda Track six months ago to
research the film and shot footage with the help of
tour operator Kokoda Spirit. For more info on the
movie and a sneak preview visit:
www.kokodaspirit.com
Eco-Wildlife Park for Kokopo
A New eco-wildlife park is being built in Kokopo,
East New Britain at the cost of K400,000
(US$124,800). According to the Post Courier
newspaper, the major sponsor of the park is Cosmos
Oil Company of Japan. Foreign Affairs Minister Sir
Rabbie Namaliu when launching the project said
it has the potential to become an important tourist
attraction for Kokopo and Rabaul.
Russians interested in PNG products
THE interest from the Russian market in
Papua New Guinea's tourism products is growing every
year. Another 17 representatives and executives of
major wholesalers, retailers, travel agents and
operators arrived in PNG on March 28th visiting
Alotau, Madang, Kavieng, Rabaul, Kimbe, Tari, Goroka,
Lae & Loloata Island Resort outside Port Moresby.
Russia has a big dive market with interests in
nature based activities as well as our culture. A
separate group of 8 Russian divers including a local
politician arrived on April 4. The group is
currently diving in Alotau aboard MV Telita. Email
info@pngtourism.org.pg or visit
www.pngtourism.org.pg
Village Home Stay for Aussie Kids
The Mornington Peninsula in Australia is
thousands of kilometers away from Awala in Papua New
Guinea. But 14 students and 3 teachers from Mentone
Grammar School are keen to enrich their lives by
sharing in the cultural experiences of their hosts,
the Oro Kaiva people. The group arrived on April 3
and will spend the next 12 days living and learning
the ways of the local people of Awala Village. The
12 & 13 year old students including 3 females will
each have a host family during their village home
stay. This is the sixth such exchange between the
two communities begining in 2000.
Pacific Village Wins 3rd Best Stand At ITB
Kokoda's Bower Birds
Did you know that the Owen Stanley ranges has two of
the most spectacular engineers in the animal
kingdom?
Paul Chatterton of World Wildlife Fund writes that
the Macgregor’s Bowerbird - an olive and orange
bird the size of a crow - builds a bower made sticks
stacked on top of each other and glued together that
can stand up to three meters high. The bird
generally cleans out the area around the pole and
covers it with a moss carpet. They then lay
flowers, leaves etc of a red or rust colour over
this. It must be quite spectacular to see.
But dwarfing this is the bower of the similar sized
and coloured Streaked Bowerbird. This small bird
builds a hut with a meter wide dome shaped roof
supported by a central maypole. The hut stands up
to 80 cm off the ground and generally has back and
side walls. Again the ground is scraped bare and
decorated with moss, flowers, fruit, fungi and
leaves of a variety of vibrant colours. This would
have to be one of the most spectacular built
constructions in the bird world.
Both birds live in the mountains above 1000 m
elevation and place their bowers generally on or
near ridge tops. David Soru of Alola Village along
the historical Kokoda Track says that although the
birds are shy and a hide needs to be constructed to
view them effectively it is not too difficult to
find the bowers and birds dancing in them. I believe
that at least one and perhaps both of these birds
are featured on David Attenborough's extraordinary
documentayr on the Birds of Paradise. Email
pchat@wwfpacific.org.pg
MS Statendam tourists embrace Lae
700 passengers and crew of cruise ship MS
Statendam graced the port of Lae with a short but
memorable visit for the tourists on March 10. Some
500 tourists left the cozy comforts of their first
class cabins to participate in a Lae Highlights Tour
that visited the Rainforest Habitat, Lae War
Cemetery, and Botanical Gardens. The Morobe Tourism
Bureau commissioned various cultural groups to
perform for the tourists at the Botanical Gardens.
All tourists were captivated by the rich natural and
historical beauty of Lae, and especially the smiles
of the local people.
Bonavetura in PNG
ITALY's popular television series
Donaventura is set to come to Papua
New Guinea in September. Donaventura is the first TV
series committed to adventure & outdoors travel
exclusively performed by women. The protagonists of
the unique TV series are selected through a national
competition and from more than 22,000 applicants
only 12 are selected for an extraordinary
expedition. In the course of their adventure, the
girls will act as 'travel reporters' for very
popular travel magazines in Italy to relaese their
discoveries, emotions and enthusiatic travel
experiences. Bonaventura's PNG adventure will be an
extension from Australia and will cover Port
Moresby, Mount hagen, Lake Kutubu, Wewak and the
Sepik River. Visit
www.donaventura.com
Air Niugini introduces E-Ticket
PAPUA New Guinea's national flag carrier Air Niugini
has gone hi-tech with the introduction of Electronic
Ticketing or 'E-Ticket'. The move is in line with
IATA's directive for all member airlines to go
'E-Ticket' by 2007. E-Ticket is an advanced form of
storing travel data in the form of an electronic
record making it convenient for the traveler. Visit
www.airniugini.com.pg
April's Hot Spot
The 'Hot Spot' for the month of April is Lindenhafen
Fishing Resort in West New Britain. Situated in a
gorgeous natural harbour surrounded by islands with
gold clad sandy beaches, one might as well dump the
fishing gear, slap on the sun cream and dream away.
Lindenhafen was an old 800 hectare coconut
plantation run by the Germans in the 1930's.
The German's named it citrus (linden)
harbour (hafen). Present owner John Scallan has
built a resort on the beach front with 10
comfortable and spacious bungalows. Fishing
fanatics have the option of deep sea fishing for
blue marlins, billfish and mackerals or chase after
the elusive black bass, spot tails and mangrove
jacks that roam the nearby river systems. Email:
info@pngtourism.org.pg
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