Lambom Island. New Ireland, Anzac Day, 1964. Kiap John Brady officiates. The immense responsibility heaped on Kiaps was unbelievable. Especially for those so young; John is just 20 years of age here. Kiaps were - the district administrator, patrol officer, commissioned policeman, magistrate and gaoler, they conducted elections, were basic (sometimes emergency) medical and dental men and conducted surveys. They built roads, aerodromes and bridges. To John’s left (in peaked cap) is the Luluai, Tondabe, who was the most feared, most powerful man around this area. He was a puripuri man (traditional magic) and his word was final. Brady said the Luluai really listened to the Kiaps and Tondabe was totally on Australia’s side. The Luluai remembered the atrocities of the Japanese military in WW2 all too vividly. Photo: John Brady

A Tul Tul votes. Hilalon village, Namatanai, New Ireland. 1964. The Tul Tul was second in command to the Government appointed Chief (Luluai). He kicked arse when the Luluai told him who to kick. An unusual procedure in TPNG days was Assisted Voting in local elections. With most villagers being totally illiterate, the voter was asked (in pidgin) which of the candidates they would like to vote for. If a photo was available, the villager would point at their favourite on the electoral form. Without a picture, it was verbal. He/she was then directed where to put their mark on the voting form. This now seems wide open to serious fraud, but the Kiaps have advised me that everyone was honest and the system worked. It would certainly never work in Australia. Photo John Brady

Cessna 336 at Karimui, 1966. My first twin. Kiap Mike Bell was in command here at this time. The Push-pull was easy to fly and was generally reliable. When heavily loaded, the resultant high nose attitude as you squashed along, meant not being able to see forward. Weaving on the climb was SOP to see the mountains. Later they developed a dangerous tendency for shedding a rear propeller blade and cutting through a tail boom. Unhealthy and most scary.

Kalabusman and their sarips, Kerowagi 1966. Prisoners cutting grass with a long blade. Tough justice and hard work – as can be seen here.

Returning a recently deceased local man home. Keglsugl, 1966. In the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, the natives did not wish to die away from their own ples (place or home). It was standard procedure, when someone was dying in hospital, to fly them home. Many died during the flight, as was the case here. After shutting down the engine, I opened the rear cargo doors and got out of the way. The mourners descended on the aircraft, wailing and ululating loudly, then took their dead wantok away. Pilot John Crowther, on his second day in TPNG, was stuck in the RH seat and was terrified by the crowd. I regret not briefing him and for leaving him on his Pat Malone. He had almost stopped shaking by the time the mourners carried the departed away – as shown here.

Goroka airport, 1966. The Captain was Don Johnston. Narromine trained and a Cudal man. It was Don who convinced me to learn to fly. Don was originally a crop duster (Cessna 180s) in the late 50s with Max Hazelton at Toogong and Cudal.

Boeing B17 Flying Fortress, Lae. A wet morning take-off. The French Navy visits and overnights. 1967. On the RH horizon is the aerodrome beacon on Hospital Hill – it is not a blemish on the photo.

Native village near the township of Bwagaoia on Misima Island. In 1967 I was on a four day election tour with ex Kiap John Stuntz, flying to many small islands. One night we had a big kaikai and drink-up at this village. Organised by Alby Munt, it was memorable because it was attended by millions of glowing Fireflies. A magic night. John was running for the position of local member Milne Bay Province. He was well prepared. At islands with no airfield, we dropped native tobacco (brus) and election papers (with his photo thereupon) in Hiri Motu and the local lingo from the aircraft’s storm window. He won.

Guasopa airport. Woodlark Island. 1967. Electioneering with John Stuntz, I flew Bob Gibbes’ Twin Comanche VH-RHG. John is sitting in the crowd, talking politics and handing out tobacco. He had a stentorian voice, with no need for a microphone or loud hailer. Some unfair souls even suggested he was reviving the Cargo Cult by giving the natives gifts. Especially from the air.

Rabaul and Simpson Harbour. New Britain. Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Looking north. 1968. Some study of Rabaul’s history is time well spent. From the colonial days of the German administration, Queen Emma Coe, WW1 and WW2 and the devastating volcanic eruptions – there’s plenty of interesting variety. In 1967, I was here and was shaving early one morning. Noticing the mirror shaking, I said to myself “I didn’t have that much to drink last night”. It was one of Rabaul’s frequent gurias (earthquakes).

SDA Mission Cessna 185 landing at Ambunti, on the Sepik River. 1968. The uncouth, the irreligious and the atheists called missionaries the Bible Bashers. At this time, many religions owned a lot of land in New Guinea (plantations etc.) and many natives worked for the love of God – only. No money. While many criticised the churches for such business practices (the bulk of the money was sent overseas to the various church HOs), there were many very genuine and committed religious people who really helped the natives. At Independence, many missionaries were summarily dismissed and expelled from the country. Some of those Nuns had worked in Papua and New Guinea for over forty years. Many were in a state of shock at such “ungrateful” treatment.

Lae aerodrome. 1968. Photo: Gary Bull. Note; no Macair buildings or hangar as yet. The old Guinea Airways hangar is still standing (close to the water’s edge, above the runway’s piano keys). An aerodrome with a fascinating history.

Wood carvers at Ambunti, on the Sepik River. 1968. GCS seen here wearing the Macair green, before the Hitler Youth uniform issue. It was the evil Talair pilots who used this derogatory term to describe our khaki and brown uniforms. (They were heavy drinkers, you know.)

Graham Carson's Malekolan plantation on Ambitle Island. Feni Island Group. New Ireland, NE of Rabaul. A beautiful place.

Denise Kelly at Malekolan. That’s an oar, not a weapon. Enjoying an outrigger trip between the two islands; from Babase Island (with the aerodrome) over to Ambitle Island (Carson’s plantation.) Both the plantation and the aerodrome were called Malekolan. 1969.

Downwind leg at Wau in a Baron. 1969.

Goroka from the Lookout. 1970. A very pleasant place to live.

Three varieties of arsegrass. Mendi aerodrome, 1970. Very effective, but only when walking, for swishing flies away from one’s Khyber Pass. Photo Mike Condon

Bosavi airfield, 1970. Morning tea. Pilots Peter Howell and Mike Condon, with the Missionary’s wife. Photo Mike Condon. Any aircraft in TPNG that carried CM in the registration was an ex or a current Catholic Mission aircraft. Look at the skimpy laplaps on the fellows at the extreme right of the photo. Cannibalism was practiced in this area until just before this.

The Sepik River and Manam Island, the volcano smoking away. The Ramu River empties at the coast, just to the RH side of Manum. Photo: Mike Condon

Above Goroka, at the Lookout, 1970. Three dreamers, three mates. GCS (Sypho), John Absolem and Ian Rowles.

A Mitsubishi Zero fighter at Gasmata. 1970. I would love to have a dozen of these (in this condition) nowadays. They would be worth a dollar or two. Photo Ross Shepherd

New Guinea gold from the Highlands. Photo Maski wari

The Pilatus Porter, a great STOL performer. I had a sad Porter flight, ca. 1971, one of those return the dying home flights. The Meri had just been discharged from the hospital. No stretcher was used and she was able to be seated behind the load of freight. On arrival at Yalumet airstrip, I went to assist my three passengers out of the rear bench seat. The woman was dead, sitting beside her grief stricken husband, leaning against him. The bush couple’s son, about three years of age, was standing in front of his father’s knees. He did not know his mother was gone. Without communications, we were unexpected. Unusually, no wailing crowd met us. We laid her on the grass, beside the aircraft. Such experiences are never forgotten.

Squeaky Mouse at Menyamya airfield. ca. 1971. Photo: Gary Bull

Marawaka aerodrome, during Police Commissioner’s visit. 1971. Photo: Mike Condon

Rabaraba airfield, Milne Bay area with a Cessna 185 landing. Most unusual and eye-catching hills around here. Photo: Gary Bull. Rabaraba was right on the coast and a delightful spot.

A high speed beat up, after a low run. No names, no pack drill. Only information, long dispela poto; it was on the coast and the Kiap (the photographer) was looking straight up. Some pilots had the effrontery to call a fast low run down an airstrip – an overshoot after an approach. An approach in a Baron at 200 knots? Note the full aileron deflection.

Port Moresby Harbour. 1971. Photo: Gary Bull

Pilatus Porter. Fuel load, unloading drums at Omkalai, Chimbu Province. The Wahgi river is at the bottom of the ravine, top LH side of the photo (poto). Photo Gary Bull

“Not looking too good towards Mount Hagen. I’ll sit it out at Minj”.

Macair Cessna 402A at Tapini. Ca. 1973 Photo: Gary Bull

The Kabwum Trading Company Cessna 185. Lae, 1974. Ian Rowles. Shortly after this photo was taken, Ian died in a bad weather crash in this aircraft. Photo Richard Leahy

Tadji airfield, near Aitape, north coast of New Guinea, 1972. A WW2 B-25 Mitchell and a P-39 Aircobra. Photo Richard Leahy

Kids swimming in the Karawari river, a tributary of the mighty Sepik River. Photo Richard Leahy