The War in the Pacific - The Battle for Munda Airfield.

The War in the Pacific circa 1943 was big, go read about it. This is where John Kennedy in his PT103 got sunk by Jap destroyers.
The Japs started building an airfield at the original Lambete Plantation under the cover of the coconut palms.
The Australian Coast watchers spotted it, told the Yanks who came to chase the Japs out, A good book to read is "The Munda Trail". It took the yanks a few months to push through from Laiana to Lambete and push the Japs back out past Noro. A TV series called "Black Sheep Squadron" was based on this, and the movies of the PT103 were based around here & Rendova Harbour.
We are told that Hombupeka was used as an anti-aircraft combat point, with the two or so mounds - one at our front door, being the gun emplacements. Given the amount of spent shells & cartridges and coke bottles around - makes sense.
These pics are historical and not mine, thanks to whomever, but are great in history, those who know the area will pick the locations.

These two pictures below are great finds, of the Ondongo Airstrip at Diamond Narrows near Noro.





Helena Goldie Hospital, Munda.

Back in about 1996 I started helping HGH at Munda while with the Rotary Club of Sunnybank Hills. Since then we have helped to arrange dozens of volunteer team trips to HGH Munda - Rotary, others, Shalom College, etc. It's a work in play and will be one way or the other for years to come.
Virtually all the helpers - volunteers have been touched by this place - it gets in your blood!
You will never grasp the 'situation' here unless you are on the ground, a few pictures here..
With support from Metroll Bundaberg & BlueScope & Rotary we re-roofed the General ward building in Feb 2011, long overdue.
Thanks to everyone who continues the work...........................

Re-roof of General Ward

Children's Ward

Outpatient's Building

Maternity Ward



Munda Town 2011

Some today pics of Lambete:

Lambete Market with cargo boats in, Hombupeka behind.

Lambete Market outside Agnes Lodge, with Hombupeka in the background right.

Skull Island

Down in Vona Vona Lagoon is Skull Island, a small island that has traditionally been used as a ceremonial burial place dating back to the days of head-hunting. Many rival chiefs or ancestors are buried here and hence their remains. Don't touch the remains unless you are an ancestor!! Tabu, and further more you may end up feeling the curse.. We often take tours here, then down to Mandou to pay respect and custom fee, and then more than likely back around to 'Lola' - Zipolo Habu resort (see the link).
Here are some recent pics, tour lead by our good friend Sunga Boso.