Adrian Mathias reports on efforts to shine the spotlight on the Hindenburg Wall, one of Papua New Guinea’s hidden natural attractions.

The 600-metre limestone Hidenburg Wall, which towers above the river Ok Kaakil in Western Province. Credit: Grant Dixon

Papua New Guinea’s Hindenburg Wall is one of the country’s most spectacular geographical features, a remote landform where a series of limestone escarpments stretch for 50 kilometres along the edge of the Star Mountain Range.

Sometimes described as a natural wonder of the world, the wall—in Western Province near the Ok Tedi copper and gold mine—is rarely visited, even by intrepid travellers.

‘In 2013, a Wildlife Conservation Society survey documented 1108 plant and animal species at the wall, of which at least 89 were known, or suspected, to be new  to science.’

That may be about to change if plans by local landowners, government authorities and the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) come to fruition.

The authorities want to attract more visitors to see the towering cliffs, the waterfalls, the raging rivers, the rainforest, the wide variety of birds and the habitat that is home to rare plant and animal species.

In 2013, a Wildlife Conservation Society survey documented 1108 plant and animal species at the wall, of which at least 89 were known, or suspected, to be new  to science.

Memorandum

A TPA spokesperson says a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Ok Tedi landowners’ trust fund to pursue tourist development in the region.

TPA officers are expected to visit the area soon to evaluate tourism possibilities, but it’s understood that a five-kilometre track to the wall, a resource centre for artifacts and arts and crafts, and new guesthouse accommodation have all been discussed.

Locals have agreed to fund the tourist initiative with royalties they have received from the Ok Tedi Mine, PNG’s only operational copper mine.

Early works

An initial PGK2 million has been approved to cover the cost of early works, which may include the walking track that will connect to the newly-built Tabubil–Olsobip road.

The Hindenburg Wall is about 10 kilometres from the small town of Tabubil, which is near PNG’s border with Indonesia. Tabubil was established in 1972 to service the Ok Tedi mine.

This article first published in Paradise, the in-flight magazine of Air Niugini. Reproduced with permission.