Mount Hagen
Encyclopedia
Mount Hagen is third largest city in Papua New Guinea
. It is the capital of the Western Highlands Province and is located in the large fertile Wahgi Valley in central mainland Papua New Guinea, at an elevation of 1677 m (5,502 ft).
The Highlands Highway
is the main arterial route to connect Mount Hagen with the coastal cities of Lae
and Madang
.
The city is named after the old eroded volcano Mount Hagen
, located about 24 kilometres (15 mi) to the northwest. The volcano was named after the German colonial officer Curt von Hagen.
In 1933 Mick Leahy
, brother Dan Leahy, and government officer Jim Taylor
conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the highlands and discovered the huge and heavily populated Wahgi Valley. A short time later they walked in with a well supplied patrol and became the first westerners to come in to contact with the tribes that are now in the location of Mount Hagen. The first patrol built an airstrip at Kelua, a short distance from modern Mount Hagen. From 1934, a new airstrip, the 'Mogei drome', was located on a site where the future town was formed.
. It is also one of the biggest tourist attractions of the country. Its near the Baiyer District which hosts the biggest collection of birds and wildlife in Papua New Guinea, the Baiyer Rizer Bird Sanctuary.
is located at Kagamuga, a satellite town 15 minutes drive from the centre of Mount Hagen. It is an international airport although flights into and out of it are not always available to the public. The airport altitude is 1635 metres (5,364.2 ft) above sea level. Currently, Airlines PNG operates a charter service using Dash 8 aircraft from Cairns, Queensland
to Mount Hagen for mine workers at the Porgera Gold Mine
in Enga Province
. Asia Pacific Airlines also fly Dash 8s regularly to Tabubil, their hub, to service the Ok Tedi Mine
. Air Niugini
also service Mount Hagen, with regular Fokker F100
and Dash 8 services to destinations such as Port Moresby
, Moro and Cairns. Near the airport is Airport Hotel.
From time to time, the combination of altitude, midday temperatures and runway length restrict takeoff weights for domestic flights out of Mount Hagen.
Mount Hagen is connected via the Highlands Highway
to the city of Lae
and other provincial capitals such as Madang
, Goroka
, Wabag
, Mendi
and Kundiawa
. The road between Mount Hagen and all these centres is sealed, although frequent landslides and general deterioration can lead to parts of the road becoming unsealed or rough.
You can travel from Mt Hagen along the Highlands Highway by using the popular PMV buses or hire a car from the numerous hire car http://jamhirecar.com companies within Mt Hagen. Because of the difficult road conditions of the Highlands Highway, it is advisable to use four-wheel drive cars.
, Australia
(New South Wales
) since 1985
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. It is the capital of the Western Highlands Province and is located in the large fertile Wahgi Valley in central mainland Papua New Guinea, at an elevation of 1677 m (5,502 ft).
The Highlands Highway
Highlands Highway
The Highlands Highway, sometimes known as the Okuk Highway, is the main land highway in Papua New Guinea. It connects several major cities and is vital for the movement of people and goods between the populous Highlands region and the coast....
is the main arterial route to connect Mount Hagen with the coastal cities of Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
and Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
.
The city is named after the old eroded volcano Mount Hagen
Mount Hagen (volcano)
Mount Hagen , named after the German colonial officer Curt von Hagen, is the second highest volcano in Papua New Guinea and on the Australian continent, ranking behind only its neighbour Mount Giluwe which is roughly to the southwest...
, located about 24 kilometres (15 mi) to the northwest. The volcano was named after the German colonial officer Curt von Hagen.
History
Mick Leahy
Michael "Mick" James Leahy MBE was an Australian explorer and colonialist, famed for his discovery of the Highlands area of Papua New Guinea...
, brother Dan Leahy, and government officer Jim Taylor
Jim Taylor (explorer)
James "Jim" Lindsay Taylor was an Australian born, Papua New Guinean explorer. He is most noted for leading patrols into the Highlands of Papua New Guinea in the 1930s...
conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the highlands and discovered the huge and heavily populated Wahgi Valley. A short time later they walked in with a well supplied patrol and became the first westerners to come in to contact with the tribes that are now in the location of Mount Hagen. The first patrol built an airstrip at Kelua, a short distance from modern Mount Hagen. From 1934, a new airstrip, the 'Mogei drome', was located on a site where the future town was formed.
Culture
Each year, Mount Hagen hosts Mount Hagen Cultural Show, one of the largest cultural events in Papua New Guinea. Various regional, provincial, even national tribal dance groups gather to celebrate their cultural heritage in the form of Sing-singSing-sing
Sing-sing is a gathering of a few tribes or villages in Papua New Guinea. People arrive to show their distinct culture, dance and music. The aim of these gatherings is to peacefully share traditions. Villagers paint and decorate themselves for sing-sings....
. It is also one of the biggest tourist attractions of the country. Its near the Baiyer District which hosts the biggest collection of birds and wildlife in Papua New Guinea, the Baiyer Rizer Bird Sanctuary.
Transport
Mount Hagen AirportMount Hagen Airport
Mount Hagen Airport is an airport in Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea .-Airlines and destinations:...
is located at Kagamuga, a satellite town 15 minutes drive from the centre of Mount Hagen. It is an international airport although flights into and out of it are not always available to the public. The airport altitude is 1635 metres (5,364.2 ft) above sea level. Currently, Airlines PNG operates a charter service using Dash 8 aircraft from Cairns, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to Mount Hagen for mine workers at the Porgera Gold Mine
Porgera Gold Mine
The Porgera Gold Mine is a large gold and silver mining operation in Enga province, Papua New Guinea , located at the head of the Porgera Valley. The mine is situated in the rain forest covered highlands at an altitude of 2,200 to 2,700 m, in a region of high rainfall, landslides, and frequent...
in Enga Province
Enga Province
Enga refers to both an ethnic group located in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and the province in which they are the majority ethnic group.-Physical geography:...
. Asia Pacific Airlines also fly Dash 8s regularly to Tabubil, their hub, to service the Ok Tedi Mine
Ok Tedi Mine
The Ok Tedi Mine is an open-pit copper and gold mine located near the headwaters of the Ok Tedi River, in the Star Mountains Rural LLG of the North Fly District of the Western Province of Papua New Guinea...
. Air Niugini
Air Niugini
Air Niugini Limited is the national airline of Papua New Guinea, based in Air Niugini House on the property of Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby. It operates a domestic network from Port Moresby and Lae, as well as international services in Asia, Oceania, and Australia. Its main base is...
also service Mount Hagen, with regular Fokker F100
Fokker F100
The Fokker 100 is a medium size twin-turbofan airliner from the Fokker company. Low operational costs and almost no competition in the 100-seat short-range class made it a best seller when it was introduced in the late 1980s, but decayed due to increasing competition. Production ended in 1997 with...
and Dash 8 services to destinations such as Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Moro and Cairns. Near the airport is Airport Hotel.
From time to time, the combination of altitude, midday temperatures and runway length restrict takeoff weights for domestic flights out of Mount Hagen.
Mount Hagen is connected via the Highlands Highway
Highlands Highway
The Highlands Highway, sometimes known as the Okuk Highway, is the main land highway in Papua New Guinea. It connects several major cities and is vital for the movement of people and goods between the populous Highlands region and the coast....
to the city of Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
and other provincial capitals such as Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
, Goroka
Goroka
Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a town of approximately 19,000 people , 1600m above sea level. It has an airport and is on the "Highlands Highway", about 285 km from Lae in Morobe province and 90 km from the nearby town of Kainantu also...
, Wabag
Wabag
Wabag is the capital of Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. It is the least populous provincial capital in the country. It is on the Lai River; the Highlands Highway passes through the town, between Mount Hagen and Porgera...
, Mendi
Mendi
Mendi, Papua New Guinea, is the provincial capital of the Southern Highlands Province....
and Kundiawa
Kundiawa
Kundiawa is the capital of Simbu Province, Papua New Guinea, with a population of 8,147 . It lies along the Highlands Highway approximately halfway between Goroka and Mount Hagen, respectively the capitals of the Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands provinces.It is a relatively small town,...
. The road between Mount Hagen and all these centres is sealed, although frequent landslides and general deterioration can lead to parts of the road becoming unsealed or rough.
You can travel from Mt Hagen along the Highlands Highway by using the popular PMV buses or hire a car from the numerous hire car http://jamhirecar.com companies within Mt Hagen. Because of the difficult road conditions of the Highlands Highway, it is advisable to use four-wheel drive cars.
Twin town
OrangeOrange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
) since 1985