Woodslane | Book - 9781920831837

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Japanese invaders in 1942-43 destroyed most of New Guineas records. Micael Waterhouse reconstructs the period prior to 1942 from diverse and often unexpected sources

In the steep Jungles of pre-war New Guines, miners battled disease, the elements, Australian administration and sometimes local villagers, to exploit some of the worlds richest, most inaccessible goldfields. Colourful pioneers were followed by companys challenging the obstacles in ways never before tried on such a scale.

Daring pilots in New Guinea in the 30s flew more freight than airlines in America or Europe, their aircraft ranged from plywood biplanes to giant Junkers G31s. Everything from racehorses and false teeth to massive dredging machinery was lifted over towering ranges, often to remote and dangerous aerodromes.

The perspective of local people many of whom have never seen white men, complements that of an army of indentured workers drawn from traditional villages into an economic system beyond their comprehension. A racially segregated way of life and the lackluster performance of Australias colonial administrator form the backdrop to this dramatic, little known story -- a portrait of unforgettable contrasts.

Michael Waterhouses curiosity about his long dead grandfathers activities on the New Guinea goldfileds was kindled when he was asked to write an article about them . He soon realised that he was uncovering, layer by layer, the dramatic story of a little known period in Australias and PNGs history, one largely obscured by time and the destruction of records during the second world war.

With broad and exacting research clear prose and a perspective that includes battling prospectors, international companys, government officers, black labourers and villagers Michael Waterhouse has turned extra-ordinary events in to fine history
Professor Hank Nelson

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