Salamaua

Infobox PNG Place
type = village
name = Salamaua
province = mor
llg =
dot_x = 96
dot_y = 90


caption = Salamaua isthmus
pop =
lang =
langarea = Kela
elevation =
coor = coord|7|02|S|147|04|E|region:PG_type:city
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
dist1 = 36
location1 = Lae
dir1 = SSE

Salamaua (German: "Samoahafen") was a small town situated on the north-eastern coastline of Papua New Guinea part of Morobe province. The settlement was built on a minor isthmus between the coast with mountains on the inland side and a headland. The closest city is Lae which can only be reached via boat across the gulf.

History

In the 1920s prospective gold miners used Salamaua as a staging post to explore for gold in the inland areas. Gold was discovered at Wau and miners came from all over and made for the goldfields via the rough Black Cat Track.

The town was captured by the Japanese in 1942 during World War II and later retaken by Australian and United States forces lead by General Douglas MacArthur on September 11, 1943 during the Salamaua-Lae campaign. During reoccupation the town was destroyed.

Today the villages of Kela and Lagui occupy the site as well as holiday houses, mainly for expatriates based in Lae.

Early in 2007, a video production company from California explored the rain forests of Salamaua. The "Destination Truth" expedition team was looking for the ropen, a cryptid that is described in terms suggesting a Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur. The explorers, including the leader Joshua Gates, videotaped a glowing flying object that seemed to correspond to local native ideas about the glowing ropen.