East New Britain Province History
Modern Day Rabaul Town from the observatory hilltop
According to historians, it is believed that people had settled in the New Britain Island at least 12,000 years ago. The Tolais who make up two thirds of the East New Britain population had originally come from the southern part of New Ireland, namely Namatanai several hundred years ago. The Baining and the Sulka people are the original inhabitants of East New Britain.
GERMAN COLONIAL ERA, 1899 – SEPTEMBER 1914
Germans were the first foreigner to settle in New Britain in the late 1880s. They started copra trading posts in the following area and in the years as stated below:
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1874 – Germans settled in Mioko Island, Duke of York Group of Islands.
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15th August 1875 - Rev. George Brown with Fijian pastors/teachers brought
Methodist Church to New Britain and settled at Molot Island, Port Hunter, Duke of York Group of Islands. -
1876 – German settled in Matupit Island, Blanche Bay.
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1878 - Famous Queen Emma settled in Mioko-Palpal, Duke of York Group of Islands before expanding and setting up her larger empire at Ralum Gunantabu, Herbertshohe (now Kokopo).
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1882 - Catholic (Sacred Heart) priests began work on the North Coast of Rabaul.
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1883 - First expatriate coconut plantation was founded near Herbertshohe (now Kokopo).
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1883 – Coconut Plantation began at Vunapope (Place of the Pope) Mission.
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1884 - Germany hoisted its flag and declared New Guinea as its trust
territory on Matupit Island, Rabaul. -
1899 – On the 3rd of November German Imperial Government took over the Administration of New Guinea from German New Guinea Company and established German headquarters at Herbertshohe, now Kokopo. Germans built main road from Herbertshohe (Kokopo) to Simsonhaffen now Simpson Harbor planted large commercial plantations of coconut.
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1910 - German headquarters was relocated from Kokopo to Rabaul because of larger and deeper Simpson Harbor.
AUSTRALIAN COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION, SEPTEMBER 1914 – SEPTEMBER 1975.
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1914 - In September A force of Australian Expeditionary Force landed at Kabakaul and attacked Germans at Bitapaka during World War I. The Germans were defeated and that attacked was the first kind that saw six Australians killed.
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1921 - League of Nations gave the mandate to Australia to administer New Guinea as a Trust Territory. Rabaul became the capital of the Trust Territory of New Guinea.
BRIEF JAPANESE MILITARY OCCUPATION
Japanese Soldiers of the Nankai or South Seas Force Landing near Rabaul on 23 Januray 1942. Source: LAES 50 Anniversary Book
- 1942 – On the 23rd January that year, Japanese attacked Rabaul and built its headquarters in Rabaul for the whole Southwest Pacific during World War II. They occupied the island from January 1942 until September 1945.
- 1944 - Rabaul continued to be the capital of New Guinea until 1944 when the Capital was moved to Lae because of volcanic threats to the town and harbor.
- 1945 – It was during the month of September when Japanese forces in PNG and South Pacific Islands were defeated by the Australia army and the Allied Forces.
- 1966 - New Britain Island was divided into East New Britain and West New Britain Provinces.
- 1973 - Papua New Guinea achieved its Self-Government from Australia.
- September 1975 - Papua New Guinea achieved its political independence from Australia.
After Independence
- 1994 – On the 19th of September, Mount Tavurvur & Vulcan erupted and spilled out heavy volcanic ashes towards Rabaul town and the surrounding Gazelle peninsular area.The provincial capital was moved from Rabaul to Kokopo