Cedar1 Bridge over Bulolo River above confluence with the Watut River before World War 2. Photo Credit Evan Shield. Lane Poole, as the then Commonwealth Inspector General of Forests for the colony charged with making recommendations on the use of the forest resources found in the colony, enforced a set of values that sought to match grain and strength with products. He argued that the mining community needed to put to better use the resources available to them. They were too wasteful, knowing nothing of timber’s value. Jensens Bridge Bulolo Valley. Photo credit Evan Shield.
From the discovery of gold at Koranga Creek near Wau by William “Shark eye” Park in 1922, the development of the Wau Bulolo valleys for gold mining with roads, townships and airstrips enabled a flourishing timber industry to be developed including large scale plantation development which continues to this day. Pre-war forestry The first saw-milling business to have been established in Wau may have been in 1935. According to the source under reference, Mr. Roy Hyde arrived in Wau that year with his wife, two sons and a daughter and started mills (sic.). This reference says that timber was floated down the Bulolo River in rafts to the coastal town of Lae where it was used for house building. (Ref. 5) (Note 3). The expected Administration revenue from exploitation of the Wau/Bulolo forest resources would have been a significant stimulus to it accepting the 1935 recommendations made by Lane-Poole. This evidently led to recruitment action being initiated and the appointment of the Territory’s first forest officer, J.B. McAdam, in January 1938 as already noted. Anderson’s Plot (planted c.1940) surrounded by 1950’s plantations. Photo Credit Des Harries. In the few years that remained before the onset of World War II work was commenced on Hoop Pine planting. This was conducted in the Kauli Creek area near
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