Wau

Wau is a small town in Morobe Province, located in the Bulolo Valley roughly 15 km south of Bulolo. Like Bulolo, it was a major gold-rush centre from the 1920s to 1950s — the town grew around the alluvial and hard-rock gold deposits of the Wau-Bulolo field. The historic Wau Airstrip (now closed to regular traffic) was the landing point for the Junkers airlift, and the surrounding hillsides are pockmarked with old mine workings.

Today Wau is a quiet town with a research station, a historic hotel, and the Upper Watut River valley stretching southeast. The Wau Ecology Institute (part of the PNG University of Technology) maintains a small botanical garden and research facility on the hillside above town, and the surrounding forest is excellent for birdwatching.

By Plane

Lae Nadzab Airport (LAE) is 55 km north (1.5 hr via Bulolo).

By Train

Limited Information available

By Car / Road

Wau is 15 km south of Bulolo on a sealed road (20 min). PMVs from Lae via Bulolo run regularly (K20–35).

The town is walkable. For the Upper Watut and surrounding villages, PMV trucks and 4WD.

• Wau Ecology Institute — a botanical garden and research station with labelled native plants, birds-of-paradise display trees, and walking trails. Entry K10–20.

• Wau Airstrip — the historic gold-rush airstrip, a sloping grass strip carved into the hillside.

• Old mine workings — remains of colonial-era mining equipment and adits visible in the hills around town.

• Birdwatching at the Ecology Institute — the forest around the station is excellent for birds-of-paradise, including Raggiana and Stephanie's astrapia.

• Upper Watut River trekking — multi-day walks into the Upper Watut area, one of PNG's most remote and least-visited valleys.

• Gold-panning — visitors can try panning in the Bulolo River with basic equipment.

• Wau Ecology Institute canteen — simple meals, K15–30.
• Wau guesthouse — fish, rice, and vegetables. K20–50.
• Market food — fried kaukau and fruit. K5–10.

Bottled water. Beer at trade stores.

• Budget: Wau Ecology Institute guesthouse or Wau Lodge — K70–150/night.
• Mid-range: Lae (1 hr north) has several hotels.

Wau Market — produce, bilum bags, and coffee. The Ecology Institute sells booklets and maps.

• Bulolo (15 km north, 15 min) — gold-dredge museum and Forestry College.
• Lae (55 km north, 1.5 hr) — Morobe capital, markets, WWII sites.
• Upper Watut (multi-day trek southeast) — remote valley and traditional village area.