Unknown Papua

Champion Brothers Establish ing Base at Lake Kutubu

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Oct. 14.

'T’IIE two sons, Ivan and Claude, of * Mr. H. W. Champion (Government Secretary of Papua) have carried out notable exploration work in and around Lake Kutubu, in Central Papua; and it now appears as if Lake Kutubu will be come an important base for the exten sion of Government influence over the uncontrolled territory discovered and reported by Mr, Jack Hides in< 1935.

Although Mr. Hides traversed the Tari- Furoro Valley, he did not see Lake Kutubu, which was in that vicinity. A few months later, however, when Mr.

Hides and Mr, Ivan Champion, A.R.M., flew over the area from Mount Hagen in a Guinea Airways ’plane, they located Lake Kutubu from the air.

Subsequently, Mr. Ivan Champion and Mr. C. T. J. Adamson led a patrol into that country and they found the lake in an attractive region at about 2,600 feet above sea level, surrounded by moun tains. Mr. Champion reported that the lake was over 10 miles long and about two miles wide, and that the population was numerous and friendly.

Early in 1937, Mr. Claude Champion, accompanied by Mr. G. Anderson, made another patrol to Lake Kutubu and car ried out a good deal of additional explora tion. Mr. Claude Champion has now re turned to Daru, while Mr. Anderson re mained at the lake to await the arrival of Mr. Ivan Champion, who will fly by Guinea Airways’ seaplane to the lake to establish a police camp there.

Although seaplanes have been used in Papuan and New Guinea exploration, this is the first time they have been used to establish an official base. Lake Kutubu is the only landing ground in this wild country.

Mr. Ivan Champion and Mr. Adamson left Port Moresby in the Laurabada on October 11 for Kikori. Shortly after their arrival at the Government station they will leave by seaplane for Lake Kutubu.

Mr. Ivan Champion’s description of Lake Kutubu in his report on tho patrol from the Bamu River across the Leonard Murray Mountains to the Purari head waters, leaves no doubt that the new police camp in the remote district at Lake Kutubu will be one of the best camps ever established in Papua.

Mr. Claude Champion on his recent patrol of Lake Kutubu district from the headwaters of the Kikori (Mobi) River traced a native trade route from the Mobi through the lake district to the Tari- Furoro, on his route to the border of Mandated New Guinea.

Mr. C. J. Harris, of Djaul Island, New Guinea, was a visitor to Australia in October,