Addendum 9: Ela Beach

Additional information for Chapter 2 - New Guinea calls and for Chapter 33 - 1945 to 1975 – a time of administrative change for District Commissioners and Public servants.

Ela Beach is Port Moresby's famous main beach on the southern side, with white sand stretching approximately 1 km in length. The Beach was once the home ground for the nestling of giant sea turtles from which it gets its name - Era/Ela is Motuan for turtle.

In the past it has been used as the site for a jail, a hospital, a cricket pitch, a tennis court, shooting competitions, horse-racing, canoe-racing, an airstrip, and a wireless telegraph station.

Wikipedia states at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motuan_people that “the Motu are native inhabitants of Papua New Guinea, living along the southern coastal area of the country. Their indigenous language is also known as Motu. They and the Koitabu people are the original inhabitants and owners of the land on which Port Moresby — the national capital city — stands. The largest Motu village is Hanuabada, northwest of Port Moresby”.

The sea - level road to Koki was constructed with prison labour and was opened in 1924. Ela Beach Road was metalled in that year, and together with Musgrave Street was the first metalled road in the country. The beach road was not fully illuminated until 1967.

It has been said that in the early years Public Servants looked to reside in Paga Hill while private residents preferred Ela Beach.

Ian Stuart wrote in his 1970 book “Port Moresby yesterday and today” on page 246 that “the Ela Beach Oval was once the old parade ground of the Armed Native Constabulary and the gaol. It was first converted into a playing field in 1914 when a visit from the Samarai cricket team prompted the hasty improvements. ….. The Ela Beach Oval has been much used for general public events in addition to sporting activities. The Duke of Edinburgh was welcomed to the town in 1956, and there have been many Queen’s Birthday parades, religious services, sing sings, choral festivals and open-air concerts. Sir Donald and Lady Cleland were farewelled on the oval at the end of 1966, and Administrator and Mrs David Hay welcomed to Port Moresby there early in in 1967”.

Ela Beach has been a popular meeting place for swimming and recreation for many years and the next series of photos show its change and development over the last 100 years.