Bluff Island, a small trapezoidal island located in Milne Bay province, Papua New Guinea, is aptly called a “bluff” due to its sheer cliff walls. It is one of the main tourism destinations in the country and the only private island in PNG.
Visitors can go on a rafting tour, or even venture further into the wild to explore all the island has to offer. So much, that the island has been acclaimed by travel organisations as “the ultimate snorkelling island“.
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Bluff Island History
The first European to visit the island was Captain James Cook in 1774, who called it Bluff Island. For many years after its discovery by Europeans, little appeared of notice on this tiny atoll.
paddlesteamers operated out of Tarawa and regularly visited the bushlands surrounding the small islets; however there were few other visitors or inhabitants upon which they did so as several months each year passed without any human contact being had with the island by Europeans.
The first recorded visit to Bluff Island was in 1923, when a German tour operator found himself at sea near Bluff Island and chose it as an outpost for his small vessel before being rescued by another passing steamer.
In 1944 Benedict Allady shot safari footage of the stunningly picturesque islands while sailing around Papua New Guinea; he documented this film professionally with his own company throughout its entire release cycle, prior.
Bluff Island Climate
Bluff Island has a tropical climate with all four seasons. The temperature fluctuates very noticeably throughout the year. Winters on Bluff Island are slightly cooler than Papua New Guinea’s usual season, whilst summers can be cold and wet much of the time due to frequent heavy seasonal rainfalls from early October through February (the island is located northeast of Milne Bay), as well as cyclones; these rains often continue for about three months at quickening intervals into early May.
Bluff Island is home to a wide variety of plants, including pandanus trees, ferns and orchids. There are also large mammals (mostly piglets) roaming the island’s dense forests as well as lizards, birds, snakes and spiders. The island hosts an astounding number of different types of coral reefs which provide habitats for many fish species; all these creatures.
Bluff Island Culture
Bluff Island is, perhaps unsurprisingly considering the island’s isolation since at least as far back as 1768 and even with ferry service available to it for three months a year (which was only suspended in 2006), exceedingly undisturbed.
There are very limited external influences present on Bluff Island which makes its culture considerably different from that of Papua New Guinea or other nearby insular surrounding areas.
Bluff Island Tourism
Bluff Island is the first trust-owned island in Papua New Guinea and it has long been hoped that proper tourism facilities could be provided on the island to cater for visitors from around Asia.
Unfortunately (as of mid 2006), these hopes have not yet come true due to difficulties obtaining funding, a lack of local supply alternatives and other operational complications associated with an isolated tropical location; if such services were ever established they would inevitably act as a magnet drawing people away from mainland Papua New Guinea and by extension, Tari Island as well.
Administration of the island was devolved to local leadership in mid 2006 via a self-government deal between villagers on the island and representatives of landowners around Aitape; under this arrangement, an elected cabinet is directly responsible for administrating traditional affairs (chiefly public works) on Bluff which include policing etc., despite being under its own Trusteeship Agreement.
Bluff Island Transport
Electricity is provided by a solar electric system in the village area. Wireless internet and telephone communications are available through satellite on Tari Island as part of NTT DOCOMO Eastern New Guinea’s Tri-Net.
The new airstrip has been completed with attempts made to standardize equipment (including four tourists) so that two aircraft at a time can use it; hopefully this will make some progress towards true tourism development of Bluff forthcoming although getting funding Disaster Preparedness and Response The PNG Defence Force conduct humanitarian aid operations whenever necessary on Bluff Island, handing out food to the over 2000 native villagers; generally donations are made to a local fund specifically set up for this purpose.
However they do not address life-threatening emergencies such as a sudden health crisis or housing shortage (such activities, if utilised at all in remote locations like these often have limited success due to numerous other factors.
Bluff Island Cuisine
Tari Island villagers still rely heavily on fish as their principle source of protein and once was also important in the production of animal products locally (i.e. cartilaginous fish), like coconut crab and turtle, from which they make a food called bênak’ behn; you can find this delicacy for sale at the local markets during particular seasons although since has become lessened due to rising costs associated with traditional consumption.
Bluff Island Wildlife
People typically make their living by growing plants and fruit trees in plantations that surround the village area, often with local assistance; recent attempts to introduce monetary value into these tasks have been successful but unfortunately discussion about trading methods for buying out residents or delimiting (or being given back) land is still of concern because it could potentially promote legal disputes.
The island has also proven popular amongst tourists as a result of its beautiful beaches, clear waters and clean natural environment; however development has proliferated and the local community are unaware of any regulations for this sector, illustrating a degree to which they are integrated into the wider PNG economy.
Although small it boasts its own airstrip, air strip that can be used by commercial airlines although at present it is maintained only by personnel from Hunters Aviation based in Murray Airfield; there was also an airstrip constructed on Ambon Island earlier but this too has since been.
Conclusion
The people of Lihir Island are a humble and honest lot, which has resulted in them receiving the respect earned through their simple life style.
They encourage others to work also with an amazing amount of patience as they know that hard work always brings success; this is clearly conveyed when many young men have gone across to Milne Bay or Bougainville looking for jobs however few have returned because it was difficult securing these positions. However despite high.
FAQs
1.How Do You Get To Bluff Island?
Ans: The first port of call is Murray Island, where we have an airfield that can accommodate planes like Cessnas. If you want to go via Lihir however, the plane will stop at Mt Blower which has a landing strip (Mylar). Ask one of their guides if this isn’t too much for him to talk about.
2.How Do I Hike The Bluff Island?
Ans: No, this isn’t a hike. This is more DYI-SNAFU (do your own stuff, find another way), and like most aspects of PNG culture you should be willing to learn from experience – if not for all their safety benefits then the possibility that they may have forgotten it immediately after finishing course or expense the next time with new exact same charges we don’t think so). If they are on foot you.
3.Where Is Bluff Island?
Ans: It is located in between Ambon Island and Mount Kaputin on the main island. The only way you can find it until the locals show you where to go is by asking them privately.
If they are pleased enough with themselves for sometimes I have just asked ifritas or something like that this means that there have been more than 3 people sitting under a tree waiting for someone coming out of Bluff Island, unless it happens every day around midday.
4.How Did The Island Get Its Name?
Ans: The general consensus seems to be that it was named after the story behind its creation where two local lovebirds attempted to jump into a wadamo (big hole) just near Bluff island one day.
There are many variants of this folk tale, the original when someone mentions seeing these bird hopping on top of those high rocks right before them usually ends with ‘Oh! Here they come…’ But lately my favorite is: One day Will.
5.Why Do People Go To Bluff Island?
Ans: There are many and they continue to grow daily. They include, but are not limited to: fly-fishing fishing – just like we do in our own country swimming/swimming (for both adults only) sun bathing spending time with loved ones dreaming of a new life somewhere else maybe finding something spiritually important or spiritual satisfaction (a question any Caroni visitor might have on the Bluff Island is “What’s there for me?”
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