Australian Consulate-General, Lae

05/08/2026

🇦🇺 Australia Awards alumni are giving back to communities in Morobe 🇵🇬

The Morobe Chapter - PNG Australia Alumni Association has launched the next phase of its community development projects, helping refurbish Milford Haven Clinic in Lae 👩‍🎨🚑

Supported through an Australia Awards alumni grant, and with additional support from DuluxGroup Papua New Guinea, the project will help create a cleaner, brighter and more welcoming environment for health workers and patients.

The Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea is proud to support alumni-led initiatives that strengthen communities and improve wellbeing 🙌

05/08/2026

Meet Wilfred Tomo from Ahi Ward 16 in Lae

After starting work in 🇦🇺 Australia just three months ago in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, he has already delivered a project in his community back home

Congratulations Wilfred for your hard work and for supporting your Ward community back home 👏🇦🇺🇵🇬

Labour mobility is a powerful tool to support workplace shortages in Australia, whilst offering transformative opportunities for Papua New Guineans.

Lae City Authority | PNG Labour Mobility Unit | Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea

04/08/2026

🇦🇺🇵🇬 Australia and Papua New Guinea are partnering to strengthen secondary education through the new Papua New Guinea Secondary Education Program (PNG SEP).

Over the next three years, the program led by the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea will support better teaching, stronger school leadership, improved student wellbeing, digital learning opportunities, infrastructure upgrades and lasting partnerships. Together, we're investing in the next generation of Papua New Guinean leaders 👩🏾‍🏫📚

04/08/2026

The Consul-General on behalf of the Australian Government echoes the sentiments of the Hon Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Lae in acknowledging the substantial contribution of Papua New Guinean-Australian Lady Chow, whose family legacy of service lives on and despite her passing continues to positively impact a great many in our community, particularly here in Lae City.

Rest in Peace Lady Chow.

LAE Biscuit Company LTD

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘄

On behalf of the people of Lae, my family, and the entire nation, I extend my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the Chow family on the passing of your beloved mother, late Lady Colette Chow, who peacefully passed away on 3 August 2026 at the age of 92.

Lady Colette’s passing marks the end of a remarkable life dedicated to love, kindness, strength, and unwavering devotion to her family. Her legacy will continue to live on through the generations she nurtured and the countless lives she touched with her grace, wisdom, and compassion.

At a time when words cannot fully ease the pain of losing someone so dearly loved, I pray that you find comfort in the cherished memories you shared and strength in the enduring bond of family and faith. Her life was a blessing, and her memory will forever remain a source of inspiration to those who knew and loved her.

As family and friends gather to celebrate her life and bid her a final farewell, please know that the people of Lae stand with you in mourning this great loss. We keep you in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

May Almighty God grant Lady Colette eternal rest and surround the entire Chow family with His peace, comfort, and strength.

03/08/2026

At Igam Barracks Primary School in Lae, Royal Australian Navy ⚓ HMAS Leeuwin ship’s company met with Head Teacher Mr Phil Tipora and over 1,500 of his eager young students for some friendly games of 🏐 volleyball, 🏉 Aussie Rules, soccer ⚽️ and basketball 🏀

The visit is just one small part of the community engagement being undertaken by the crew of HMAS Leeuwin as she supports Papua New Guinea Defence Force with maritime surveys around Morobe province 🇦🇺🇵🇬

Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea | Defence Australia | Joint Operations Command

03/08/2026

A fascinating story of shared 🇦🇺🇵🇬 history. Lest We Forget.

Australian War Memorial | Port Moresby Sub Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia | Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs

With his “Clark Gable smile” and a Bren gun slung for patrol, Arthur Edwin “Slim” Bennett looks every bit the relaxed soldier in this photograph from northern New Guinea.

But Bennett’s story was anything but ordinary.

Born in Vulcan, NSW, and working as a retort operator before enlisting at Paddington, Bennett served with the 35th Battalion in New Guinea. On 11 August 1945, then-Sergeant Bennett was commanding a fighting patrol near the Gwalip Villages when his men came under fire from Japanese weapon pits.

Taking a Bren gun, Bennett crawled around to the flank. At close range, he stood up under fire, engaged the position, then crawled forward again before dashing into a weapon pit and throwing grenades into the next group of pits. His actions helped clear the enemy position without casualties to his own troops.

For his courage and disregard for his own safety during the fighting, Bennett was awarded the Military Medal. On 14 February 1946, at Vunacanau airstrip, he was formally decorated by Major General Kenneth Eather during a Pacific Islands Regiment parade.

A striking portrait; an extraordinary act of courage.

02/08/2026

Military music 🎶 is bringing 🇵🇬 PNG and 🇦🇺 Australia together, with the Australian Army Band performing alongside the Papua New Guinea Defence Force Band in Port Moresby this week.

The visit celebrates our shared history, strong defence partnership and enduring people-to-people connections.

31/07/2026

🎓 Meet Dr. Hilda Audubo, Papua New Guinea's Australia Awards Alumni of the Year 2025.

As Deputy Director Public Health at Morobe Provincial Health Authority, her scholarship didn't just open career doors, it built a bridge back to provide service to her community. She continues this work as Morobe Chapter - PNG Australia Alumni Association Vice President.

To young Papua New Guineans, Dr Hilda says: don't stop at your bachelor's degree. The knowledge you bring back can transform your workplace, your community, and your nation 🇵🇬🤝🇦🇺

31/07/2026

🇦🇺 Australia and 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea are working together to improve maritime safety throughout PNG's waters ⚓

Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Leeuwin is currently supporting a hydrographic survey mission in Morobe, collecting data to help produce accurate nautical charts and providing mentoring and training opportunities for Papua New Guinea Defence Force personnel. These surveys help make navigation safer for communities, trade and maritime operators across the region 🌊

30/07/2026

The War Cemetery in the heart of Lae is a place of pilgrimage for Australians. Nearly 3,000 Australian souls rest there, alongside their Commonwealth mates from New Zealand, India and of course, Papua and New Guinea.

This week, the Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality Hon Michelle O'byrne visited the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site, which is diligently managed by the Office of Australian War Graves, a division of Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs 👇