Papua New Guinea - Geodetic Monitoring Site

Site ID
KIUN
Station Location
Kiunga
Station Number
PSM 9465
Station Address
Kiunga Airstrip
WGS-84 Station Coordinates (from GPS display)
Latitude            S 6°07'41".8
Longitude         E 141°16'43".1
Ellipsoidal Ht     105m

SITE OWNERSHIP

Owner / Authority

Gulf Provincial Govt.

Site Contact/s

Contact Airlines PNG office at Airport terminal


Phone

Fax

Address

Email

STATION DESCRIPTION

Station marker

Standard brass plaque, centrepunched, set in concrete
Inscription
9465
Reference marks
3 hexagonal bolts, centrepunched set in concrete
Witness marks
original WP now destroyed
Azimuth marks
none
Station constructed by/date
BHP Central Engineering Division, for Doppler control, August 1980

special instructions

Site soil / Geology
Clay, on limestone Sub-soil typical of area

SITE ACCESS

Air
By air from Port Moresby, Lae and Tabubil (Airlines PNG - daily flights)

Roads
Kiunga is easily accessible from Tabubil by road. The 137km road follows the pipeline from Tabubil to Kiunga and is an all weather, graded, gravel road used primarily by Ok Tedi convoys. Travel time is between 2.5 and 3 hours depending upon convoys.

DRIVERS MUST GIVE WAY TO THE CONVOYS!

A pilot vehicle warns oncoming traffic of an approaching convoy. The number displayed on top of the pilot vehicle indicates the number of vehicles in the convoy. Pull off the road and wait for all the vehicles to pass. The last vehicle has two green flags to indicate that it is the last vehicle and is safe to enter the road. Other vehicles have red flags, indicating that another vehicle is following.

Distances/times From Ela Motors/Avis at Tabubil
(There are marker posts every km indicating the distance from Kiunga)

0 km Avis-Tabubil, head south downhill past the airport
1 km Turn right at bitumen junction
3 km Continue straight ahead, road to right crosses Ok Tedi River
3.5km Security gate
13 km go straight, road to left goes to Ok Meanga hydro plant
16 km Cross Ok Meanga river
33 km Sisimakam village
35 km Village
41 km Village
55 km Village
65 km Ningerum village (75 minutes) (Station NING)
66 km Cross Wai Smare River
73 km Go straight at junction (side road to right)
77 km Village
78 km Pump Station (at 59km)
95 km Go straight (bend to left) at junction (side road to right)
98 km Ok Smak bridge
105 km Bridge
113 km Village
117 km Village
125 km Village
134 km Veer right at junction
137 km Bitumen t-junction at Kiunga shipping terminal (2 hours 35 minutes)
turn right to go to the Airport (and KIUN)
turn left to go to the Guesthouse and commercial area

KIUN is SW of airport terminal building. Follow unsealed track past the terminal building. Pass fuel depots on the left until the old helipad (now overgrown) is reached. The mark is a couple of metres north of an abandoned blue cable reel.


SITE FACILITIES

Power

Kiunga has reliable 24hr mains power

Shelter
Tent required for eqpt. and security personnel at site

Accommodation

Kiunga Guesthouse has a variety of accommodations ranging from budget rooms at K130 per night to more luxurious units at K260. All rooms have a/c. All meals are included in the tariff.
phone 548 1188, fax 548 1195, email: bookings@gh.ningerum.com.pg

Security
Security is required at site, due to it's isolation. Contact Brian Weke who knows three young lads; Robin, Albert and Frank who can provide security for the site. Brian's house is the first on the left as you drive into Mepu Village (see map). Security paid K15 each per day / K20 per night plus meals in 2003.

Labour

Communications
Telephones and internet available at the Kiunga Guesthouse. A dial-up connection is avialable during normal business hours (8-6 M-F, 8-12 Sat) at K5 for 15 minutes.

Adverse conditions
No adverse conditions at Kiunga. Local people are friendly, and there is no crime problem of note in the town.

SITE DIAGRAMS

Access map
Kiunga location map 1:100,000
Site diagram
KIUN RM diagram
KIUN RM survey 2003

site photographs (October 2003)
KIUN Station mark
KIUN RM C looking towards main mark
KIUN looking towards Windsock
KIUN RM A
KIUN RM B
KIUN RM C
KIUN looking SE

Elevation mask

OCCUPATION SUMMARIES
2003 Richard Stanaway, RSES

Last updated: 26th November 2003
Richard Stanaway
Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University