Papua New Guinea - Geodetic Monitoring Site
Site ID
NM42
Station Location
Vunabal
Station Number
NM/J/42
Station Address
Vunabal plantation, East New Britain Province
WGS-84 Station Coordinates
Latitude
S 4°26'54".98
Longitude
E 152°19'22".80
Ellipsoidal Ht
Ht
SITE OWNERSHIP
Owner / Authority
Customary plantation, Vunabal village
Site Contact/s
Francis Kati, village councillor at Vunabal village,
Tom Raka, village elder
Phone
Fax
Address
Email
STATION DESCRIPTION
Station marker
Kern type brass centre mark set in concrete filled
steel pillar (0.6m diameter, 1.2m above n/s)
Station height is the top surface of the centre mark with
the protecting cap removed (also level with the pillar top)
To remove the cap, remove the locking screw with a 4mm allen key
then use a special tool to remove the cap.
Inscription
NM/J/42
Reference marks
4 x 15mm brass pins set in concrete
Witness marks
Azimuth marks
Station constructed by/date
Division of National Mapping (Australia) 1973
special instructions
Bushknives and axes (tamioks) are required to clear sufficient
elevation mask.
A 3 and 4mm allen keys and trivett cap remover and adaptor (a 5/8" threaded bolt shaft)and tape are required for occupation of the site.
Site soil / Geology
SITE ACCESS
Boats
Roads
By road from Kokopo (25 minutes)
0km Andersons Supermarket, Kokopo
Follow road towards Tokua, past Takubar estate
7km Turn right at Bitapaka Junction (signposted)
15.5km Bitapaka War Cemetery on the left
16km School on the right
18km junction, continue straight ahead
19km bitumen ends
23km Track to the hard right up to Vunabal village (where help can be obtained)
Track Junction to Village is at E423700 N 9507250 (AMG coords)
Village is at E 423500 N 9507000 (AMG)
Overgrown track junction to site is 200m further on, on the left at
E 423900 N 9507200 (AMG)
By foot, follow an old Japanese observation post road for 1600m (now a
foot track) through jungle, gardens and plantation
uphill to the site which is just on the other side of the hill. The
site is in a patch of kunai grass.
Walking time 25 minutes
Vehicle rental
Hertz special offer for RSES, ANU campaigns;
Toyota Hilux twin-cab 4WD;
1-6 days K192.50 (inc VAT)
7+ days K166.10 (inc VAT)
125km free per day then 99t per km (inc VAT)
SITE FACILITIES
Power
no power on site
Shelter
tent required for receiver
Accommodation
none available on site, nearest hostel/hotel is in
Kokopo or Rabaul.
Security
Labour
At Vunabal village, ask for Francis. He will
arrange assistance. K50 was paid in 2000 for carriers, clearing, security
etc..
Communications
Adverse conditions
SITE DIAGRAMS
Access map
NM42 1:250,000 topo map
Kokopo area 1:100,000 topo map
NM42 1:100,000 topo map and access
NM42 location diagram 1975
NM42 location sketch 1998
Site diagram
NM42 site sketch and RM survey 1975
site photographs
NM42 in 1998 (1)
NM42 in 1998 (2)
Elevation mask
Average mask 20 degrees
OCCUPATION SUMMARIES
1998, Paul Tregoning, RSES, ANU
2000, Richard Stanaway, RSES, Adam Heffernan, UCSC
Last updated: 25th October 2000
Richard Stanaway
Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University