This is an account of the ‘discovery’, exploration. pacification of the Eastern, Western and Southern Highlands, and Simbu and Enga Provinces of Papua New Guinea, fromtheir beginnings to independence in September 1975 - the colonial era.

New Guinea was the last of the great land masses of the world to be ‘discovered’ and explored by Europeans. But this is a European conceit, for Indonesians and Asians knew of the existence of New Guinea, and had visited its shores long before the first Europeans sighted the island in 1512. However, this is a history of the colonial period.

A lot of fresh research into Highlands history has been conducted since 1969, by the author and a great many others. Sinclair has endeavoured to bring as much as possible of it together in a very detailed book, which goes far beyond the sagas of exploration. It documents the growth and development through administration, industry and all that is associated with the establishment of a growing infrastructure.

The author personally knew many of the great figures in Highlands exploration, notable Mick and Dan Leahy (he also new Jim and Paddy), Jim Taylor, Ivan and Claude Champion. They have all passed on, but not before telling Jim Sinclair their stories of ‘discovery’.