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The Lake Murray project area is located to the north and east of the actual Lake Murray in the extreme west of Papua New Guinea, close to the border with the Indonesian province of Papua. Lake Murray is the largest lake in Papua New Guinea.
The land around Lake Murray is generally flat with gentle slopes up to 2 degrees forming closely spaced ridges with narrow swampy valleys. There are many rivers and streams and during rainy periods these areas are subject to flooding.
From the main administrative centre, Boboa Station, the area is accessible only by outboard motor dinghy and dug-out canoes. Boats are the main mode of transport linking the many villages along the highly convoluted shore of Lake Murray. Lake Murray can be accessed from the Gulf of Papua via the Fly, then Strickland and then Herbert Rivers. There are no roads in the area.
According to the Electoral Commission (2005), The Middle Fly District had a population of 55,853. The Lake Murray Rural LLG from the National Population Census of 2002 has a population of 9,796.
There are Elementary and Primary Schools in the area, namely Buseki, Maka and Miwa. Students from these schools continue to Aiambak High School located in the south of the East Awin Extension FMA.
Subsistence agriculture is the major land use, small plots of land being farmed for food crops. Rubber tapping is a source of income for some landowners and access to market is not an issue. Rubber buyers travel around the small holder farms buying rubber stock as they go.
The temperatures throughout the Lake Murray area are consistent - with the maximum being 30 to 32 degrees centigrade and the minimum being 19 to 23 degrees centigrade. The average annual rainfall in the area is 4,000 to 5,000 mm.
Lake Murray is approximately 63 km long and 18 km wide. It is fed by the June, Boi, Bwe, Kaim and Mamboi Rivers and feeds the Herbert River. During the rainy season Lake Murray grows to over five times its usual size.
Forest area under management: 202,000 Hectares
Location: Located in the extreme west of PNG, to the east of Lake Murray
ILG Chairman: Pari Resource Developments - Jasmine H Kendi; Lake Murray Resource Group of Chiefs - Kozzap Peter; Beagua Tribe - Isaiah Symiaka
Company Acting for ILGs: Pari Tribe - Pari Resource Developments; Kuni Tribe - Lake Murray Resource Group of Chiefs; Beagua Tribe - no company but separate identity.
Regional Government: Middle Fly District, Western Province
Forest area under management: 197,100 Hectares
Location: Located in the extreme west of PNG, to the north east of Lake Murray
Members of Incorporated Land Groups: 42 clans and families
ILG Chairman: Pari Resource Developments – Jois Walame
Company Acting for ILGs: Pari Tribe - Pari Resource Developments
Contact Address: PO Box 327, Kiunga, Western Province, PNG
Regional Government: Middle Fly District, Western Province
