Places - Territorial Administrations

The stories of the administrations of the territory before, during and after the war.

• Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) (1942 - 1946) - With the Australia army assuming control of both New Guinea and Papua in February 1942 in the light of Japanese advances, most of the surviving civil officers from both territories were posted to ANGAU. This military administrative unit was established in Port Moresby to maintain the civil administration's functions like preserving and controlling native labour and keeping law and order.



• Mandated Territory of New Guinea (1921 - 1942) - In 1919 it was decided by the Principal Allied and Associated Powers that the Territory of New Guinea, which Germany gave up as one of the terms of the peace, should be entrusted under Mandate from the League of Nations to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The issuing of the Mandate was delayed until 17 December 1920 when its terms were settled and the Mandate itself did not reach Australia until 6th April 1921. The following day, the Governor General issued a Proclamation bringing the New Guinea Act into force on 9th May 1921. From that date, the Military Administration ceased and Civil Administration was established throughout the territory.



• Papua New Guinea Association of Australia (1951 - ) - The Retired Officers' Association of Papua New Guinea was established in the 1950s as an association for former PNG public servants, missionaries, entrepreneurs and individuals. The association publishes a quarterly journal, Una Voce, and one of its primary objectives is to support the preservation of historical material related to PNG.