Lat 8° 46' 0S Long 148° 13' 60E  Prewar Popondetta was a small agricultural station near Girua Airstrip 18km to the north. During the battle of Buna and Gona, it became strategically important area. After the battle, the entire area was developed into a major American and Allied base area. Post war, life slowly returned to normal. Natural violence struck the area on January 21, 1951 when Mt. Lamington erupted killing 3,000 people and destroying the government HQ. Afterwards, Popondetta became the provincial center of Oro Province.

Popondetta Market & Center
The table tops for the Popondetta market are made of marston matting, probably recovered from the nearby airfield or dump areas. There is an american propeller on display outside one of the buildings in town.

Popondetta Airfield
Built by the Allies and used to support the battle in the area.

Popondetta War Memorial (New Popondetta War Memorial)
There is a war memorial in the center of town, built in 1962. It includes plaques and relief map commemorating the Australian and American units that fought in the Buna, Gona and Kokoda areas. Two Japanese Type 88 75mm Anti-Aircraft guns are displayed near the monument, both were recovered from the Buna battlefield in 1962.

The memorial was refurbished with funds from the Australian government, rededicating it in November 2002. The new memorial includes new descriptive plaques with photos a shelter and circular rotunda for bronze battlefield plaques.

75mm Type 88 (1928) 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun

75mm Type 88 (1928) 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun

House of Kokichi Nishamura
Former Japanese soldier Kokichi Nishamura served in Oro province during the war.  He left his family and life in Japan to move to Popondetta to devote himself to finding the remains of his comrades and sending their bones back to Japan. Also he works with local villagers and makes donations to their infrastructure.