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Location Lat 3° 25' 0S Long 151° 54' 0E Mesi is located at the center of the southern coast of central New Ireland. Also known as Mesi Number 1 or Mesi 1. Also spelled Messi, with a double s. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of New Ireland District in the Territory of New Guinea. Today, part of the Sentral Niu Ailan Rural LLG in the Namatanai District of New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Japanese Tunnel Reportedly, a Japanese tunnel built at this location near the coast with a "laboratory" inside, likely a hospital or air raid shelter. During 2003, a story from locals surfaced about a cave that had gold inside left by retreating Japanese. In early October 2003, the Post-Courier newspaper reported the rumor prompting a gold rush that prompted the PNG government to send defense force soldiers and police to investigate the claimed "hundreds of millions" in gold. No gold was ever found but other searches were mounted and claims the gold was elsewhere, but none was ever found. By late October 2003, when nothing was found the media harshly reported the story as "fools gold', and some label it cargo cultism. The gold chase cost the PNG government a large sum of money and was a major embarrassment when the story proved to be false and a local landowner admitted to spreading the rumor. From a historical standpoint, the Japanese military never transported or stored any gold in New Ireland or anywhere in Papua New Guinea. Any tunnel or cave used by the Japanese was for military use as a defensive fortification. References South China Morning Post "Wartime gold cache said found in PNG" October 8, 2003 Contribute Information Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated December 13, 2025 |
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