Location
Sulphur Creek is located at the eastern edge of Rabaul on the Gazelle Peninsula at the northeastern tip of New Britain. At this location, the mouth of Sulphur Creek empties into Simpson Harbor to the west. This area has natural hot springs. To the south was the northern edge
of Lakunai Airfield.
Between 1884 until September 1914 part of Deutsch Neu Guinea (German New Guinea). Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the New Britain District in the Territory of New Guinea. During the 1960s, East New Britain Province was created by the Australian Administration. Today located in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Wartime History
Sulphur Creek was developed as Sulphur Creek Seaplane Base area. The natural hot springs were used by Japanese as baths. During the war, they constructed ceramic tubs and fixtures still
present to this day.
Sulphur Creek Seaplane Base (Rabaul, Simpson Harbor)
Japanese seaplane ramp and servicing area
Japanese Volcano Observatory
The Japanese Navy took an interest in seismic and volcano activity at Rabaul, and how it might impact ship movements. Civilian Dr. Takashi Kizawa of the Japanese Central Meteorological Observatory was assigned to Rabaul in May 1942. The Japanese Army built a volcano observatory at the northern edge of Sulphur creek, with two seismographs and tromometer housed in an underground shelter. Bombing made later readings imprecise, and forced it to be relocated. The only activity recorded was a minor eruption on November 24, 1943. Hit several times by bombs and rebuilt,
Kizawa moved to tunnels dug into the ridge beneath Tovanumbatir. During December 1944, he established a new facility near Vunakanau that operated until January 1945, but achieved poor readings. Dr. Kizawa survived the war, was repatriated in 1946 and retired to Funabashi City near Tokyo.
References
Volcano Town
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Last Updated
June 5, 2023
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