Location
The North Coast Road is located along the north coast of New Guinea running roughly north to south. Connects Madang to Alexishafen, Ulingan (Uligan) and Bogia continues northward to Hansa Bay. Still in use today, located in Madang Province in Papua New Guinea.

Construction
Built during the German administration to connect the towns, missions and copra plantations along the north coast. Surfaced with crushed coral.

Wartime History
During April 1944, Japanese forces placed mines and booby traps along the North Coast Road, using aerial bombs and other improvised explosives as mines. As Australian troops advanced along the road from Madang, casualties were incurred an the road was deemed unusable for motor vehicle traffic, forcing supplies to be shipped by landing craft and motor launches along the coast instead.

Postwar
Due to heavy bombing, the trees along the road were riddled with shrapnel and were unusable for logging as timber.

Today
Even into the 1990s and 2000s, many palm trees are scarred with wartime bullet and shrapnel holes. Still in use today as the primary road linking villages and towns on the north coast.

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019