1847

Members of the Society of Mary landed on Woodlark Island to establish the first mission station in New Guinea. It survived for eight years.

1871

Some Australian adventurers set out in the Maria to look for gold in New Guinea. The Maria was wrecked on the Queensland coast.

1873–4

Captain John Moresby mapped parts of the southern and north-eastern coasts.

1874

The Reverend William and Mrs Lawes of the London Missionary Society joined Polynesian mission teachers working in the Port Moresby area. The Lawes were the first Europeans to settle on the south coast.

1878

About 100 white miners prospected the Laloki and other rivers inland from Port Moresby, but found no gold.

1884

Britain established a Protectorate over south-east New Guinea and Germany claimed north-east New Guinea.

1888

In August David Whyte wrote to John Douglas, the Special Commissioner for New Guinea, to report that he and his party had found 142 ounces of gold on Sudest Island.

In September British New Guinea became a Possession of the Crown and William MacGregor became the first Administrator (later Lieutenant-Governor).

1889

Gold was found on Misima Island. MacGregor proclaimed the Louisiade Goldfield which included both Misima and Sudest Islands.

1894

James Hurley, the leader of a prospecting party, was killed on the north-east coast.

1895

Early in the year Lobb and Ede found gold on Woodlark Island and the Murua Goldfield was proclaimed in November. In July George Clark, the leader of a prospecting expedition, was killed on the Mambare River.

1896

William Simpson’s party found gold on MacLaughlins Creek, a tributary of the Mambare.

1897

Green, Fry, Haylor, police and prisoners were killed on the Mambare.

Gold was found on the Gira.

1899

Gold was found on the Yodda.

Gold was found at Milne Bay.

1901

Pryke and Klotz found gold inland from Cloudy Bay.

1906

British New Guinea became the Australian Territory of Papua.

Crowe and Darling found gold on the Waria River.

1909

Crowe and Pryke found gold on the upper Lakekamu.

1914

Australian troops occupied German New Guinea.

1921

German New Guinea became the Australian Mandated Territory of New Guinea.

1923

Park and Nettleton registered claims on Koranga Creek in the Morobe District.

1926

Royal found gold on Edie Creek.