The site of the aircraft touching down melted hearts at Pureno, a deeply emotional moment marking the end to decades of waiting

For generations, the sound that echoed through the towering mountains of Biawaria was not the roar of an aircraft engine, but the footsteps of mothers, fathers and children carrying heavy loads across unforgiving mountain ranges in search of basic services for survival.

For 42 long years, the dream of an airstrip remained just that, a dream. On June 12, 2026, that dream finally touched down.

As hundreds of villagers stood with tears, cheers and hearts full of gratitude, the first aircraft descended through the clouds and landed safely on the newly completed Pureno Airstrip, ending more than four decades of isolation for the people of Ward 17 of Biawaria of the Waria Local Level Government of Morobe’s newest district, Wau Waria.

It was more than the opening of an airstrip. It was the arrival of hope. It was proof that persistence, unity and determined leadership can eventually overcome even the most impossible barriers.

For first-time Member for Wau Waria and Destiny Party Leader, Hon. Marsh Narewec, the occasion represented another step in fulfilling his vision of connecting one of Papua New Guinea’s most isolated districts to the rest of the country, not by working alone, but by knocking on doors, forging partnerships and bringing together government agencies, private companies and local communities to deliver lasting change.

First-time Wau Waria MP and Destiny Party Leader, Hon. Marsh Narewec steps out of the aircraft with his signature call, “WAAAAU!”, as the jubilant crowd at Pureno proudly responded, “WARIA!”

For the people, the story of Pureno Airstrip was a dream that refused to die, it was a dream that began more than four decades ago when village elders recognized that isolation was keeping their people trapped and away from basic services.

Hidden beneath the towering Owen Stanley Range and bordering Sohe District in Northern Province and Goilala District in Central Province, the people of Pureno, Bakeri, Mukery, Tiry, Saka, Surupia and Onepa had no road access and no nearby airstrip.

Every bag of rice, every carton of medicine, every school book, every building material, every life-saving medical evacuation, everything depended entirely on human strength.

For decades, villagers spent days trekking through steep mountain ranges, slippery ridges, swollen rivers and dense rainforest to reach Garasa Airstrip, nearly a full day’s journey away. Others travelled through Kira Airstrip in Northern Province before beginning another exhausting journey home, carrying store goods, fuel, school supplies, medicines and household necessities on their backs.

When illness struck, the burden became even heavier. Patients were carried on makeshift stretchers over these mountainous terrain and across raging rivers. Some survived the journey, others never made it.

Ward 17 Councillor Walter Siggie says those painful memories remain deeply etched in the hearts of the people.

“We experienced deaths while trying to reach the nearest airstrip or while waiting for the next flight at Garasa. So you see, you cannot imagine how grateful and thankful we are to Hon. Marsh Narewec for bringing life to our airstrip.”

While the people never abandoned their dream, it took a leader willing to unite stakeholders around a common purpose to finally make it happen.

Meaningful development requires collaboration, so Hon Marsh Narewec brought technical experts together, Niusky Pacific Limited, the Rural Airstrip Agency (RAA) and the Wau Waria District Development Authority (WWDDA) together with the local community to transform decades of hope into reality.

RAA Chief Operating Officer, Jackson Kiakari (infront) with Niusky Pacific Representative (behind) being welcomed after landing to officially launch Pureno airstrip in partnership with the Wau Waria District, championed by Hon Marsh Narewec

Each partner played a vital role, the Rural Airstrip Agency ensured the runway met aviation standards, Niusky Pacific Limited provided critical financial support, the Wau Waria DDA coordinated the project and most importantly, the people themselves took ownership and supplied the labour.

Not a single bulldozer shaped the runway, no excavator levelled the earth. The villagers themselves, armed only with spades, wheelbarrows, crowbars and sheer determination dug through rocky ground filled with massive boulders under the scorching sun and pouring rain.

Every meter of the runway tells a story of sacrifice, every stone removed represents another step towards a better future for a community that never gave up. The dream lived on year after year, generation after generation until finally, 42 years later, the mountains echoed with a sound few thought they would never hear.

A moving white dot, slowly taking shape as an aircraft descending from the sky. As it came closer…and closer…and finally touched down. Generations of perseverance were rewarded in a single unforgettable moment.

For Eldie Saros, the runway represents much more than improved transportation. It represents opportunity, it represents survival, and it represents dignity.

A white dot slowly taking shape as an aircraft descending from the sky, as Pureno watches

“Past governments tried to assist us but it was God’s plan to wait for the district to be separated, and for Hon. Marsh Narewec as our first MP with his Wau Waria DDA, to gather key partners and bring back real hope to our people. We believe health, education, communication and eventually roads will reach Biawaria, thank you Honorable Marsh Narewec,” she said.

Addressing the people of Biawaria during the historic launch, Hon. Marsh Narewec reminded the people that the airstrip is not the destination, it is the beginning.

“Now that this airstrip has been launched, you must make good use of it to improve your livelihoods. This is a day that the people of Biawaria will cherish for years to come,” he said

“This is one of the most remote parts of Morobe, and we are doing our best to provide services and opportunities not only for you but for everyone else in the district as well. Change will not happen overnight, but step by step, we will ensure that you receive what you deserve.”

He also challenged the community to take ownership of the facility by maintaining and upgrading it in partnership with the District and supporting agencies so that larger aircraft and increased cargo services can operate in the future.

Today, more than 2,000 people stand to benefit directly from Pureno Airstrip, a lifeline, a promise that medicines can arrive before it is too late, that teachers can remain in classrooms, that children can dream beyond the mountains of home, that mothers may live longer.

Most importantly, it stands as a powerful reminder that when visionary leadership brings governments, private partners and communities together around a shared purpose, even a dream delayed for 42 years can finally take flight for hope to find a runaway at Pureno Airstrip.