Hello, whoever you are!
I'm Peter Robinson and was on the island for exactly 7 years - 23rd November 1970 to 23rd November 1977. I was employed by BCPL as Parts and Warranty Supervisor at the Pit Workshop. I set up the Pit Warehouse and ran it for the first five years and then transferred to the role of Maintenance Planning Supervisor for the next two. My wife, Colleen, and I brought three children to the island and left with four - Jennifer being being born in the old Haus Sik at Panguna on the 18th February 1972.
We had seven very happy years there and have many nostalgic memories of the place. However, I have no romantic illusions as I had the opportunity of a two day return visit while working for Woodlawn Mines in late-ish 1981. In those four short years the place had gone backwards quite significantly since the time we left. The most obvious outward signs being the drift in municipal cleanliness and maintenance. I shudder to think what the place would be like now more than 30 years later and after the effects of the uprising.
My first four months were spent living in Camp 3 - waiting for the houses at Arawa to be built and made available. Those were really great days - watching the final stages of the hydraulicking and the gradual completion of the project. I remember the old road up from the coast and how impressed we were when we could finally travel on the new one.
There is much more I could add but will leave it there for the time being. I don't have many photos of those days but do have many slides from which photos can be taken off. I also have a copy of "BOUGAINVILLE, The Establishment Of A Copper Mine" a 386 page official record of the show, from whoa to a bit past go. And also the somewhat smaller PR blurb "Progress In Action" both of which have a number of excellent photos.
Regards
Peter, the older of the two Robbos
