My name is Graham Weston from Thursday Island. I worked with Ralph M Lee Projects from April 1989 till March 1990 at Arawa. I have just found this website, and a few names I remember. Although my stay on Bougainville was not long, I still have fond memories of the place. I was an Electronics Technician, and in the job got to travel the length of that beautiful island. Left a lot of good national and expat friends when we were forced to leave by the Australian Government, but have managed to keep in contact with a few of them. I was able to get back over there a few times in the early 90's, and was shocked at the destruction of the place. After Bougainville I moved to POM, Alotau, back to POM, Tabubil , then Kiunga ( 17 years ). All up I spent 19 years in PNG, and now live with my PNG wife and three children at Thursday Island. Jim Hocking had mentioned a guy called Russ Peterson, and that he did not know where he is now. Well Russ was up at Kiunga, working as the Marine Operations Manager for Ok Tedi Mining. I had many memorable fishing trips with Russ on the Fly River and down at the Bensback Lodge. Russ left OTML in the mid 90's, and shifted back to Bribie Island with his wife and family. He passed away from a massive heart attack in the ( from memory ) late 90's. Russ always had a good story to tell, and is sadly missed by all who knew him. I still have a few videos of some of our fishing trips, and some photos of the ones that did not get away. RIP Russ.
Graham Weston
kiunga[AT]bigpond.com
