European explorers discover biggest underground cave system on the borders of Gulf and Southern Highlands provinces

By RAMCY WAMA

MANY explorers who came to Papua New Guinea described this beautiful nation as a lost paradise with untouched virgin environment that has offered countless species of animals, plants, flora and fauna, underground systems including caves and water and spectacular diving scenario along the coast lines.

Since the 60s, Papua New Guinea has been visited by Westerners interested in the wonders of its geological karst formations.

British, French, Australian, Spanish, German and Irish caving expeditions spent weeks or even months visiting and exploring the wonders of the underground world that is offered by this lost paradise, Papua New Guinea.

This year, after 3 years of satellite analysis and studies, an Italian team led by Guido Baroncini Turricchia, Maurizio (Bruco) Buttinelli and Andrea Felici from Circolo Speleologico Romano, one of the oldest caving groups of Italy established in 1904, visited our country with the aim to explore and survey new caves in the Folopa territory in Gulf Province.

The team leader of the three Italian explorers, Guido Baroncini Turricchia said Papua New Guinea has the biggest underground system with many caves that are still unexplored.

Mr Turricchia said they had spent last month between Mount Tawa, Bolo, Negebare and Sirigi villages at the border between Gulf and Southern Highlands provinces and with the help and hospitality of the local community, were able to visit, explore and document 25 new caves and 3 km of new passages.

“The biggest underground system, Satoshi-Babelrou, is an enormous cave with seven entrances that was partially surveyed for 2km and offers wonderful formation with column 12m high, coloured stalagmites, eccentric stalactites, an underground river and the biggest chamber of the gulf province: more than 100m long and 80m wide,” he said. Mr Turricchia thanked the sponsors, including the power firm Solar made it possible to leave a solar panel to the Negebare local community, and through Helperbit platform, a bitcoin fundraising campaign to sustain sport and education in Folopa area that will be activated soon.

He said other sponsors of the expedition are Manker, Fabric, Darwin Viaggi and TIM.

Before returning back to Rome, they had hosted a presentation of their exploration in Mount Hagen with pictures and storytelling of the trip.

The presentation was hosted by Kalvari Wesleyan Church who along with their missionaries assisted with logistics towards the success of the expedition.

The full report with the results of the expedition will be freely available at www.circolospeleologicoromano.it in the next few months.