General News
7 October, 2025
Mayor ‘in awe’ of remoteness
CAIRNS Mayor Amy Eden has visited a remote village in Papua New Guinea as part of her trip to the country to mark 50 years of independence.
“Flying in a small Mission Aviation Fellowship aircraft over the mountains of Morobe Province was absolutely breathtaking,” said Cairns Mayor Amy Eden.
“It gave me a real sense of how challenging it can be to reach these communities and how vital the services of MAF are in connecting people to the rest of the country.”
New Zealand pilot Bridget Ingham flew Mayor Eden and the Cairns delegation to the small community of Yawan, landing on a hillside airstrip tucked between steep mountains. The village has no road link to the outside world and is a four-day walk from Lae.
“You could feel the awe when the aircraft arrived at Yawan,” Cr Eden said.
“For these communities, the MAF plane is more than just a flight. The MAF service is a lifeline to these communities. It’s connection, it’s news, it’s goods. And today, it was certainly excitement.”
Yawan is just one of around 1000 destinations that MAF, an international charity providing air links to isolated community, serves worldwide.
Cr Eden was given a tour of the Yawan airstrip and village.
She saw the need to connect remote communities and cities and the impact of supporting local growers.
“Today, a survey was carried out on the airstrip, which was really interesting and obviously vital because it makes sure that this community stays connected to the wider world,” she said.
“The MAF planes carry coffee, fresh produce and vital goods... that they need to be self-sustaining, which is really empowering.”
MAF has bases in Cairns and Mareeba.
