Goroka

Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a town of approximately 29,333 people (2021), 1,600 meters (5,200 feet) above sea level. It has an airport (in the centre of town) and is on the "Highlands Highway", about 285 km (177 mi) from Lae in Morobe province and 90 km (56 mi) from the nearby town of Kainantu also in the Eastern Highlands. Other nearby towns include Kundiawa in Simbu Province and Mount Hagen in Western Highlands Province. It has a mild climate, known as a "perpetual Spring". It is the home of several national institutions: CRMF Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship, the PNG Institute of Medical Research, the National Film Institute, the Liturgical Catechetical Institute, the Melanesian Institute, the Raun Raun Theatre Company and the University of Goroka. Several NGOs also have presences there, including Oxfam and Save the Children. The town's largest hotel is the Bird of Paradise, owned by the Coral Seas Hotels chain, with several mid-sized motels and numerous smaller accommodation providers also operating. As the provincial seat for the Eastern Highlands Province, Goroka provides several services such as the provincial court, the provincial Department of Motor Vehicles, and numerous major chain stores. Goroka, similar to Mount Hagen and Lae, is home to a developing middle class and presents a unique blend of urban and rural life. Many residents of the town and its suburbs (known as the "blocks") have migrated to the region in search of jobs and a better quality of life. Coffee is a common cash crop in the area; smaller industries include trout farms, pigs, bee keeping and food gardens (broccoli, kau kau or sweet potato, carrots, ginger and peanuts are examples of produce that grow well here; nearby Bena Bena is known for its pineapples). Goroka is also widely known for its bilum market.