Bensbach River

The Bensbach runs through the flat savanna and wetland of the far southwest of Papua New Guinea, country quite unlike the rest of the island: open grassland, paperbark and seasonal swamp closer to northern Australia in character than to New Guinea forest, and the wildlife reflects it. Magpie geese, brolgas, jabiru, whistling ducks and waders gather in very large numbers on the wetlands in the dry season, along with an introduced rusa deer population descended from animals brought to the region in the colonial period, now numbering in the tens of thousands. A lodge on the river runs fishing for barramundi and saratoga and birdwatching by boat. Access is by charter aircraft.

Highlights

• Waterbird concentrations - the geese, brolgas and ducks on the wetlands.
• Rusa deer - the introduced herds across the savanna.
• Barramundi fishing - the river fishery worked from the lodge.
• Savanna landscape - the open grassland and paperbark of the plains.

When to go

June to November in the dry season, when birds concentrate on shrinking water and the country is accessible; the wet season floods the plains. The lodge operates seasonally and books through operators.

What to expect

Access is by charter flight and costs are high. The single lodge is the only accommodation and operates seasonally. The area is extremely remote with no services. Insects on the wetlands are severe.

Nearby

Daru lies east; the Indonesian frontier is west across the plain.

Key facts