PMBPhoto 63 is a collection of 183 photographs of New Caledonia subjects taken between 27 October and 5 November 2005 when Jan Gammage and Bill Gammage were visiting friends, David and Beryl Gowty, in Noumea. Except for a small number taken of the Isle of Pines, all the photos are of the people and places on Grand Terre, the majority taken outside Noumea.

Subjects in and around Noumea include the following: a panorama from the little hill behind Cathedrale St Joseph, the Cathedral itself, the Place des Cocotiers, the Museum, the Kanak memorial, sunset over Baie des Citrons and the central market. The Tjabaou Cultural Centre, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, a protest march and the cruise ship Clipper Odyssey were also subjects.

South of Noumea subjects include travelling along the Yate road to the Parc Provincial de la Riviere Bleue and Yate Lake, collecting water from Mt Dore, visiting Le Bois du Sud and Vallon Dore beach and the suburbs of Val Plaisance and Vallee des Colons.

Subjects on a trip north to Plage de Poe include the petroglyphs at Dumbea, and a grotto and mangroves at Plage d’Ouano. Other subjects include Fort Teremba, Bourail and the Arab cemetery (Nessadiou), the New Zealand Military Cemetery, a French war memorial and church, a Kanak “grande salle”, Belvedere Lookout, La Roche Percee and the Bonhomme; Houailou, Poindimie, Ponerihoven River, Touho, Hienghene and the Linderalique cliffs, Kone (War Memorial), Pouembout, La Foa (Memorial to 1878 and WWI memorial), Kanak sculptures, and Boulouparis (twin of Biloela in Queensland, Australia). Women at their roadside stalls selling flowers and plants, vegetables, and shells are also subjects.

These papers comprise part of the records of the Vicariate of Samoa which are designated Oceania Navigatores (ON) in the Marist Archives. The documents comprise:

1. Letters from the Soeurs T.O.R.M. (Sisters of the Third Order Regular of Mary) to the Administration General of the Society of Mary. (APM III ONC, Dossier classified as 'ONC 498 T.O.R.M. Epistolae ad Adm. Gen.', 1914-1918. Continued from PMB 183.)
2. Letters in Samoan, 1860-83 (from Samoa)
3. Ethnographical material in French and English, undated
4. O le Bulla Ineffabilis no liliu i le upu Samoa, 1869
5. Letters in French and Samoan, 1861-91
6. A letter concerning Samoa, 1910 (Gubernatores, ON 181)
7. Laici Individualiter (ON 198)
8. An article, 'Samoa et Tonga' from Bibliotheque Illustree des Voyages Autour du Monde, 1898(?)
9. Newspaper clippings on Samoa, 1918
10. 'Une Nuit Macabre en Oceanie', by P. Goupillard, undated
11. Lists of letters written from Samoa, 1836-66
12. Letters from Samoa, 1845-65

Letters from the Soeurs T.O.R.M. (Sisters of the Third Order Regular of Mary) to the Administration General of the Society of Mary, (APM III ONC, Dossier classified as 'ONC 498 T.O.R.M. Epistolae ad Adm. Gen.)

This collection of 292 slides was transferred from the National Museum of Australia ‘Ellestan Dusting Collection’ to the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau in 2010. The slides came in two wooden boxes: one labelled ‘Papua and New Guinea’; the other labelled ‘Cocos Islands, New Hebrides and New Caledonia’ (however, inside the second box, the labels are for New Hebrides and New Caledonia only). No information was supplied with the slides except for a few handwritten captions on those for Papua and New Guinea.

There are 139 photos taken in 1957 and 1959, during official visits to the Territory of Papua and New Guinea by then Australian Minister for Territories, Paul Hasluck. Ellestan Dusting served as Hasluck’s private secretary in this period. On the 1957 tour, Hasluck was accompanied by Netherlands Minister for Overseas Territories, Mr Helders. The images captured in this set include several photos of Hasluck, Helders and other officials, though the majority of photos are of services and infrastructure, people, scenes of daily life and photos taken in transit. The delegates visit Goroka, Madang, Rabaul, Lae and Port Moresby. Photos include sing-sing at Wau show, visits to schools, hospitals and cemeteries.

The 135 slides of New Hebrides were taken as Dusting accompanied a short official “Joint Tour” in conjunction with the French and British Commissioners. The tour started in Vila and then went up through the central islands, Pentecost Island and on to Espiritu Santo. The slides depict images of dancers from many different regions. They don’t necessarily indicate the island where the photograph was taken as dancers from other islands were often asked to participate in tour festivities. In addition to formalities of the tour, including the consecration of a church and the opening of a bridge, this collection includes several images of Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. Dusting had a lifelong involvement with the Girl Guides movement.

No information was supplied for the 16 slides of New Caledonia. These photographs depict images around Noumea in an unknown year. This set of images features landmarks such as Haut Commissariat / former Hotel du Gouvernement, Noumea port, Societe Le Nickel (SLN), South Pacific Commission / Du Pacifique Sud building, Noumea, Pointe de l'Artillerie and Cathedrale Saint Joseph de Cluny] as well as many natural features.

Printed caption on reverse: 'E.B. Reproduction interdite'. See also PMB Photo 19-22b.

Reverse of postcard print, see also PMB photo 19-22a.