Mission Statement
To study and monitor volcanoes in PNG effectively so that early warnings of volcanic eruptions can be provided to authorities, and to work in partnership with this authorities and with communities to promote awareness of volcanic hazards and risks so that the communities become self-reliant.
History
| 1937 | Dr C. E. Stehn and Dr W. G. Woolnough recommend to the Australian Government the establishment of RVO following the disastrous eruptions of Vulcan and Tavurvur in 1937. |
| 1940 | RVO is established on a ridge SW from the north Daughter for the first time. (The present observatory is on the same location). This place is referred to as the Observatory Ridge. |
| 1942-1945 | Japanese Navy occupies Rabaul. The RVO is shut down. A young Japanese seismologist, Dr T. Kizawa, establishes a new volcanological observatory at Sulphur Creek. This includes operation of a seismograph. (This particular seismograph is still in operation at RVO today). The Sulphur Creek Observatory was destroyed by Allied bombing. |
| 1950 | RVO is re-established on Observatory Ridge by the Australian Government. |
| 1951 | The disastrous eruption at Lamington prompts wider volcanological operations across what was then the Territory of Papua and New Guinea |
| 1975 | Papua New Guinea gained independence. The running of RVO is transferred by the Government of Australia to the new nation of Papua New Guinea. |
| 1994 | The eruptions of Tavurvur and Vulcan. Much of Rabaul Town is destroyed by the eruptions. 95% of RVO's monitoring systems come to a halt. Restoration of key monitoring equipment by the US Governemnt |
| 1996 | Beginning of a major investment program by the Australian Government to upgrade the national PNG volcanological service based at RVO |
Contact
Address: Rabaul Volcano Observatory P. O. Box 386 Rabaul Papua New Guinea Telephone: 982 1699 / 982 1656 Facsimile: 982 1004 Email: hguria@global.net.pg