Togoba Airstrip

The closure was primarily due to infrastructural and economic factors. The primary reason was the development and improvement of the Highlands Highway, which provided reliable road access to Togoba from the major center of Mount Hagen. This significantly reduced the reliance on air transport for supplies and personnel. Concurrently, the growth of the nearby and far superior Kagamuga Airport (Mount Hagen Airport, ICAO: AYMH), which could handle larger aircraft, made the small Togoba airstrip redundant. The land was subsequently repurposed to accommodate the expanding local community's needs.

The site of the former airstrip is no longer an aviation facility. Satellite imagery clearly shows that the land has been repurposed for community use. The distinct straight line of the former runway is still visible as a grassy expanse, but it is now bisected by a public road. Several buildings, including structures belonging to the Togoba Secondary School and other local institutions, have been built directly on and alongside the former runway. The remaining open area is used as a sports field and for general community access.

Togoba Airstrip's primary historical importance was its function as a lifeline for the Togoba Hansenide Colony (a leprosy hospital). The airstrip was crucial for the medical and missionary work in the area, particularly by organizations like the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, which was heavily involved in running the hospital. In an era before reliable road access, the airstrip was the main conduit for flying in medical supplies, doctors, nurses, and other essential personnel. It handled small Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft, typical of missionary and charter aviation in Papua New Guinea's highlands, such as the Cessna 206 and Pilatus Porter.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the Togoba Airstrip. The encroachment of permanent infrastructure, including a public road and school buildings, onto the former runway makes a revival logistically impossible. Furthermore, its close proximity to the major, fully-operational Kagamuga Airport in Mount Hagen means there is no strategic or economic justification for its reopening.