Bereina Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic and logistical factors. The key reason was the improvement of ground transportation, specifically the Hiritano Highway, which connects the Bereina area to the capital, Port Moresby. As road access became more reliable, the necessity for expensive air transport for passengers and cargo diminished. This, combined with the high and continuous cost of maintaining a grass runway against tropical vegetation growth and weather-related erosion, made the airstrip economically unviable.

The airport is permanently closed and completely non-operational. Analysis of recent satellite imagery confirms that the former runway is entirely overgrown with grass and dense vegetation. The faint outline of the strip is still visible, but the land is now used by the local community. Parts of the former airstrip appear to function as an informal, unpaved local road or track. All aviation-related infrastructure, such as markings, windsock, or shelters, has been removed or has deteriorated.

Bereina Airport was a vital mission airstrip, crucial for the establishment and support of the Bereina Catholic Mission and the surrounding communities in the Kairuku-Hiri District. When active, it served as a lifeline, handling operations by light aircraft, likely including those from Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) and other similar organizations. Its primary functions were:
- **Personnel Transport:** Flying in priests, nuns, teachers, and medical staff.
- **Cargo and Supply Chain:** Transporting essential supplies such as medicine, food, mail, and educational materials.
- **Medical Evacuations:** Providing a critical link for emergency medical flights to larger hospitals, saving countless lives.
The airstrip was instrumental in the mission's ability to provide religious, educational, and healthcare services to a remote population before reliable road infrastructure was in place.

There are no known official plans or active prospects for reopening Bereina Airport. The cost of rehabilitating the runway, clearing the land, and recertifying the airstrip for safe operations would be substantial. Given the existence of the Hiritano Highway as a viable alternative for transport, there is currently no compelling economic or logistical case for its revival. Reopening would only become a consideration if a major new industrial or resource project were established in the immediate area requiring dedicated air access.