Welcome to the Park of the Month newsletter for April 2026. This month we’re celebrating a national park that protects some of the most diverse and spectacular wildlife on Earth.
Varirata National Park
Location
Central Province north of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Claim to fame
Established in 1969 and opened in 1973, Varirata was Papua New Guinea’s first national park. The park is one of the most famous and easiest to access of Papua New Guinea’s protected conservation areas, making it popular with tourists.
Roughly the same size as the state of California, Papua New Guinea is the largest tropical island nation in the world. The country is home to an estimated 5-7% of the world’s biodiversity and the third largest rainforest on Earth. Varirata National Park plays a key role in protecting a part of this unique island nation.
Reason to visit
Varirata National Park is a bucket-list location for many bird enthusiasts. The park boasts a wide variety of spectacular and rare bird species, like the Raggiana bird-of-paradise, the nation’s national bird, as well as the cassowary, trumpet manucode, black-capped lory, and the hooded pitohui, one of the only poisonous birds on Earth. The park is also home to wallabies, bandicoots, and the cuscus, a tree-dwelling marsupial. The park has many walking trails that make it easily accessible for visitors.
Wild Fact
Variarta National Park is also a cultural treasure, protecting ancient rock art as well as the traditional hunting grounds of the Koiari people. While illegal hunting and habitat loss are still a threat throughout the nation, indigenous peoples are leading the way in conservation efforts that protect the island’s biodiversity as well as its cultural heritage. Varirata National Park works in close collaboration with indigenous peoples of the region to encourage sustainable practices, and the birdwatching tourism at Varirata helps fund conservation efforts.
Want to learn more about Varirata National Park? Visit the park’s website.
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