Australians from all states and territories served in Papua...
Several hundred of them were either born there or had worked there but the great majority came from mainland Australia as members of two branches of the Australian Military Forces; the Citizen Military Force and the Australian Imperial Force. The former was, from 1940, a part conscript, part volunteer force obliged to serve in Australia and its territories. The latter was an all volunteer force raised in 1939.
About 1800 Australians served in the Royal Australian Air Force in operations relating to the Papuan campaign. The majority were based at airfields in far north Queensland. The Royal Australian Navy guarded the sea communications from Australia and maintained a coastal supply line from Port Moresby to Milne Bay and later along the north coast of Papua.