21/09/2026
Grateful to Share the Cressville Story on NBC Eastern Highlands Province 🎙️
It was an honor to share our journey on air and speak to the heart behind Cressville Inn.
For those who missed it, here is a recap:
What Cressville Means
Cressville is derived from "Water Cress" - Kotuni Village, located in Goroka District, Ward 6, Gahuku LLG, EHP, is known to supply water cress to the Goroka Main Market.
It means to grow, to build, to flourish.
That's our philosophy: building people while building a place.
The Inspiration
I wanted to create more than just accommodation. An Authentic Goroka Experience that will cater for Influx of International Tourists and Domestic Tourists as well. A site where, our guests will enjoy Goroka's true local environment and beauty away from the busy Goroka Town. I wanted to create a space in Kotuni that tells a Goroka story — one that celebrates community, culture, and opportunity for our young people.
The Reality: Problems We Faced
It was not easy. Limited capital, Limited Manpower, logistics.
Building from the ground up with no blueprint. But every challenge taught us resilience.
What We Offer Today at Cressville Inn*
We are proud to offer authentic Goroka experiences:
- Boarding & Lodging: 5 bungalows nestled in nature
- Bar & Grill: Local flavors, great hospitality
- Picnic & Conferencing Facilities: Perfect for retreats and community gatherings
- Trekking: Guided treks to Mt. Otto, the highest peak in Goroka
Our Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Mission
We already started assisting youths with fertilizers for their crops. To be repaid with minimal profit after sales.
This is our purpose beyond business. We started by providing fertilizers to local youth for their gardens, to be repaid with minimal interest after harvest — teaching financial discipline and agripreneurship.
Under our Reforestation Program, we are targeting 1,000+ tree seedlings to be supplied to schools in Gahuku and Goroka District for next year’s World Environment Day.
Under Conservation, we will established a Mini Conservational Site. Established inland fishing( Trout Farming) for our guests and replenish our natural waters.
My Message to Young Papua New Guineans
Stop waiting for free handouts. We built Cressville from nothing. If I can do it, you can too. It takes commitment, determination, sacrifice, and setting your priorities right.
We all start with what we have, where we are.
Acknowledgements
This journey would not have been possible without our seed capital partners. My sincere thank you to:
- The Australian Government through PNGAus Partnership
- GGGI Papua New Guinea
- Goroka District Development Authority
Your belief in a local vision has helped turn an ambition into an opportunity for an entire community.
We are just getting started. We welcome conversations with partners, funders, and fellow builders who believe in sustainable tourism, youth empowerment, and community-led growth in PNG.
Grateful to Share the Cressville Story on NBC Eastern Highlands Province 🎙️ It was an honor to share our journey on air and speak to the heart behind Cressville Inn. For those who missed it, here is a recap: What Cressville Means Cressville comes from "Cress" - to grow, to build, to flourish. T...
