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Passing of PNG’s first white child
Terrigal, New South Wales
Melody Tan

Gwen holding babiesMrs Gwendolyn Adair (nee Gander), believed to be the first white child to enter the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), has passed away on 16 March 2008.

Mrs Adair, daughter of missionary parents Pastor Stan Gander and his wife Mrs Gwen Gander, first entered the PNG highlands in the 1932 when she was eight. Pastor Gander was the second Seventh-day Adventist church pastor to be sent Bena Bena in the Eastern Highlands region, about a day’s walk from Goroka.

Mrs Adair spent most of her childhood in the country and returned to Australia later for her tertiary education. After her marriage to Mr Ken Adair, the family returned to PNG in 1955 where Mr Adair worked as an administrator for the country’s public health service.

“It was a great life growing up in PNG the 1950s and 1960s and we enjoyed it immensely,” says Mrs Adair’s son, Peter, who is based in Sydney. “Mum always had an affinity with the people, and they responded to her.”

Gwen at Bena Bena

Mrs Adair as a little girl (second right) in Bena Bena. 

The Adairs moved to the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 and stayed there till retirement.

Photos of Mrs Adair, believed to be the first white child to enter the highlands of PNG, can be found at the Goroka Museum in PNG.