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"Entrance sign Tavuni Hill Fort" Source: Nicholas Halter 2018
Tavuni Hill Fort, Sigatoka

The Tavuni Hill Fortification overlooks the Sigatoka River from a 90m high limestone ridge. It was constructed by a clan of Tongans who arrived in the early 1800s.

“Tarua & Beverely, n.d.” Source: Nicholas Rollings
Royal Suva Yacht Club

The current Royal Suva Yacht Club was built in 1948 at Walu Bay. It is believed to have begun earlier (possibly the 1930s) in the heart of Suva city near the old wharf at Pier Street before the land was reclaimed. 

“6-inch naval gun and bunker” Source: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g612490-d3240252-Reviews-Momi_Bay_Battery_Historic_Park-Denarau_Island_Viti_Levu.html?m=19905
Momi Bay Battery Historical Park

Momi Bay Historical Park contains several gun emplacements which were used during World War II to defend against possible attacks to the mainland of Viti Levu.

“CWM Hospital 1923”, Source: Fiji Museum P19.1/14
Colonial War Memorial Hospital

This hospital was opened in 1923 in memory of the Fiji veterans who served in World War I. It is also the site of the oldest medical school in the Pacific Islands. It is still in use today as the main hospital for the greater Suva area. 

“The University opened its doors for classes on 5 February 1968” Source: 2018. Treasures of the Past – The Humble Beginnings of USP, https://www.usp.ac.fj/news/story.php?id=2826
The University of the South Pacific (Laucala Campus)

The University of the South Pacific was the first of its kind in the Pacific Islands when it was established in 1968. Laucala Campus was once a New Zealand Air Force base until the land and buildings were converted into USP's first campus. Since then the university has expanded to 12 member countries of which Laucala Campus is the largest campus in the region. 

“The burenivanua in the centre of Sorokoba. The house is the official residence of the Tui Ba. It was rebuilt according to traditional designs atop the original yavu, but with modern materials” Source: Nicholas halter 2018.
Sorokoba Village, Ba

Sorokoba is located 3km north of Ba town and is the seat of the Tui Ba (paramount chief of Ba).

“Artist’s rendering the Grand Pacific created for the Union Steamship Company” Source: http://grandpacifichotel.com.fj/about-us/
Grand Pacific Hotel

The Grand Pacific Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in the Pacific. It was built in 1914 to offer a more luxurious style of accommodation for cruise ship tourists. It was recently renovated and extended but it retains many of its original colonial architectural designs.  

“Samoan Congregational Church, view from Thurston Street” (Source: Nicholas Halter 2020)
Samoan Congregational Church

The Samoan Congregational Church was constructed in 1988 and offers religious and pastoral support to the Samoan community in Fiji, including many Samoan students who come to Fiji to study at USP. Originally established by the London Missionary Society (LMS), the Samoan Congregational Church today is known by Samoans as the Ekalesia Fa’apotpotoga Kerisiano i Samoa (EFKS). The church has played an important role in safeguarding  the ethos of fa’a Samoa in Fiji, symbolized by its motto e lele le toloa, ae maau ile vai (meaning “the Toloa water-bird flies away yet always goes back to the water”.)

“Band rotunda, Thurston Gardens, 1920s”, Wishart Ryan, Source: Fiji Museum P32.4/23
Thurston Gardens

Thurston Gardens was originally named Suva Botanical Gardens. It was built in 1913 on the site of the original village of Suva and it's name was later changed in honour of Sir John Bates Thurston, the fifth Governor of Fiji.

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Website content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All material used on this site retains the original Creative Commons Licences and can only be re-used under their respective licences. Note that corporate logos (such as the Fijian History logo) and images used in some collections and branding are specifically excluded from the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Fijian History © 2018 - The University of the South Pacific
About

This project was a collaborative effort by staff and students of The University of the South Pacific to document some of the historic sites of Fiji.

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