from Wendy
Before it was a place for day picnics or to drive past, but now my three-year-old grand-daughter lives there, it is a special place. My youngest son and his family have a lovely villa there. Pacific Harbour is a place I am sure for future development. Even an internet cafe! The Pearl is up and running and the Lagoon, which seems more Italian than Fijian, often houses actors and movie-making crew - Anaconda etc.
Deuba was just a modest hotel at first, built for the making of a movie about sixty years ago. In the 1970s there was a major development of fine looking villas - for expatriates, Fiji professional people, and time-share or rental. Most of the Google sites seem to be for selling houses there!
Our local Rotary clubs financed and built a small half-way house near the river for the people of nearby Yanuca island when they come and go and the volunteers got a bit of flak from some of the elistist neighbours!
In today's Fiji Times there is an item about the recent renovation of the Arts Centre.
Arts Village expects a business boom
Saturday, March 04, 2006
THE Arts Village in Pacific Harbour expects to enjoy a resurgence in business as a result of several capital projects about to open by the end of this month.
Village operations manager Jone Navuku said the new ventures in the area to be launched included a backpacker resort with a 70-bed capacity, an Internet cafe and a convention centre.
"Since last year, we have been growing steadily and many tourists are coming in everyday to enjoy the shows and the beautiful surroundings of this village," he said.
The Arts Village was formerly a cultural centre before Australian businessman Eric Roberts bought the property two years ago and renovated the centre as a tourist attraction.
The Arts Village dance group performs traditional games, meke and enactment of tribal wars daily for tourists and guests.
"Sometimes we perform twice in a day if there is an influx of visitors," Jale Mareau, the leader of the dance group said.
The Arts Village employs 90 people.
That is expected to increase with the opening of the new ventures.
"The staff here know how to do pottery, plaiting of mats and other traditional gifts made from pandanus leaves and traditional stuff," Mr Navuku said.
I visited some friends who lived in Pacific Harbour back in 2000. We went to dinner at an English pub there. It was "good fun" as we say in Hawaii. Very nice residential area, but I only was there one evening. I'll have to revisit it someday.
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