Although Rabaul wasn't much of a town if you judge it by size, it was by far the largest and most important settlement in any of the islands immediately north of Australia. . As a center of activity, it compared to Port Moresby and Lae. Rabaul had a permanent population of only about 2,000 persons. About 750 of these were Australians and Europeans. The rest were mostly Chinese, with a few Japanese and Malays. But on the Gazelle Peninsula surrounding Rabaul there was a population of better than 60,000 more or less industrious locals. Rabaul was laid out by the Germans when they were in control of the Bismarck Archipelago. Rabaul has three Hotels the Cosmopolitan, Pacific and Rabaul Hotels. Prior to the First World War the town was, accordingly, built in neat squares, with the streets running east and west and the avenues running north and south. Each street was lined with gardens of brilliant tropical flowers, and huge shade trees made each thoroughfare a tunnel of green. Rabaul citizens were especially proud of their Malaguna Road, cantered with palms for a mile and a half of its length. It was paved with asphalt as were the main business street, Mango Avenue, and other principal thoroughfares of the town. Other hard-surfaced roads extended for miles out into Rabaul's hinterland. The town boasted a taxi service of 26 cars, not counting numerous cabs operated by the Chinese. A car could be rented for a half hour for two bob. Almost every “substantial” resident had his own car in which to take joy rides on hot event “There was pretty nearly always something to do in Rabaul. Were one religious sort of person, you could go to a Roman Catholic, Church of England, Methods or Seventh Day Adventist Church. “People with other inclinations had their choices of the bars of the Rabaul, Pacific and Cosmopolitan Hotels. They served Melbourne beer and all the standard liquors. The town had its own ice and power plans telephone service and a newspaper the Rabaul Times. There was generally an island steamer of some sort at one of the harbor's four wharves and a regular airplane passenger service to Salamaua, Moresby and Townsville. And you could get in touch with the mainland by radio. “Guinea Drug Store, opposite the Masonic Hall on Mango Avenue. Unlike Australian chemists' shops, it served ice cream and soft drinks at a long counter with stools. It was the Rabaul younger set's favourite afternoon hang out. At night they would generally go to a movie at the Regent Theatre. The Rabaul Amateur Turf Club put on races the year around, importing horses from the mainland for the big events. The whole town turned out for league baseball games between teams representing the town's business firms The Chinese, too, went in for baseball in a big Way. *he two social clubs were the Rabaul Club for the upper crust, and the New Guinea Club, for other socialites. Some belonged to both clubs. These clubs had concrete and lawn tennis courts and there were other courts kept up by business firms for their employees. - - “Down near the beach was the Olympic swimming pool, and near it was a paddle pool and playground for children.” On Namanula hill overlooking the town was a modern hospital. The largest firm at Rabaul, was the trading concern of Burns Philp and Co. Ltd. This and several other Australian competitors dwarfed the Japanese rival of Nanyo Boyeki Kaishi. Another Japanese concern was the Nagahama shipyard, and Tsurushima's was a big clothing curio store in Chinatown.