Plans are progressing to complete key development projects at the Bloody Ridge National Historical Park in Central Guadalcanal, as efforts continue to strengthen its status as a leading heritage and tourism site in the country.
Joan Sautehi, Tourism Officer with the Tourism Division of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Culture and Tourism, confirmed during the recent Tourism In Focus event in Honiara that several improvement works are underway.
Mrs Sautehi said planned developments include interpretation and signage across the park, continuation of walking trail construction started last year, and landscape rehabilitation of the historic battlefield.
“We also want to rehabilitate some of the well water features that we have there,” she said.
Other works include recreating wartime bunkers and restoring trenches that remain hidden in the grass. The team also aims to complete facilities that are currently under construction, with hopes that the upgrades will be ready for public use by the end of June.
Clearance work is also planned for Hill 1, commonly known as the Japanese Hill. Mrs Sautehi encouraged visitors to tour both Hill 1 and Hill 2 to fully understand the story of the Battle of Bloody Ridge.
“You will be able to tell the full story of the battle from Hill 1 and then come to Hill 2,” she said.
Management of the park has been strengthened with the employment of 32 security guards operating around the clock. Last year, 360 community members were engaged and paid a total of $145,280. The project has also cleared unexploded ordnance, planted 3,500 trees and built basic facilities.
According to Bjorn Svensson, 2025 marked the first year visitor numbers were properly tracked, recording 3,534 visitors. Of these, 1,874 were foreign tourists (53.5 percent), 602 local tourists (17 percent), 876 SINU students and researchers (25 percent), and 159 official delegations (4 percent).
He said the strong participation of Solomon Islanders and students supports the vision of the park serving as both a heritage attraction and an outdoor classroom.
Bloody Ridge, also known as Edson’s Ridge, near Honiara, was a key battleground during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. Established as a national park in 2017, it stands as a symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation.
A major component of the Bloody Ridge National Park Operational Management Plan 2019–2029 is the creation of a museum and visitor centre to further enhance its educational and tourism value.
Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands National University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Forestry and Research, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology to collaboratively manage and develop the park.
The agreement focuses on conservation initiatives, sustainable tourism development, academic research, climate adaptation strategies, community inclusion and benefit-sharing, as well as monitoring and enforcement to address illegal activities within the protected area.
