# List of colonial governors of Papua New Guinea

**Section:** Papua

| Tenure | Portrait | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magistrate for Queensland in New Guinea (1883) | Magistrate for Queensland in New Guinea (1883) | Magistrate for Queensland in New Guinea (1883) | Magistrate for Queensland in New Guinea (1883) |
| 3 April 1883 to 2 July 1883 | - | Henry Majoribanks Chester | Police Magistrate on Thursday Island |
| Special Commissioners for Great Britain in New Guinea (1884–1885) | Special Commissioners for Great Britain in New Guinea (1884–1885) | Special Commissioners for Great Britain in New Guinea (1884–1885) | Special Commissioners for Great Britain in New Guinea (1884–1885) |
| 6 November 1884 to 2 December 1885 | - | Peter Scratchley | From 6 June 1885, Sir Peter Scratchley. Died in office |
| 2 December 1885 to 1886 | - | Hugh Hastings Romilly | Acting |
| 1886 to 1887 | - | John Douglas | - |
| Administrator of British New Guinea (1888–1895) | Administrator of British New Guinea (1888–1895) | Administrator of British New Guinea (1888–1895) | Administrator of British New Guinea (1888–1895) |
| 1888 to 1895 | - | Sir William MacGregor | - |
| Lieutenant-Governors of British New Guinea (1895–1904) | Lieutenant-Governors of British New Guinea (1895–1904) | Lieutenant-Governors of British New Guinea (1895–1904) | Lieutenant-Governors of British New Guinea (1895–1904) |
| 1895 to 1897 | - | Sir William MacGregor | - |
| 1898 to 1903 | - | George Le Hunte | - |
| 1903 to 1904 | - | Christopher Stansfield Robinson | Acting administrator |
| Lieutenant-Governors of Papua (1904–1942) | Lieutenant-Governors of Papua (1904–1942) | Lieutenant-Governors of Papua (1904–1942) | Lieutenant-Governors of Papua (1904–1942) |
| 1904 to 1907 | - | Francis Rickman Barton | Acting. The territory was renamed from British New Guinea to Papua with the passage of the Papua Act 1905 |
| 1908 to 27 February 1940 | - | Sir Hubert Murray | Died in office |
| 27 February 1940 to 1942 | - | Hubert Leonard Murray | Acting |
| Military Administrator (1942–1946) | Military Administrator (1942–1946) | Military Administrator (1942–1946) | Military Administrator (1942–1946) |
| 13 February 1942 to 31 October 1945 | - | Major General Basil Morris | Commander of the 8th Military District |
| Head of the Papuan Civil Administrative Unit (1942) | Head of the Papuan Civil Administrative Unit (1942) | Head of the Papuan Civil Administrative Unit (1942) | Head of the Papuan Civil Administrative Unit (1942) |
| 14 February 1942 to 10 April 1942 | - | Sydney Elliott-Smith | In Port Moresby |
| General Officers Commanding of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit [ANGAU] (1942–1946) | General Officers Commanding of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit [ANGAU] (1942–1946) | General Officers Commanding of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit [ANGAU] (1942–1946) | General Officers Commanding of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit [ANGAU] (1942–1946) |
| 10 April 1942 to August 1942 | - | Kenneth Carlyle McMullen | In Port Moresby |
| August 1942 to 24 June 1946 | - | Major General Basil Morris | In Port Moresby until October 1945, afterwards in Lae. Styled as Head of the ANGAU until 7 February 1944 |
| 4 September 1944 to 9 December 1944 | - | Brigadier Donald Cleland | Acting for Morris |