In the crystal blue waters of the Sulu Sea lies Palawan, an island known for its picturesque lagoons, shipwrecks... and sugary mangoes.

Before white settlement, the waterways of Melbourne were a “temperate Kakadu”. With the arrival of industry and population, they became the drains of a sprawling metropolis. Today many of Melbourne’s creeks are being transformed. But it’s a long way back from the brink.

Papua New Guinea’s trajectory to the monumental event of APEC 2018 has been one involving great strides from the moment it secured the bid to host the leaders summit in 2013. But there has been dismay since last month's event.