Nathan Batley

A man and a woman are smiling and hugging each other in front of a group of children and adults outdoors in a rural setting, with a wooden hut and green mountains in the background.

Nathan Batley’s relationship with Papua New Guinea began when he was two years old, after his family relocated from Melbourne to Samban, a remote village along the Keram River in the East Sepik Province. Growing up immersed in village life, he spent his childhood exploring the bush, fishing, and learning the language, customs, and values of the communities around him. These early experiences instilled a deep respect for traditional knowledge, self-reliance, and the power of local leadership.

Driven by a commitment to community development, Nathan later earned a university degree in Community and Economic Development and built a professional career across Australasia in youth work, capacity building, and social enterprise. In 2014, he returned to Papua New Guinea to lead a province-wide Sports for Development initiative in Manus as part of the Australian Aid Program. Over several years, he helped establish more than 60 community-based organizations, working closely with local leaders to draft constitutions, train committees, and create governance structures that strengthened social, cultural, and economic resilience in villages across the province.

This work reinforced Nathan’s belief that lasting progress is grounded in local ownership, tailored governance, and respect for the strengths that already exist within communities.

Today, Nathan brings that same philosophy to the specialty coffee sector. As Founder of Niu Nature PNG and Niu Nature Coffee, he is committed to building a supply chain that honors the custodianship and ingenuity of Papua New Guinean farmers while providing Indigenous livelihood benefits directly linked to the protection of some of the world’s most important intact tropical rainforests.

He is also the owner and Managing Director of Oceania Expeditions, a bespoke adventure travel company that curates extraordinary journeys through Papua New Guinea’s most remote and culturally significant landscapes.

Fluent in Melanesian Pidgin and an excellent communicator, Nathan continues to build relationships grounded in trust, shared purpose, and a commitment to seeing Papua New Guinea’s people thrive on their own terms.