[1] In 1953 Mayer became manager of Sir Edward Hallstrom’s aviaries at Nondugl in the Wahgi Valley of the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea.
[1] Mayer was also involved in the establishment of the Baiyer River Sanctuary, set up after Hallstrom donated part of his collection of birds-of-paradise to the then Australian-administered government of Papua New Guinea.
Despite health problems Mayer established the aviaries at the sanctuary in 1967 and acted as manager until it was opened in 1968, following which he stepped down.
His final collecting trip in New Guinea took place early in 1970, from Lae to the Cromwell Mountains of the Huon Peninsula.
[1] Mayer was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours, "for services to aviculture",[2] for his work in establishing the Nondugl and Baiyer River sanctuaries, as well as for the breeding of birds-of-paradise.