Port Douglas, Queensland 作者： 来源： 发布时间：2021-06-04
I. Population and Area
Total area: 18 km²
Population: 3,504
II. Natural Geography
-Climate
With plenty of sunshine, beautiful warm seas, refreshing sea breezes and a warm climate all year round, Port Douglas weather is hard to beat.
Port Douglas weather has 2 distinct seasons; a winter period of warm temperatures and low rainfall, and a summer period of balmy temperatures and high rainfall.
Winter (Dry season) starts in May and finishes in October offering sunshine, fresh breezes and relatively low humidity. Summer (Wet season) extends from November to April and refreshes the region with tropical downpours often in the afternoon and occasional dramatic electrical storms.
Ocean water temperatures range from 23 degrees Celsius in July to 29 degrees Celsius in February. Thanks to the beautiful Port Douglas weather you can swim all year round. The 'best' swimming season runs between April and October. Between the months of November and March, Port Douglas is home to the box jellyfish, so special swimming enclosures are erected at popular beaches to protect swimmers.
Note: When swimming in Australia it is recommended you swim at beaches patrolled by Lifesavers and to swim between the flags. When in the sun apply a good quality sunscreen, wear a hat and avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water!
Port Douglas weather temperatures are recorded as average maximums and average minimums per month in the table below. Port Douglas has an average rainfall of 2010mm (average 168mm per month).
For more information on Port Douglas weather please visit the Bureau of Meteorology web site. The Bureau of Meteorology is responsible for the functions of a National Meteorological Service including the provision of monitoring, research and services in the public interest.
https://www.portdouglas.com/port-douglas-weather.html
-Geography
Port Douglas, Australia is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, approximately 70 km (40 mi) north of Cairns. It was named after John Douglas, Premier of Queensland (1877-79). Established as a port and then sugar growing area, Port Douglas fell on hard times after the 1911 cyclone. Tourism came to its rescue in the 1980s. It was surrounded by nature’s riches of two iconic World Heritage areas, the majestic ‘Great Barrier Reef’ and the ancient ‘Daintree Rainforest.’
The creation of Port Douglas came about from the need for a convenient port to tranship goods for inland gold fields at Palmer River (1873), north-west of Port Douglas, and on the Hodgkinson River southwards to Kingsborough (1876). Existing tracks to Cooktown and Cairns were hazardous and difficult, and a prominent bushman, Christie Palmerston, found a better track which came out near Island Point. By 1877 entrepreneurs from Cooktown constructed a wharf and stores at the new port near Island Point and Palmerston’s track was cleared and marked. In October 1877 the port township was surveyed and named Port Douglas.
In the 2016 census, Port Douglas had a population of 3,504 people. The town’s population can often double, however, with the influx of tourists during the peak tourism season from May to September. The town is named in honor of a former Premier of Queensland, John Douglas. Port Douglas developed quickly based on the mining industry. Other parts of the area were established with timber cutting occurring in the area surrounding the Daintree River and with settlement starting to occur on lots around the Mossman River by 1880.
Port Douglas was No. 3 on Australian Traveler magazine’s list of 100 Best Towns In Australia. The town is within the federal electorate of Leichhardt, and within the state electorate of Cook. At the local level, it is in the local government area of Shire of Douglas (between 2008 and 2013, it was within the Cairns Region).
Two of the richest ecosystems in Australia lie a short hop from here: the ‘Great Barrier Reef’, with superb diving and snorkeling, and the ‘Daintree Rainforest’, part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Site, which tumbles to the reef-dappled waters of Cape Tribulation. The town’s leafy streets are lined with mango trees and palms, as well as a cluster of upscale shops, cafes, and art galleries, and its star feature is ‘Four Mile Beach’, a blond crescent of jungle-fringed sand. Swimming is restricted here during marine stinger season (November through June), however it’s always a favorite spot for a stroll.
Today Port Douglas welcomes visitors from all over the world to experience the riches of this international holiday mecca which until as recently as the 1960s was a sleepy fishing village.
Port, as affectionately known by locals, is enjoyed by everyone. Families, couples, singles and celebrities are all inspired by the laid back lifestyle, superb natural attractions and effortless sophistication which blend together to create the unique flavor of Port Douglas.
The Port Douglas township was established in 1877 after the discovery of gold at Hodgkinson River by James Venture Mulligan. Port Douglas Post Office opened on 1 September 1877. It grew quickly, and at its peak Port Douglas had a population of 12,000 and 27 hotels. With the construction of the Mulligan Highway it serviced towns as far away as Herberton. In the town itself a school and a courthouse were opened in 1879, along with a hospital. Building of St Mary’s Catholic church commenced in 1880 and activity at the port was strengthened with the opening of the Herberton tin field in 1880. When copper was mined at Mount Molloy freight costs for the non-auriferous metals became a key factor, and an inland railway was planned. Mourilyan, Cairns and Port Douglas competed for the privilege and Cairns was chosen (1884), possibly unwisely when the geology of the Barron Gorge was fully understood. Investment in Port Douglas became less enthusiastic.
Minerals were not the only outwards freight from Port Douglas. Settlers came to the Mossman and Daintree River valleys and in 1883 the privately funded Brie-Brie sugar mill opened for Mossman cane growers. Cedar was brought down from the Daintree for Townsville timber merchants. Sugar production faltered in 1885, but grazing increased until the cattle tick outbreak in 1896. Fortuitously Mossman had a second chance with sugar when a new mill was opened in 1897, a central mill with cane growers tied to it through mortgage arrangements. By 1900 there was a tramline from the Port Douglas wharf to Mossman, for passengers and freight.
In the 2016 Census, there were 3,504 people in Port Douglas. 56.6% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 6.3% and New Zealand 5.9%. 76.6% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion, so described 41.1% and Catholic 17.4%.
In 1911 a severe cyclone hit Port Douglas, destroying many buildings, including a large store, the Exchange Hotel, the Catholic church and presbytery, the Government bond store and the tramway station and engine shed. Rebuilding did not fully regain the town’s pre-cyclone building stock. Mossman’s population had overtaken Port Douglas’ before the cyclone, and the shire offices were moved to the sugar town in the 1920s. The hospital closed in 1935. The opening of the Cook Highway in 1933 from Mossman to Mareeba, creating a through road to Cairns, removed Mossman’s dependence on Port Douglas. The primary school closed in 1960, not re-opening until 1989. The town’s population descended to around 200 people, remaining at that number until the 1960s.
Port Douglas has a tropical monsoon climate according to Köppen climate classification (Am), with hot summers and warm winters, with heavy rainfall primarily occurring from January-March, the wettest month of the year typically being February. The average temperature of the sea ranges from 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in July to 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) in January.
Port Douglas was a popular location to view the 14th November 2012 solar eclipse that occurred at 6:38 am (local time). Thousands traveled to Port Douglas to see the phenomenon. The music video for Kylie Minogue’s 1988 single “It’s No Secret” was filmed in Port Douglas.
Other prime tourist attractions include the Wildlife Habitat and the Bally Hooley Sugar Train, which chugs through sugar cane fields to Mossman. Fishing trips and northbound expeditions through the rugged landscape of the Cape York Peninsula are also popular. The winter season, from May through September, is the best time to visit when temperatures are cooler and drier weather prevails.
https://www.assignmentpoint.com/science/geography/port-douglas-australia.html
https://www.portdouglasdirectory.com/
-Transportation
Bally Hooley Port Douglas
A trip on board the Bally Hooley is a nostalgic adventure that takes you back to gentler times. The Bally Hooley is a collection of historic diesel and steam locomotives that run daily in Port Douglas between the station at Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina and St Crispins Station.
The trip is enjoyed by visitors and locals alike, of all ages-from tiny tots who have never experienced the joy of steam travel, to wedding guests transferring to their ceremony, to train-lovers, a trip on board the Bally Hooley is a truly iconic Port Douglas experience.
The service runs daily, visit our website for the latest timetable. A cruise-dine-train package in conjunction with the Choo Choo Explorer and Choo Choos at St Crispins is also available.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/port-douglas/bally-hooley-port-douglas
Cairns Airport
Cairns Airport is one of Australia’s leading regional airports, providing air links to a range of domestic and international locations. It is the gateway to World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest of Tropical North Queensland. Port Douglas is less than one hours drive from the airport along the stunning Great Barrier Reef Drive. Cairns CBD is located 7 kilometers from the terminal.
There are direct domestic flights to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Townsville, Weipa, Rockhampton, Mackay and Toowoomba as well as to Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Perth and regional cities and towns across North Queensland.
Cairns Airport is Australia’s seventh busiest for international passengers with direct flights from Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Auckland and Port Moresby. There are also seasonal flights from Shanghai and Seoul.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/transport-getting-here/cairns-airport
Exemplar Coaches & Limousines
We are proud to be Port Douglas' longest established coach company and we remain 100% locally owned and operated by a family whose origins in Port Douglas go back to 1967. We know the area and its people very well and that translates into superlative customer service. We are recognised for not only our high quality of attention to our on-board passengers, but also to the vast number of agents who originate transfers to the premier destinations of far North Queensland.
Our drivers are courteous, and possess a sound knowledge of the region. They personally 'meet and greet' all guests on arrival at Cairns airport. They also go beyond the norm in terms of baggage assistance and after-hours check-ins if required.
We specialize in the Cairns Airport - Palm Cove - Port Douglas route. Our policy is to maximise our effectiveness by applying our resources to this one, core route. Passenger delays are minimised and staff have a deep relationship with a core group of contacts.
We have a well maintained and immaculately presented fleet of Holden Caprice sedan limousines, 7-pax iMax people-movers, and 12-pax and 20-pax Toyota coaches.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/transport-getting-here/exemplar-coaches-limousines
Port Douglas Transfers
Port Douglas Transfers is owned and operated by a Port Douglas-based family with more than 30 years’ experience in transport and tourism. We take pride in offering a friendly, outstanding service at an affordable price. On your arrival, you will be met by your friendly driver, helped with your luggage, and escorted to your private transfer vehicle, in which you will be chauffeured in air conditioned comfort to your holiday accommodation. Along your journey, your driver will be happy to share their local knowledge with you, so feel free to ask them about anything you wish to see, do and experience whilst staying in this unique region.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/transport-getting-here/port-douglas-transfers
Jucy Rentals
JUCY stands for fun, adventure and the spirit of travelling. They pride themselves on offering unique and exciting solutions in every market they enter. Pick up your JUCY wheels in Cairns and get amazing service before you get out on the road and enjoy one of Australia's Best Drives - The Great Barrier Reef Drive.
Our Australian fleet of cars and campervans offers plentiful options for the budget-conscious traveller. JUCY-fy your road trip with a customised JUCY Champ, Condo or Crib and explore cities and coast from the front-row view of your travelling hotel – or hire a car and zip around the Great Southern Land in comfort.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/transport-getting-here/jucy-rentals
BTS Tours
BTS Tours operates guided tours from Port Douglas and Cairns to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree Rainforest. Our expert tour guides have been hosting tours to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree Rainforest since 1985. A day tour with BTS Tours is a must for all visitors to the Port Douglas and Cairns region. We also operate Port Douglas Bus and provide transfers between Port Douglas and Cairns airport and Cairns city.
https://www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com/port-douglas/bts-tours
Cairns airport transfers, daily shuttle bus, taxis, limousine, hire cars, town cars or charter coach transport between Cairns and Port Douglas.
AIRPORT and CAIRNS CITY SHUTTLE BUSES (Per Seat).
There are several coach/bus companies operating this run. Travel time between Cairns Airport to Port Douglas is approximately 70 to 120 minutes depending on numbers of passengers and drop off points. Shuttle bus coaches companies are listed below in alphabetical order:
Airport Connections may stop at all the northern beaches of Cairns on the way to Port Douglas.They will meet you in the baggage collection area with a sign with your name on it and depart when all passengers are ready. Cost $44.00 per adult. Phone - (07) 4098 2600 Website: www.coralreefcoaches.com.au
Coral Sea Coaches may stop to drop off other passengers on the way to Port Douglas. Last Minute one-way transfers for specific times and dates maybe available for discounted rates (i.e. 2 passengers $40.00). The shuttle to Port Douglas only travels 5 times a day at specific times. Cost for 2 passengers return is $135.00 and 4 passengers is $200.00. Bookings are essential. Website: http://www.coralseacoaches.com/Return...
Eclipse Transport Group
Oasis Transport Airport transfers to & from the Northern Beaches including Palm Cove & Port Douglas, No set times,transfers to suit you, Children up to 15 years only $15.00, Car & booster seats provided free of charge ,Private transfers available. Call Brad on 0412 297 716 Email: oasistransport@bigpond.com Website: www.oasistransport.com.au
PortDouglasBus offers scheduled transfers from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas accommodation. Allow 90 minutes travel time. The cost is $37.00 per Adult for a one-way and $64.00 per Adult for return. Child, Senior and Family rates are available. Book online and pay on board. Phone: 07 40995665Email:info@portdouglasbus.com.auWebsite: http://www.portdouglasbus.com.au/TRAN...
Sun Palm Transport Purchase tickets at their customer service desk at the airport to Port Douglas, via northern beaches. Cost $47.00 per person Phone - (07) 4087 2900 Email:reservations@sunpalmtransport.com,
Cairns Airport Shuttle Net - New service started in March 2015 by Port Douglas locals. After years of holidaying Paul and Visnja moved to Port Douglas. Now offer a service to oragnise transport from the 20 companies known to operate between Cairns and Port Douglas. Booking is all online on http://www.cairnsairportshuttle.net
Excellence Coaches & Tours- New service started in october 2015 , Airport trandsfers from carins airport to port douglas to book a seat on bus or for Private transfers available , call the team at Excelllence Coaches & tours today on 0432797280 or book on line at http://excellencecoaches.com/
III. GDP
https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC32375
IV. Industrial Characteristics
Douglas Shire is in the unique position of having two World Heritage areas at its doorstep; a favourite international and domestic adventure and eco tourist destination where the tropical rainforest meets the Coral Sea. Approximately 85% of the Douglas region is included in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA), National Park and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA).
The Shire is serviced from the south by the Captain Cook Highway which takes in one of Australia’s most beautiful scenic drives. Following the coastal route north from Port Douglas/ Mossman the road is sealed all the way to Cape Tribulation. From Cape Tribulation there is connectivity to Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Community and Cooktown via the acclaimed 4WD Bloomfield track. Alternatively the Mulligan Highway which can be accessed by the Mossman – Mt Molloy Road is a sealed road all the way north to Cooktown and Laura and is the gateway to the greater Cape York Peninsula via the Peninsular Development Road.
The Shire covers a total area of approximately 2 400 square kilometres is comprised of rural and growing urban areas. Agricultural lands are primarily utilised for sugar cane production, with some cattle grazing and tropical fruit growing.
The region hosts a population of approximately *11 803 people with most living in the townships of Mossman and Port Douglas; and within smaller communities such as Cooya Beach, Daintree Village, Newell, Wangetti, Wonga and Cow Bay north of the Daintree River.
The key employment sector in the Douglas region is based around food and accommodation services which cater to the tourism industry. Employment in areas such as construction, transport, retail, health care, agriculture and education representing other significant economic drivers within the region.
In 2012/13 the ratio of jobs to employed residents was **0.85 this means that there were fewer jobs then there were employed residents. In 2011 a total of *4 290 (80.9%) residents lived and worked within the region. *413 (7.8%) lived within Douglas but travelled outside the area for work; and a total of *600 (11.3%) residents did not indicate their regular work location. The goal of economic development is to often maximise the employment opportunities locally leading to a more socially and environmentally sustainable community.
Employment opportunities within the region in 2012/13 showed that **Public Administration and Safety; Education and Training; Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing; and Health Care and Social Assistance as being careers where there is a growing need for qualified and experienced workers within the Shire.
https://douglas.qld.gov.au/about-the-shire/economy-industry/
Tourism has surpassed the sugar industry to become the lynchpin of the economy for the Douglas region.
Figures from Tourism and Events Queensland demonstrate that, with an 80% economic reliance on tourism, the Douglas Shire ranks as the most tourism-dependent region in Australia.
Domestic Day Visitors spend approximately $120 per day during their visit to the Douglas region. Domestic Overnight Visitors spend around $1,034 during their stay and International Overnight Visitors spend around $1,246. Overall visitor expenditure was estimated to be approximately $561 million in 2013, up from $270 million in 1994/5.
The tourism industry relies primarily on the spectacular World Heritage listed beauty of the region and several internationally renowned natural attractions. Significant tourism assets include access to the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest National Park, unspoilt beaches, the Daintree and other fresh water rivers including dazzling waterfalls, and generally beautiful rural and agricultural scenery.
The Mossman Gorge Centre, an eco-tourism and visitor’s centre at the gorge, enhances the ability to share Kuku Yalanji culture, traditional knowledge and history with tourists through guided tours of the forest, caves and traditional homeland. The centre provides an increase in opportunities for Aboriginal training and employment through tourism and the production and sale of local art.
Accommodation provision is the Douglas Shire’s largest employer but the industry has faced an unprecedented struggle over the last few years as occupancy rates have fallen due to local and world economic factors including the Global Financial Crisis and resulting loss of confidence.
The development of new tourism assets peaked between 2006 and 2008 and growth in accommodation premises has been relatively stagnant since 2010. There are indications that the region has entered a ‘tourist massification’ phase: a reduction in high-end destination status as infrastructure ages and overinvestment in accommodation leads to less than optimal occupancy rates.
Low occupancy, oversupply and direct competition from neighbouring regions have pushed the Douglas price premium lower which reduces the attraction to, particularly international, high-end tourists.
Nevertheless, visitor and accommodation numbers for the year ending in June 2013 show a significant recovery for tourism in the Douglas Shire. Even larger growth to a worth of $630 million is predicted for 2014.
https://douglas.qld.gov.au/about-the-shire/tourism/
Key Projects:
Port Douglas
AUSTRALIAN-FIRST PROJECT TO RESTORE KEY REEFS OFF PORT DOUGLAS AND CAIRNS
Efforts to protect and restore key coral reefs in the Port Douglas and Cairns region will receive a $1.7 million life injection through the creation of Australia’s first integrated Reef Restoration Hub.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) today announced the project as part of the ambitious plan to restore 100 priority reefs by 2030.
The new Reef Restoration Hub will connect the world’s largest coral reefs program led by marine science experts with the in-water local projects already underway in Cairns and Port Douglas to find new ways to protect coral reefs and the marine life that depends on them.
GBRF Managing Director Anna Marsden said, “Tourism operators, citizen scientists, community groups and locals who are already actively working to restore and rebuild the area’s precious reefs will have the opportunity to amplify their efforts and join forces with the cutting-edge science that we’re investing $100m in through the large-scale Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.
https://www.newsport.com.au/2020/june/australian-first-project-to-restore-key-reefs-off-port-douglas-and-cairns/?L=22
V. Attractions
10 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Port Douglas
Picturesque and peaceful, Port Douglas makes a fantastic base for exploring Far North Queensland's two big-hitter tropical attractions: the rainforest and reef. Once a sleepy fishing village, this convivial town is much smaller and a little more upscale than Cairns about an hour's drive south. Beautiful Four Mile Beach is one of its top tourist attractions, where coconut palms lean languidly towards the luminous Coral Sea. A short drive north of Port Douglas, two of the world's richest ecosystems, the Daintree rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, merge in a magnificent mingling of greens and blues along Cape Tribulation, providing a spectacular setting for some of Australia's top adventures, both on land and in the sea. Port Douglas is the closest mainland town to the Great Barrier Reef, so snorkeling and diving tours top the list of things to do here. Back in town, you can browse the shops, galleries, and cafés along Macrossan Street under the lazy shade of coconut palms and mango trees.
1 Great Barrier Reef Tours
The Great Barrier Reef lies only about 72 kilometers northeast of Port Douglas, making this tropical town a convenient base for reef adventures. The most popular tours are aboard high-speed catamarans, which provide a more stable ride to the outer reef. Quicksilver Cruises is one of the best known and will whisk you out to a huge platform at Agincourt Reef in about 90 minutes. Once you arrive, you can SCUBA dive (introductory courses are available), snorkel over the reefs, or sign up for an Ocean Walker helmet dive. If you prefer to stay dry, you can gaze out at the kaleidoscopic coral from the underwater viewing platform and observatory or take a ride in a semi-submersible. Helicopter flights are also available for a unique bird's-eye view of the reef.
Various other tour operators offer small-group snorkeling and diving adventures to the reef, depending on your interests. Half-day or full-day tours to the Low Isles are also popular. Lying about 15 kilometers off the coast of Port Douglas, the Low Isles are comprised of a small coral island called Woody Island and a sandy cay called Low Island. Here, you can snorkel right off the beach to see colorful coral, tropical fish, and turtles. This is a great option for families with young children or anyone who wants to stay close to land.
2 Four Mile Beach
A five-minute walk from town, Four Mile Beach is a long arc of palm-fringed, creamy sand and turquoise sea. Development has been tightly controlled along the sands here, so the beach still feels wild and natural. Backed by lush tropical foliage, it's a beautiful beach for a stroll. Kitesurfing is also a popular sport here, and children love to play with the crabs scuttling along the shore or explore the rockpools at the northern end of the beach. You can swim in the shallows here, but you need to stick to the netted area of the beach during marine stinger season, from October through May. You won't find big hotels fronting the shore, but the adults-only Peninsula Boutique Hotel is about as close as you can get, with palm-framed views of the beach.
The best place to photograph Four Mile Beach is from Flagstaff Hill Lookout, which provides a sweeping view over the entire coast. The lookout is a hot, steep hike or bike ride up the hill from town, but you can also drive up.
3 Editor's ChoiceCape Tribulation & the Daintree Rainforest
Cape Tribulation, about a 45-minute drive north of Port Douglas, is one of the only places on the planet where two World Heritage-listed sites merge: the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. This spectacular sweep of reef-mottled turquoise sea and green jungle is a popular playground for nature lovers and photographers. Drenched in primeval beauty, the Daintree is the oldest living rainforest on Earth. Tours take you on land and water through this spectacular wilderness area, and you can add-on all kinds of fun adventures such as ziplining ("jungle surfing"), bush walking, snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, bungee jumping, and kayaking. Some tours also include tropical fruit tastings and talks by expert aboriginal guides. Beware of marine stingers along the beaches in season, and avoid swimming near muddy rivers or mangroves, as saltwater crocodiles are sometimes found in these areas. Accommodation in the region consists predominantly of eco-resorts like the luxury Daintree EcoLodge & Spa.
4 Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas
At the Wildlife Habitat of Port Douglas, you can see some of Far North Queensland's charismatic wildlife up close and interact with some of these lovable creatures. This fun, family-friendly attraction is home to koalas; kangaroos; crocodiles; colorful Australian birds; pythons; and even the elusive cassowary, the large flightless birds that live in the rainforests here. Fun experiences on offer include Breakfast with the Birds and Picnic with the Parrots, where you can dine on delicious Aussie food while colorful native parrots fly all around you. On the nocturnal tour, you can mingle with kangaroos and wallabies at dusk and see nighttime creatures such as gliders, possums, quolls, and owls by flashlight. Children love the Junior Keepers program, where they can experience life as a wildlife keeper. If you've ever wanted to cuddle a koala or hand-feed a kangaroo, this is your chance.
Address: Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas, Queensland
Official site: http://www.wildlifehabitat.com.au/
5 Macrossan Street
If you want to do some shopping in Port Douglas, Macrossan Street is the place to go. This is the main street, which runs through the center of town to the waterfront, with boutiques, souvenir shops, art galleries, restaurants, and cafés. Coconut palms and mango trees shade the streets and lend a laid-back air to this tiny downtown strip. Entertainment venues are also concentrated along this strip, and it's the hub of tourist activity. West of Macrossan Street lies Dickson Inlet and The Reef Marina, the gateway for Great Barrier Reef tours, where pleasure boats and superyachts preside over the berths.
6 Mossman Gorge
Part of World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge is a popular half-day trip from Port Douglas. This picturesque area lies where the Mossman River cascades over big granite boulders into several pools of cool, clear water that are perfect for swimming on a hot day. Colorful butterflies flit through the rainforest, and this is a lovely spot for a picnic with dedicated areas to spread out your lunch. After a refreshing dip in the swimming holes, you can explore the two-kilometer rainforest loop trail or the new aerial walkway through the forest. Guided walks from the traditional Aboriginal landowners, the Kuku Yalanji people, are also available. Before you head to the gorge, stop by the Mossman Gorge Centre with its cafe, indigenous art gallery, and gift shop, to learn more about the area and its inhabitants. You can also catch a shuttle bus from here to the gorge.
Official site: https://www.mossmangorge.com.au/the-centre/the-centre
VI. History and Culture
A Brief History of Port Douglas
Originally established in 1877 as a link to the Hodgkinson gold fields, the port (named "Island Point" and then "Port Owen") quickly grew to accommodate the increasing trade brought by the gold rush. The dray teams and stage coaches that serviced the goldfields made their way from the Port, down the beach (now Four Mile Beach) to the "Four Mile" mark which is now called Craiglee. From there they continued over "The Bump" and then onto the goldfields.
By 1882 the port had been renamed "Port Douglas" and declared a Port of Entry for Dutiable Goods.A courthouse, police barracks ( for 30 troopers ), warehouses and hotels were built and the population rose to over 8000. However the decision to build a railway -providing all weather access - from the goldfields to Cairns saw the trade (and fortunes) go south.
The sugar industry had become firmly established by 1897 and the opening of the Mossman mill saw the focus of any development move from Port Douglas to the town of Mossman.
On August 1st, 1900 the tramline from south Mossman to Port Douglas was opened. The 2ft, narrow gauge tramway was to transport passengers, goods & bagged sugar between Mossman and the wharf at Port Douglas. The original loco -"Faugh a Ballagh" meaning "Clear the Way" in Gaelic carried more than 23,000 passengers over 5,800 miles in it's first year.
The "Faugh a Ballagh" continued to serve the Port until April 1958 when the Mossman mill received permission to transport sugar by road. After the last bag of sugar was unloaded at the wharf that day, the "Faugh a Ballagh" was returned to the Mossman depot and retired.
Today the restored Locomotive is on display by the Marina Mirage.
https://www.portdouglasdirectory.com/
Welcome to Port Douglas
As I ambled around the small streets of Port Douglas, slowly settling into the slower pace of life in this tropical paradise, It wasn’t the fiery sky catching the last of the sunlight that caught my eye.
The art galleries, dotted between high-end restaurants and quaint cafes, offer up the first (and for many that visit this region the last) insight into the Aboriginal culture. If you have images in your mind of simply decorated Boomerangs then throw that aside, some of these pieces fill whole walls and retail for thousands of dollars. The details and passion that go into one of these pieces of wall art are outstanding, even more so once you have learnt the story behind them.
Later, when I would meet Binna and learn about his Port Douglas, I’d think back to these modern and contemporary canvases. “We are proud of our past” he would say, “But this artwork is about now, it’s about me, my stories”.
As I got chatting to one gallery owner who shared some of the stories behind each piece adorning the walls I realised although the style may be different, one thing had stayed the same. This vast, beautiful land that we now know as Australia has been inspiring art and stories for so long it almost seems inconceivable. From the Dreamtime to the present, each one unique and intriguing in their own way.
If you don’t know much about the cruel history and treatment that occurred on these shores over the past century I urge you to do further reading, to understand what has been and to know why climbing ‘just a big desert rock’ really shouldn’t be on your to-do list.
But that’s not what this story is about. My journey through Port Douglas is about the now, the future, the people I’ve met here and the stories they have shared. The atrocities of the past can’t be covered or discussed in a simple blog post.
Aboriginal culture and art
Janbal Gallery sits in Mossman, a small town just outside of Port Douglas proper. It was here I would meet Binna and moments later he would give me a third-degree burn on my hand that only weeks later is starting to fade.
The Blue Quandon, a bright blue berry found in the region translates to Janbal but more importantly it was Binna’s mother’s Aboriginal name. As I stepped into the compact yet airy space, I saw again the impressive patterns I had seen in the galleries the night before, yet as with each of those artists, presented in their own unique way.
I met many people during my time living in Australia that would scoff at the Aboriginal beliefs or use of the natural resources which usually gave me a mixture of sadness and anger. To survive in a land so harsh and with so many dangers should be celebrated for its resourcefulness and remembered for its culture, it’s not a joke to be laughed out of history.
Binna showed me how to create paint with nothing more than water and stones from the Daintree forest. How a seed, when rubbed on the floor, could be hot enough to seal a wound (or burn the shit out of my hand). How a simple stick could create a painting so elaborate and detailed that I would struggle to replicate it in Photoshop, I found myself in awe of how the Kuku Yalanji people had harnessed the nature around them in such an imaginative and impressive way.
The pride in his voice that his gallery was 100 percent Aboriginal owned and operated didn’t go unnoticed. That afternoon he shared not just his stories with me but his culture. The small back room usually crowded with tourists taking an art class to hear these stories sat empty and in a selfish wave, I felt glad to have his stories all to myself.
In each painting part of the land could be seen, whether it was a Cassowaries footprints (a rare native bird), the water of the rainforest or indeed, the Blue Quandon berry whose name sat so proudly on the sign outside. In each painting, you could have a glimpse of Port Douglas, but most importantly, a glimpse of Binna’s Port Douglas.
https://www.danflyingsolo.com/port-douglas-aboriginal-culture/
VII. Contact Information
Mayor:Cr Michael Kerr
M: 0447 019 647
E: Michael.Kerr@douglas.qld.gov.au
Mail: PO Box 723, Mossman Qld 4873
Office: 64-66 Front St, Mossman Q 4873
Cr Lisa Scomazzon (Deputy Mayor)
M: 0408 374 141
E: Lisa.Scomazzon@douglas.qld.gov.au
Mail: PO Box 723, Mossman Qld 4873
Office: 64-66 Front St, Mossman Q 4873
CONTACT US
Mossman Administration Building
64-66 Front St, Mossman, QLD 4873
Port Douglas Community Hall
13-29 Mowbray St, Port Douglas QLD 4877
Phone: (07) 4099 9444 or 1800 026 318
After Hours Emergencies: (07) 4099 9444
Email: enquiries@douglas.qld.gov.au
https://douglas.qld.gov.au/council-information/mayors-and-councillors/