Douglas Shire Ratepayers Association

It has been a long time since I have had anything interesting enough to put on this blog.

Tue 11 Oct 1910

The history of Ratepayer Associations in the Douglas Shire is indeed a long one, at least four years before World War 1 if the newspaper article above is anything to go by.

Little else has emerged since then except for some concerned citizens who tried to stop the de-amalgamation of the Douglas Shire from the Cairns Regional Council in 2013. Locals were outraged that we were amalgamated in the first place and voted for de amalgamation about 2 to 1. A ratepayers association was formed but was lost in the overwhelming support from the FOD (friends of Douglas) for de amalgamation.

The Douglas Shire was born again. Slowly but surely the wave of support has turned and the present day council does not enjoy the support it once had. This is how ratepayers associations are started and so it is that today Tuesday 21 January 2020 a newly formed association will start with its media releases. 

There can be nothing but good come from this for our ratepayers, particularly about a third of them, who cannot vote in local government elections, but are the backbone of our tourism industry by supplying strata titled accommodation.

Read more about the Douglas Shire Ratepayers Association: www.douglasratepayers.org.au

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Wet weather ahead?

As at Tuesday 14 May 2019

According to the weather professionals Tropical Cyclone Ann will become a Tropical Low and turn into a Rain Depression as it hits the coast north of Cooktown on Wednesday 15 May 2019 morning.

It will deliver a lot of rain.

How will it effect Port Douglas - Daintree?

Firstly we have a Gale warning declared north of Cape Tribulation and a Strong Wind Warning at Port Douglas.

We could possibly get a lot of rain that could flood our waterways and cause land slips on the cuttings of our roads.

Please take care on our roads.

Put this on your phone: qwe.net.au 

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Wet Australia Day Weekend

Image from BOM website - 26 Jan 19

With the threat of another cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria dismissed we are still in for lots of rain.

Image from windy.com

The Douglas Shire has postponed it's Australia Day celebrations.  Check with their website for the date.

There is a flood watch out for the Daintree and Mossman Rivers and some of our roads will be cut.

The rain is widespread.

Image from windy.com

The image above is of a rain accumulation map. Our main supply route is the Bruce Highway which is in that orange band along the coast north of Townsville. It is likely that the highway, or should we call it a lowway, will be cut in several places in the coming hours and days which will put a strain on supermarket shelves.

Long term locals will have stocked up.

Sea Sickness

The Keys to Port Douglas

From the Escape magazine in the Sunday Mail this week comes a travel tip about sea sickness.

It is no fun being sea sick and you can go a long way to reducing it's effects.

That is why it is one of the Keys to Port Douglas:

Preparing for your reef trip.

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MID YEAR DEALS - ACCOMMODATION

As an associate of Booking.com and Daintree Information Port Douglas Blog can offer mid year deals to Port Douglas blog readers.

More locally we have good deals in Port Douglas:

Port Douglas accommodation app

Of particular note is the affordable Reef Resort for families:

REEF RESORT

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AUCTION ACTION

SOLD to the man in the red hat.

A huge crowd turned out today for the Sausage Sizzle for the farmers and the auction.

$1,200,000

3 bedroom beachfront apartment in the Golden Triangle.

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Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail - update

The centre section of the Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail remains closed.

The northern part is usable to the reservoir and the southern part from Fourmile Beach can be used to get to the top.

There was considerable damage to the middle bit during a freak rain event and it has not been repaired yet.

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Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail

The northern part of this trail is closed till further notice.

NOW OPEN

A trail to the top can be accessed from the steps at the Fourmile Beach end.

The start is where the lookout is.

It is quite a climb, be careful.

Port Douglas Shuttle Buses

Booking.com map showing accommodation locations

Note the Port Douglas Shuttle buses run.

You can save yourself a lot of money and frustration by using the booking.com map to find the best location for your visit.

Port Douglas accommodation is spread along a peninsula with the best location being right in town. Staying in town you will not need a hire car or the use of shuttle buses. 

Imagine this; you have got some of the cheaper accommodation but you want to go into town with the family. You catch one of the shuttle buses at $5 per person one way. By the time you get back, after waiting outside your accommodation, then queuing up in town to return you have added $40 to your day's spend and you have seen a lot of other accommodation places.

Booking.com

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Bit of rain about? Check the radar:-

Go to: 

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR193.shtml

AND add it to the home screen of your device for a shortcut icon.

Guided walks of Port Douglas

ANZAC PARK - Port Douglas

We are back in Port Douglas full time and back to doing guided walks:

Details on this link: walk.portdouglas.website

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Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail

Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu cuts the ribbon.

Friday 15 December 2017

The Flagstaff Hill Walking Trail is now open. There was quite a fanfare at the opening with some of our native birds adding to the buzz. Olive-backed Sunbirds, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, several Australasian Figbirds, and Helmeted Friarbirds contributed their songs to the occasion.

Start at Little Cove or Fourmile Beach.

Wayfarer Port Douglas - digital business card

Port Douglas website has produced a digital business card for Wayfarer Port Douglas.

Link: Wayfarer Port Douglas

add it to the home screen of your device

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Port Douglas Walking Trail

The new Port Douglas Walking Trail nears completion and despite what the local paper states, it is not open yet (17-11-2017)

The trail connects Little Cove with Fourmile Beach via several lookouts around Island Point.

It is expected that the trail will open soon.

In the meantime try these walks:

http://portdouglas.daintree.info

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Welcome Pacific Dawn Tuesday 7 February 2017

Welcome passengers and crew, there is an app just for you

Link: cruise.portdouglas.daintree.info

guided walks, discounts, free things, bottle shop locations, toilets, free wifi, etc

A little rain about? Check it on your phone.

Go to qwe.com.au

and add to your home screen

WE ARE BACK

We are fresh back from a world cruise on the Sea Princess.

Over the next few days we will be visiting tourism businesses in the Douglas Shire and checking the new eateries.

Look out for us.

Chris and Denise

PINK IN THE TROPICS - Sports Day

Port Douglas Crocs photo from Crocs website

Wow, be sure to come along to the Pink in the Tropics Sports Day.

When: Saturday 7 May 2016

Where: Chicken & Champagne Breakfast at Palmer Sea Reef Golf Club, starting at 9:30 and then the AFL games at the Port Douglas Sporting Complex Wharf Street for two games of AFL football. (Reserves at 1pm and Seniors at 3pm)

Details: PITT website

This one is a winner.

From DSC website

Details of the proposed walking trail for Island Point have been posted on the Douglas Shire website:

http://douglas.qld.gov.au/council-releases-conceptual-design-for-flagstaff-hill-walking-trail/

BINDU media includes Port Douglas Daintree

Screeen shot

BINDU MEDIA - Worldwide

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