Overview

Founded in 1877, Port Douglas was initially established to serve eager prospectors seeking to strike it rich at the Hodgkinson River Goldfields. At that time, thousands of settlers flooded the area, giving rise to one of Queensland's largest towns. Within a few years, however, the main railroad was directed to Cairns, and the gold rush died down, resulting in a decline as meteoric as Port Douglas's ascension. At that point, the town accepted its role as a sleepy fishing town and port for the local sugar industry, even enduring near-eradication in the wake of a 1911 cyclone. In the 1980s, though, Port Douglas's fortunes took a turn for the better, and resorts invested millions of dollars to transform the picturesque hamlet into a leisure destination. The plan worked brilliantly, and today, Port Douglas (or "Port" as it's called) attracts nature-loving vacationers as well as scores of the rich and famous. The town is especially known as the culmination of an awe-inspiring drive from Cairns along the Coral Sea coast. The area's grandest attraction, the Great Barrier Reef, lies just eight miles off the coast, and dozens of daily cruises embark from the marina, taking folks to snorkel amid its beauty. On shore, Four Mile Beach is a gorgeous swath of uninterrupted sand and sea and the town's most prominent beach. Other attractions include Macrossan Street, the village's main thoroughfare of restaurants and shopping, and the Sunday Markets, a delightful mainstay in Anzac Park. A bit inland, the town of Mossman, famous for its sugar-cane production and beautiful surroundings, is worth an excursion, as is the Daintree Rainforest, which showcases the area's diverse flora and fauna. Best of all, Port cherishes its small-town, seaside charm while simultaneously capitalizing on incredible weather, terrific accommodations, and impressive dining.

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