Port Douglas Australia
History
Port Douglas was founded in 1877 as the port town for the Hodgkinson River Goldfields.
After a series of names such as as Terrigal, Island Point, Port Owen and Salisbury it was finally named Port Douglas in honour of former Queensland premier John Douglas.
Gold fever bought the population to 12,000. The industry grew. Thriving on tin, silver, sugarcane and logging for cedar trees. During this time a total of 27 hotels were established. 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.
After the gold dwindled and the completion of the Cairns/Mareeba railway in 1893, this once booming town started to loose its people. The bad luck continued through to 1911, when a severe cyclone devastated much of the town. The industry became not much more than a fishing village and a gateway to ship sugar from the Mossman Central Mill until 1958.
By 1960 this once booming town ended up with a population of about 100 people.
In the early 1980's, Port Douglas started to boom again. This once forgotten little town became one of Australia's best kept secrets and became a popular destination for Australians to spend winter months or holiday throughout the year to visit the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
Port Douglas Today
Today the town boasts a population of around 5,000 and a booming tourist industry brings visitors from all over the globe, drawn to the village of Port Douglas itself, and the many attractions close by.
Port Douglas is the nearest mainland town to the Great Barrier Reef and the world heritage rainforests of the Daintree and Cape Tribulation are at your doorstep making this a popular vacation destination for both Australian and overseas visitors.
Port Douglas offers a wide range accommodation choices to suit your budget, from 5 star exclusive resorts to hotels, motels, condominiums, villas, apartments, backpackers, caravan parks, luxury private homes and more. Visit our accommodation page >>
Port Douglas is also renowned for its fine restaurants, world-class shopping facilities and wide sandy stretches of Four Mile Beach. This is somewhere to put your feet up and unwind. Walk on Four Mile Beach in the morning, cruise the Great Barrier Reef or visit the rainforest during the day then dine in one of the many famous restaurants in the evening.
A Truly Tropical Vacation Experience
Because of the warm weather, locals tend to dress casually for comfort. Leave your jackets or ties at home!
Weather Conditions
You can check the current weather conditions, weather forecasts and average monthly temperatures and rainfall by visiting this weather page.
Regional Maps
Looking for maps of our region? Click here to view maps of Port Douglas, Daintree / Cape Tribulation and the Atherton Tablelands.
Useful Links
Port Douglas Real Estate - Luxury lakeside house for sale in Port Douglas
Port Douglas Accommodation - see our recommendations for accommodation in Port Douglas - click here
For further details about Port Douglas, such as accommodation, tours, real estate, weather and other information, visit our links page.
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