Matt parties in Port Douglas
WHEN a couple of Hollywood stars jet into tropical far north Queensland, what are they to do with their spare time?
WHEN a couple of Hollywood stars jet into tropical far north Queensland, what are they to do with their spare time?
Visit the reef during the day and party at night like everyone else, of course.
Heart-throb Matthew McConaughey and newly single Kate Hudson have been making the most of their trip to idyllic Port Douglas, where they are filming part of big-budget flick Fool's Gold.
The filming coincided with McConaughey's 37th birthday yesterday and he didn't miss the chance to celebrate the occasion – twice.
The party started on Friday night when the famously relaxed McConaughey met some of the film's cast and crew for drinks at the Iron Bar hotel.
Co-star Hudson made her way from her exclusive beachfront apartment to the bar with a woman who appeared to be her bodyguard.
It wasn't long before the chain-smoking Hudson was standing next to the pub, forced outside by Queensland's tough smoking laws that are sure to cause her no end of grief during her stay.
Rather than being uptight as sometimes described, she graciously posed for photographs with star-struck locals.
The scruffy, bearded McConaughey, wearing army cargo pants, a plain T-shirt and thongs, was still warming up when the clock turned over to his birthday. Drinking Coruba rum and Corona beer, it wasn't long before he was at the bar, shouting a round of drinks for the entire pub.
"It's Matthew McConaughey's birthday," the barman said.
"Go wish him a happy birthday, he's just bought you a drink."
Mobbed by people taking up the invitation, McConaughey gladly shook hands and had a chat to anyone who came up to him.
"It's my birthday. I just turned 37," he said.
By 1am he was in the front row of the dance floor, leading one of the most energetic dances the normally sedate town has seen.
The local band were joined by the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to McConaughey, before it was "Off to Never Never Land", in the words of probably the most appropriate song for the moment.
Friday night drinks ended for most of the crowd at 2am yesterday, when the Iron Bar closed.
But McConaughey and a few close friends were still inside at 3am.
His official, private birthday party was due to be held at Port Douglas's Court House Hotel last night, where he had booked out the entire top floor for the occasion.
McConaughey's presence has not gone unnoticed among the town's single women, some of whom could think of nothing better than seeing the star in his, well, birthday suit.
"Every woman within driving distance is heading into town for his birthday," one woman resident said.
Rumours abound about his romantic dalliances with locals, including Port Douglas beauty Mel Blades.
Ms Blades reportedly gave up her job as a Quicksilver crew member to go on a dream holiday with McConaughey after meeting the star at the Low Isles, where he had spent five days on a scuba course.
McConaughey has been taking the attention in his stride. In a town with what appears to be a record number of limousines per person, McConaughey is regularly seen riding around on a pushbike.
A best mate of cycling legend Lance Armstrong, McConaughey has even started wearing a helmet, a local requirement, after being photographed riding without one on Tuesday.
"He is a very easygoing, laidback kind of bloke," said Pacific Film and Television Commission spokeswoman Alex Bernard.
"He was an exchange student here for a year and he loves Australia and loves Australians."
Hudson, 27, disappeared early on Friday night. She was up at 8.30am for a Great Barrier Reef cruise on the privately-owned Piscean yesterday.
She is travelling with her two-year-old son, Ryder, who did not join her on the day trip and is believed to be in the care of a nanny.
During her public outings, she has been glued to her mobile phone with a cigarette constantly at hand.
The latest rumour sweeping Port Douglas is that Hudson's movie-star mother Goldie Hawn and Goldie's partner, actor Kurt Russell, are to visit the town.