Port Douglas open for business: Don’t cancel Far North holiday plans

With the usual coastal route currently blocked by tonnes of fallen rock, tourism operators have come up with a unique and scenic way to transport visitors to the holiday haven of Port Douglas.

With the usual coastal route currently blocked by tonnes of fallen rock, tourism operators have come up with a unique and scenic way to transport visitors to the holiday haven of Port Douglas.

Though repair of the extensively damaged Captain Cook Highway has been made a priority, an estimated opening timeline has not been revealed in the aftermath of a mid-December deluge that triggered localised flooding and major infrastructure loss.

However Port Douglas is open for visitors as tourism leaders plead with holiday-makers not to cancel their Far North tropical getaway.

Ellis Beach has been smashed by landslides caused by flooding rain after ex Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossed the Far North Queensland coast. Mud, trees and rocks have caused large landslides across the Captain Cook Highway, which will take weeks to clean up and reopen. Picture: Brendan Radke

The swimming enclosure has returned to Four Mile Beach, shops and restaurants are open, along with Port Douglas’ premier attraction, Wildlife Habitat and the Swim With The Salties experience.

Port Douglas can still be accessed via the Rex Range through Julatten or by two-hour scenic coastal cruise with Quicksilver and Reef Magic vessels and the MV Norseman fishing boat.

A Quicksilver catamaran service is connecting Cairns and Port Douglas while the Captain Cook Highway is out of action.

The transfer costs $50 and Tourism Port Douglas Daintree chief executive Glen Hingley said shuttle buses have been organised to deliver guests to the door from the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina.

“This situation has created a great alternative and when you arrive, transfer services will pick you up and take you to your accommodation,” he said.

“I have just walked down Macrossan St and you would have no idea we had just had a cyclone pass through, that’s a good thing and we are grateful.”

Swim with The Salties crocodile experience at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas is open for business. Picture: Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas

Quicksilver Group Managing Director Tony Baker said from next Thursday a boat targeting day-trippers would depart Cairns at 8am and the return trip would depart Port Douglas at 4.15pm.

“We’re all ready to go, all our boats are ready to go, our industry is ready to go and we are just looking for customers,” he said.

“We’re really looking for support up there.”

Bookings can be made by contacting 4087 2100.

Experiences north of the Daintree River including the Rainforest Discovery Centre and the Treetops Adventure zip-line attraction at Cape Tribulation remain inaccessible, but Mossman Gorge will reopen on January 7.

Discounted flight and accommodation packages available early 2024 have been promoted through a Tourism and Events Queensland campaign to help the region bounce back from an expected 50 per cent downturn in tourist visitation.

Port Douglas is thriving despite the unprecedented Far North flood events. Picture: Kerri Bos

A $5m state government funding package will support tourism operators in impacted areas and a marketing and media campaign aims to get the message across that 85 per cent of Far North tourism businesses are open for business.

Croc spotting tours on the Daintree River are beginning to reopen following major flooding of the waterway.

Croc Express owner Dean Clapp. Picture: Supplied

Croc Express owner Dean Clapp is scoping alternate boat launching areas after the Daintree Village jetty was washed away by a torrent of water.

He expected to be able to introduce visitors to the famous river reptiles before January 4.

“The wildlife will still be around, the main thing is people won’t see a pristine environment because a lot of the trees have just gone,” he said.

“We didn’t get any damage to Daintree Village but the jetty is under metres of sand, starting from (Wednesday) if the council will give us a hand, we will be back in action soon.

“You get that in the tropics.”

Other operators Daintree River Cruise Centre and Solar Whisper Wildlife and Crocodile Cruises have already resumed tours.

And Daintree Saltwater Barramundi Fish Farms and the Daintree pub are also open for business.

The Daintree River Cruise Centre is back in business.

Daintree River Cruise Centre owner Kianna Lafferty said the flood was the biggest in recorded history but operators had grown relisiant and could reopen quickly after flooding.

“What that means is that we are ready to go, we don’t need tea or sympathy, we need people to come back through the doors,” she said.

“We are tough and we are resilient and we just need people to please show up and come and visit.

“The geography of the river has changed but we’re seeing crocs on every cruise, juveniles and the A-listers, but some of the banks that they hang out on are not there so they are looking for new places.”

Far North resort town, Port Douglas, is back open for business following flooding to nearby areas brought by ex tropical Cyclone Jasper. Picture: Kerri Bos

Amid Douglas Shire Council grappling with turbid water supply, the entire shire has been placed on level 4 restrictions as demand outweighed available supply of treated water.

Water reserves were increasing but until treatment plants got back to full capacity Douglas Mayor Michael Kerr urged all to conserve water.

“There’s plenty of water if people want to do the right thing. We’re just asking people not to have a 15-minute shower,” he said.

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Originally published as Port Douglas open for business: Don’t cancel Far North holiday plans