What is Port Douglas known for?
Port Douglas is a resort town about an hour north of Cairns, known for Four Mile Beach and easy access to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
The town grew in the 1870s as a port for gold miners heading inland. After decline, it became a tourist resort in the 1980s.
Four Mile Beach is a long palm-fringed beach with a stinger net in summer. Boats leave daily for Low Isles and the outer reef.
Shopping and nature
Macrossan Street has shops, cafes and bars. Sunday markets in Anzac Park sell crafts and tropical fruit.
Mossman Gorge, about 20 minutes away, has rainforest walks led by Kuku Yalanji guides. Wildlife Habitat lets visitors see cassowaries and crocodiles.
Flagstaff Hill lookout offers views of Four Mile Beach and the Coral Sea. The town's marina is home to dozens of reef boats. Port Douglas attracts many international visitors, and its population grows sharply during the dry season from May to October, when the weather is cooler and drier and there are no marine stingers.
Did You Know?
The St Mary's by the Sea chapel in Port Douglas is popular for weddings.