Where Rainforests Meet Coral Reefs

Port Douglas, in the far north of Queensland, is one of the most remote outposts on the Australian continent, and its isolation is one of its many appealing qualities. However, its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef appeals to the many travellers who flock here from all around the globe.

Located less than an hour’s drive north of Cairns International Airport, Port Douglas is a small but sophisticated resort town with a range of accommodation options. It also offers numerous land and sea adventures and a cool scene enriched by young international travellers who often begin their Australian adventure in the tropical north.

Summer cyclones are a feature of the region, and despite the destructive forces of Cyclone Jasper in December, those in the tourism industry have quickly regrouped, rebuilt and are back in business.

Tropical North Queensland is a rite of passage for these travellers who come to admire the amazing UNESCO-recognised natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and the lush rainforests of the Queensland Wet Tropics. Heritage hounds will be impressed that this is the only location in the world where two world heritage sites adjoin each other. The protected reef and forests are surrounded by numerous other attractions, with Port Douglas, Mossman, Palm Cove, the Daintree, Cape Tribulation, and the Atherton Tablelands being nearby destinations that I set out to explore on my most recent trip.

Port Douglas is also home to the Mirage Country Club, which is in perfect condition with lush tropical vegetation lining the wide fairways. Golfers can admire impressive palm trees, colourful splashes of bougainvillea, and the startling red flowers of the Flame of the Forest trees.

While it is a resort course, with the front nine mostly weaving through the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas and the adjoining Four Mile Beach, golfers can expect their game to get easier, with the second nine having fewer challenges. The back nine is played with a panoramic and beautiful mountain backdrop.

Australia’s Peter Thomson, a five-time British Open winner, designed the course in association with leading golf architect Michael Wolveridge, and renowned golf luminaries such as Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus have both played the par 72 layout.

The club has extensive facilities, including carts, an aquatic driving range (open from 7am to 6pm), practice greens, an around-the- clock air-conditioned gym, tennis courts, and a lap pool. There is a restaurant, and the popular Oasis Bar, with its open deck overlooking a lake, features distant views of the famous Mossman Gorge and Mount Demi. Golfers can enjoy coffee, tea, and cakes here and, at the end of their game, a few refreshing beers, such as Great Northern, which are served on tap.

The well-equipped pro shop (open from 7am to 6.30pm) hires out excellent equipment, including sets by Callaway X Hot and Titleist API. Tee-off times are from 7.30am to 3pm.

REEF RENDEZVOUS

Every day, numerous boats head from Port Douglas to the Great Barrier Reef. Comprising millions of coral polyps, the massive reef is the largest living object on Earth and is on every visitor’s list with diving and snorkelling, the activities most want to experience.

Agincourt Reef, 70 km offshore from Port Douglas, is a popular location where vessels operated by companies such as Quicksilver Outer Barrier Reef Cruise head daily. They use large catamarans to minimise movement and moor beside an expansive platform fixed in place above the reef. From here, passengers can dive, snorkel, and travel in a semi-submersible to admire the warm tropical waters teeming with colourful corals and fish. A marine biologist is available to explain the reef ecology and marine life, while morning tea, buffet lunch, and afternoon tea are served on the full day’s excursion.

ADVENTURES ON THE LAND

The Daintree is part of an extensive and ancient rainforest that adjoins the sea just north of Port Douglas. These ancient rainforests are home to animals such as Tree Kangaroos and Cassowaries, and numerous roadside signs warn passing motorists to exercise caution.

All visitors to Australia want to admire its unique wildlife. In Port Douglas, Wildlife Habitat is the place for the Wild Night Nocturnal Tour,
a thrilling way to see some animals that mostly sleep during the day. Everyone’s favourites are the Koalas, crocodiles, and kangaroos.

One afternoon, I ventured down the Barron River for a thrilling whitewater rafting adventure through the Barron Gorge with operator Cairns Adventure Group. While the river was not in its full fury, it was an exciting activity filled with adrenalin-charged excitement as our raft traversed numerous rocky rapids. Safety is paramount, and the experienced river guides ensure the journey strikes a good balance between safety and excitement.

TROPICAL DELIGHTS

The tropical climate is a perfect incubator for a wondrous selection of produce, ranging from delicious fruit like lychees and mangoes to beef from the Atherton Tablelands and fish from the waters off Port Douglas. Sunday markets in Port Douglas (staged every week) and Palm

Cove (staged on the first Sunday from April to December, except September when Carnival on Collins is held at Edge Hill), are worth visiting for their alternate quirkiness and New Age orientation. My suggestion would be to start in Port Douglas and then drive southward to Palm Cove for lunch in the markets or in the superb Nu Nu Restaurant, located along the palm- fringed beachfront.

The Sheraton Grand Mirage, my Port Douglas holiday home for a week, serves an extensive breakfast in Feast overlooking the pool. In the evening, Harrisons by Spencer Patrick is the resort’s restaurant of choice for innovative dining.

Elsewhere, Flames of the Forest offers a unique dining experience beneath towering rainforest trees. Creative lighting creates an amazing setting, and a set menu includes exotic ingredients such as crocodile and kangaroo, as well as fish and lamb. A free flow of Australian wines ensured spirits remained high. On some nights, diners can enjoy a cultural performance by members of the local First Nations community.

Other places to dine or enjoy a drink in Port Douglas include Salsa Bar and Grill, Chilly’s Pizza and Trattoria, Barbados Restaurant, Hemingway’s Brewery FNQ, and IronBar.

REGIONAL EXPLORATION

Port Douglas is a strategic base for exploring the region, and while there are organised tours to some destinations, I found that a rental car was the ideal way to explore the region as I could stop and start and come and go as I pleased.

Some highlights included the Daintree rainforests and Cape Tribulation, the pristine serenity of Mossman Gorge, the scenic train journey from Cairns up to Kuranda, and the diverse range of produce grown in the cooler environment on the Atherton Tablelands. While the coastal waters look tempting, a word of caution, as stingers (Irukandji and Box Jellyfish) and saltwater crocodiles are occasionally sighted along some beaches, with the resort pool at the Sheraton offering a safer alternative. Stingers can be present in tropical waters from November to May, which is when nets are in the water, help protect swimmers. The main beaches are patrolled by lifeguards and visitors are urged to always swim between the flags. A protected netted swimming precinct is located near the resort located along Four Mile Beach.

When the southern Australian winter sets in during the middle of the year, tourism in Port Douglas hits top gear as Australians from down south seek refuge in the warmer weather of Port Douglas.

In my week in Tropical North Queensland, I enjoyed not only the golf course but also numerous cultural and natural encounters. Looking out the window as I flew out of Cairns, I had the sense that I had merely scraped the surface of all the tourism possibilities there are on offer here.

TRAVEL FILE

Access

The air gateway for those travelling to Port Douglas is Cairns International Airport. There are no direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, which means travellers have to fly via Bali, Singapore, or an Australian airport to reach Cairns. Port Douglas is a one-hour drive north of Cairns, and the best way to get there is to hire a rental car for the duration of your visit.

 

Where to Stay

Port Douglas has an extensive range of accommodation including serviced apartments, backpacker hostels, and five-star resorts such as the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas (marriott.com), with immediate beach and golf course frontage. Guests should book signature rooms with direct access to the expansive lagoon-like pools or in a villa fronting one of the fairways.

 

Climate

Cairns has a warm, humid tropical climate with a summer cyclone season from November to March. Winter, from June to August, with an average temperature of 26°C, is the best time to visit Port Douglas.

 

Stay in Touch

Mirage Country Club (www. miragecountryclub.com.au). For all information on travel to Queensland, log onto www.queensland. com, or www.tourism. tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au