Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Port Douglas tours and experiences. You can browse the options here.
Port Douglas in Far North Queensland has grown from a tiny one pub outpost into arguably Australia’s most fashionable beach retreat.
The resort town punches well above its weight in terms of world-class restaurants, luxury accommodation and ritzy retail. However, it’s all done with a complete lack of pretension and an endearingly cheeky charm.
Hemmed in by the Queensland Wet Tropics rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, ‘Port’ (as it’s known locally) also makes an ideal base for exploring the wider region. The coast hugging drive to town from Cairns along the Captain Cook Highway is just the first of many ‘wow’ moments in store for visitors.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Port Douglas.
1. Soak up the beauty of Four Mile Beach
You’ve come for the beach, and Port delivers four beautiful miles of it. Four Mile Beach is, well, four miles of picture-perfect, palm-fringed shoreline, which offers safe netted swimming conditions. Stake your claim on a patch of silken sand, and settle in for some serious R&R.
2. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
Two of Australia’s most famous natural landscapes — both UNESCO World Heritage listed — sit side by side on the town’s doorstep. Firstly, Port is the departure point for cruises to the most accessible parts of the outer Great Barrier Reef. A host of cruises out to Low Isles and the outer reef depart from Crystalbrook Marina each day. Quicksilver’s day trip to Agincourt Reef is a standout.
3. Explore the Daintree Rainforest
Second, a visit to Port is an opportunity to lose yourself (figuratively speaking) in the sublime beauty of the Daintree National Park — part of the Queensland Wet Tropics, which stretch all the way from Townsville up to Cooktown and encompass rugged mountains and lush rainforest. A guided tour that takes in Daintree highlights like Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation is a must-do.
4. Get arty
With such an inspirational setting, it’s not surprising that Port Douglas has a strong creative undertow. Pay a visit to the Perrin Clark Gallery in Macrossan Street to admire the stunning fine art photography on display. The gallery features exquisite images of the local landscape and beyond, and offers photography tours and lessons.
The Clink Theatre has also been part of Port’s cultural scene for many years, and while it might look like Grandma’s cottage on the outside, it makes magic inside. The theatre’s shows and musical events are always entertaining, and you’ll get to rub shoulders with the local arts community as part of the deal.
5. Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture
With landscapes as ancient and rich in natural resources as the rainforest and reef, it makes sense that North Queensland should have a particularly vibrant Aboriginal heritage. Ngarru Indigenous Fine Art Gallery on Macrossan Street showcases the work of Indigenous artists in an ultra contemporary setting.
6. Step back in time at the Court House Museum
Port has an interesting pioneering history to uncover. The discovery of gold by the Palmer River in 1873 led to the town’s establishment — first and foremost as a sea port. It finally got a permanent name (after a few false starts!), a couple of banks and a courthouse, and never looked back. Pay a visit to that original courthouse, which is now the excellent Court House Museum. It’s operated by the Douglas Shire Historical Society and features wonderful exhibitions detailing the region’s past.
7. Dine on board the Bally Hooley rail cars
There are plenty of other remnants of yesteryear to be found around town. The heritage-listed Port Douglas Wharf was built in 1904 and used to ship sugar for much of its working life. The Bally Hooley rail service once hauled sugar cane to the mill and sacks of sugar to the wharf. Having operated as a tourist rail service for many years, today the fully restored train resides permanently at the Marina and provides a unique dining setting. Choo Choos at the Marina serves casual fare on board the venerable rail vehicles.
8. Eat out… a lot!
Speaking of chowing down, you’ll be spoilt for choice for great places to eat throughout your stay in Port — everything from relaxed cafes to 5-star restaurants and funky fusion cucinas. Here are just a few of the highlights to tick off.
While the menu is good, honest pub grub, the Court House Hotel steps it up a notch by using the best local produce and ingredients. Choose from a host of familiar favourites, fat steaks off the grill and fabulous seafood specials. Lots of resident North Queensland characters prop up the bar, which adds even more flavour to the proceedings!
La Cucina e Bar on Wharf Street is a Port institution, with even Cairns locals making the journey just for lunch or dinner. The menu of authentic Italian dishes well and truly lives up to its buono reputation.
Many might claim it, but Salsa Bar and Grill really is the taste of the tropics on a plate. A true icon of the Port Douglas dining landscape, this restaurant serves up fresh and flavoursome seafood dishes (including their signature crayfish linguine) alongside house-made cheeses, locally sourced exotic fruits and Asian-inspired meat dishes.
Harrisons — by acclaimed British chef Spencer Patrick — at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort is ranked amongst Australia’s top restaurants. The menu is beautifully uncontrived and fuses seasonal local ingredients and produce with a sophisticated European influence.
9. Shop ’til you drop on Macrossan Street
Port has a few mainstream chain stores and a host of glitzy luxury boutiques at the Marina. However, the town’s true retail charm lies in the eclectic fashion, decor, and gift stores along and around Macrossan Street. Pebble (opposite St Mary’s by the Sea) is full of too-beautiful-not-to-buy beach-inspired homewares.
10. Hit the markets
For a quintessentially North Queensland retail experience, don’t miss the Port Douglas Market. Held every Sunday, around 150 local vendors of food, fashion and bric-a-brac converge on the town to ply their wares against the stunning backdrop of the Coral Sea. The vibe is friendly and relaxed, and you’ll find plenty of locals up for a chat.
For more travel inspiration, visit www.visitportdouglasdaintree.com.
Browse our range of Port Douglas tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the best things to do in Port Douglas? We would love to hear from you. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.
Additional images: Depositphotos, Bigstock, and Envato
About the writer
Julietta Henderson is a Melbourne-based travel writer and author. Originally planning to visit London for six months, she ended up staying for ten years and now divides her time between her home in Australia and several months of the year in the UK, Italy, and France. Julietta has travelled extensively through Europe, North America, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia, and believes the keys to a great travel experience are an open heart, an open mind, and an open-ended ticket. Her first two novels — The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman and Sincerely, Me — are now available in bookstores.
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