Perfect Port Douglas days draw the southern belles
THE no vacancy signs were out at Port Douglas in the Yule period and early January as out-of-towners grabbed every available room.
Many of those enjoying a run of balmy weather were repeat visitors. People like Geelong sisters Ruby and Lucy Brownless, who were glad to be back in Port Douglas.
The daughters of ex-Geelong AFL star, TV footy commentator and Port Douglas Crocs No.1 ticketholder Billy Brownless have been here a few times.
“We keep coming back because it’s lovely – the weather’s great,” said Lucy.
Do they worry about the crocs and the stingers?
“We know to stay inside the stinger pool,” she said. “We know the lifeguards have it covered.”
The shire really turned it on for the visitors for the Christmas-New Year holiday.
“I think it’s been a really great period for occupancy throughout the town,” said Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree chief executive Tara Bennett. “I believe different sectors have performed differently though.
“Restaurants and shopping have been very positive, the touring has been a bit mixed. We can often see that around this time because it’s dominated by a lot of repeat domestic visitation, so you would expect that to deliver much more business for restaurants and some of that smaller touring.”