The Canberra Girl’s Guide to Port Douglas
Posted on
Every spring, when Canberra teases us with a warm 20-degree day only to follow it up with an unseasonal cold snaps, Canberrans could be forgiven for directing a certain measure of bitterness towards our nation’s forefathers.
Why did they choose a chilly inland plain on which to plonk our city when they could have just moved the national capital a bit further north? Or a lot north? Like to Port Douglas?
If you’re over the lingering cool snaps, hay fever, and four-seasons-in-one-day chaos, but don’t have the time, inclination, or funds to book an overseas vacation, then maybe it’s an opportune moment to Google flights to one of Queensland’s jewel destinations.
Port Douglas has enough of a tourist infrastructure to promise everyone a good time, without being so busy and frequented by holiday-makers that the joy seeps out of the experience. And even though it is located in tropical Far North Queensland, if you nab a direct flight to Cairns, you can leave in the morning and be there to settle in for a long lunch, no sweat. Note: it’s a 45-minute drive north from Cairns once you’re off the plane, so you’ll need to book a car or a bus.
One of the best things about the place is its tininess. You don’t really need a car to get around once you have arrived if you’re up to walking and have a hat. There is a central area of restaurants, cafes and shops and most of the hotels are located along Four Mile Beach. With a marina on one side, the beach on the other and a mountain lookout at the top, this little strip of paradise quickly gets you in its thrall.
Here is a handy guide on where to stay, play and eat from one member of the HerCanberra team who has fallen in love so hard with this little slice of paradise that they bought a holiday house there. Honestly, it never gets old or tired; there are always new hidden gems (mainly restaurants) to experience and the relaxed locals and holiday vibe, (coupled with near-perfect weather) is the perfect antidote to Canberra’s chill.
Stay
Port Douglas offers almost every permutation of family hotel, backpackers and luxury resort.
It all took off for the formerly sleepy fishing spot back in the late 1980s when Christopher Skase spent an obscene amount of money building The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. His iconic avenue of palms and grand hotel built around an enormous central pool and right on the pristine beach succeeded in putting Port Douglas on the map as a celebrity hangout. While it still feels a little 80’s, this hotel is a perfect spot if you would like to roll out of bed, open your door and dive into the pool. The joke is, of course, that you should always check for crocodiles in Port Douglas before you dive into any body of water.
View this post on Instagram
Niramaya is like a Balinese village, providing luxury villas and the utmost privacy to holidaymakers. Inside a gated community with rolling tropical gardens and water features, you get a whole house, including your own pool, outdoor kitchen and shower, day bed, and can access the enormous hotel pool, restaurant and day spa. In other words, the best of both worlds. Most suitable for families who want to spread out or couples wanting absolute peace and tranquility.
View this post on Instagram
The Freestyle Resort offers affordable apartments which are shrouded in tropical gardens and have access to a large pool. Located off Four Mile Beach, you can walk pretty much everywhere and self-cater if you are bringing kids. There’s a supermarket just up the road, and weekend markets to source fresh fruit and vegetables and if you are lucky, you can time your visit with the local seafood trawler which pulls into the dock once a month full of fresh seafood.
The Oakes Port Douglas Resort is a mid-range spot, and if you rate a hotel by its pool, then this one comes in highly. There is also the Oak and Vine restaurant and a day spa for those who want to stay in one spot.
Eat
You will not go hungry. In fact, Port Douglas is as much about its restaurant scene and access to seafood and tropical fruits and vegetables as its beach frontage and palms.
Be aware that staffing at some venues may be overstretched in busy seasons and patience may be required even for a coffee if the queue is long (who cares really, when you are probably standing under a swaying palm tree while you wait, right?).
Nautilus is a local institution with a proud 65-year history. Set outdoors on large decks amid the rainforest on a hillside and serving up fine-dining degustations, it has a focus, naturally, on seafood. If you can get a booking (like Mick Jagger, Bill Clinton and David Bowie could) then try the Moreton Bay Bug with Santiego prawns, young coconut and green papaya.
View this post on Instagram
At the other end of the scale from Nautilus is Bam Pow, an unassuming but uber cool Asian street-style restaurant down the hill and further away from the main drag. It’s gone from strength to strength since opening as a tiny vegan cafe a few years ago. Run by an enterprising Melbourne foodie, this place will knock your socks off with inventive ingredients, clever techniques and flavour profiles which will keep you coming back night after night (trust us, we could go to dinner five nights in a row and walk away wanting more). While still largely vegan, you can get some meat dish and seafood dishes these days. But we believe their play on fresh herbs, vegetables and magical ways with soy will convert even the most skeptical. This is a place you need to book in advance such is its reputation.
View this post on Instagram
Salsa Bar and Grill is also worth planning a visit to. Set on the waterfront, it is always packed and the linguini pepperincino with tableland red claw, garlic, chilli, shaved parmesan is a good reason why. Classic Italian food with beautiful atmosphere means this is a place to book for a long lunch or a dinner which starts with a sunset.
View this post on Instagram
La Cucina and Bar is also an idyllic spot for a long lunch, across from the ocean and with plenty of outdoor seating to maximise vitamin D intake. You must eat the oysters and drink the champagne for full effect. If you knew it as Sassi, which started under late owner Tony Sass, it’s a continuation of the same vibe and warm service under former manager Vincenzo Di Cugno.
View this post on Instagram
Melaleuca is a must-visit for its picturesque setting (feels like you are visiting friends in an old Queenslander) and its menu, which traverses serious food territory and has been appropriately awarded as a result. Of course Melaleuca does exemplary seafood, but it also does everything else well. From the slow-braised beef cheek with whipped potatoes and beetroot pesto, or even the pig’s ear with Granny Smith apple puree, the carnivores are well catered for. Serious win list, and dreamy desserts make this destination worth skipping lunch for.
Jungle Fowl is another big name for this small town, offering inventive Thai-inspired curries in a gorgeous and bustling setting. This is the restaurant extension of Oakes Kitchen and Garden (see below) and the techniques and attention to fresh produce is evident. From the BBQ wombok and eggplant, chilli jam, and Thai basil, to the Bangkok-style stir-fry of Australian Angus beef, ginger, and garlic, each dish is complex and packs serious punch.
View this post on Instagram
The Little Larder does a bustling trade in Toby’s Estate coffee and provides delicious café brunches and lunches when perhaps you want something unfussy after a big night out.
Toast Sandwich Bar is perfect for those times you just want a fresh sandwich or wrap, filled with good combinations (the smashed avo has Persian feta, chilli, cherry tomatoes, pepitas and balsamic glaze) and washed down with an iced coffee.
Mocka’s Pies and Bakehouse is also a must-visit for simply outstanding baked goods and a huge array of pie flavours including the Reuben, kangaroo and seafood mornay.
Play
If, on the slim chance that eating, drinking and lazing on a pristine beach are not enough to keep you occupied, Port Douglas has day adventures to suit everyone.
HerCanberra’s Emma and Amanda do the hard research on Port Douglas. Self-portrait with chardonnay.
Mossman Gorge is a poster-child for ecotourism done well, celebrating Indigenous culture and pristine fresh waters set amongst the lushest rainforest. About 20 minutes by car from Port Douglas, access to the gorge is via bus shuttles and you can choose any number of walking trails to suit fitness levels. Pack a picnic and find a spot of sand and shade by the gorge swimming spot. Stay still long enough for the wish to swim up close, or scale a boulder and take a nap. It is nature at its best.
Mossman Gorge is worth a day of exploring, swimming and picnicking on the rocks.
Oakes Kitchen and Garden is the home of chef Ben Wallace and his partner, avid gardener, Rachael Boon, set among four hectares of lush greenery about 15 minutes south of Port Douglas. They won Best Destination Dining at the Gourmet Traveller awards so you are going to need to book well in advance.
Tour their impressive and completely organic garden before taking up a chopping board in their open-air, pavilion-style kitchen. Ben is an expert in Southeast Asian cooking and will take you through everything from crab betel leaves to Shan tofu and jungle curry. The ingredients are diverse and picked fresh each day. This is the ultimate experience for foodies and Ben is patient and knowledgeable. Also, you are unlikely to have ever come across some of these herbs and vegetables, much less chop and cook them with your own hands. And if you aren’t the cheffy type, just book a table at Jungle Fowl (see above) and eat it all without lifting a finger.
Crab betel leaves I cooked (and promptly devoured) after a cooking class at Oakes Kitchen and Garden.
Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours are a must-do, especially for families. The Daintree’s traditional owners are the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people and if you want to tap into 50,000 years of connection and custodianship of this extraordinary slice of Australia, book in for a tour with brothers Linc and Brandon Walker.
Hunting mud crabs on Cooya Beach
They know every centimetre of their country at Cooya Beach and slowly amble through the mangroves and shallows to point out bush medicine, wildlife and all variety of sustenance. Spend hours scouring the sandbanks for mud crabs, which you are encouraged to spear (a lesson in the food chain right there) before taking your haul back to camp for consumption. In a jiffy, your crab will be cooked up with butter, garlic and chilli and you may even get some damper to soak up the juices. It’s an unforgettable experience.
Half an hour after catching them, we are eating them.
Main image from Niramaya.
