Photo posts of old Port Douglas
Memory lane comes with a view: Port Douglas' famous Four Mile Beach as seen from Flagstaff Hill.
THE enduring character of the seaside village of Port Douglas is often remarked upon by visitors and now they can learn more.
The Douglas Shire Historical Society has produced 17 sponsored photoposts around the town precinct, pinpointing historic sites and explaining their significance with photos and text.
The 4km walk back in time takes a leisurely 2.5 hours to complete and starts at the Port Douglas Court House Museum which is famous for its committal hearing of Ellen Thomson, the only woman ever hanged in Queensland. Visitors can sit in the jury benches and watch a short film re-enacting her trial.
Directly opposite is the site of the St Andrews Anglican Church, rebuilt after the first one was destroyed in the 1911 cyclone.
Visitor information: Port Douglas & Mossman.
A short stroll up Wharf St is the former Flagstaff Hill Lighthouse, which collapsed in the same cyclone and was subsequently rebuilt on the same place.
Continue up the hill (it’s a climb but the views are worth it) to Flagstaff Hill where the photo post depicts this iconic view of Four Mile Beach as it appeared in the early days. Next, turn into leafy Murphy St to the site of the old Catholic church, removed in 1988 to the waterfront to be named St Mary’s by the Sea.
Carry on along past the former state school in Owen St thought to be the oldest structure in the village and down to Macrossan St, to Rutherfords Corner, site of the first chemist. Continue to the former Port Douglas Hospital site on Davidson St. This road started life as a sand ridge and was formerly known as The Red Road because of the colour of topsoil heaped on it from building sites on Macrossan St. On Mowbray St is the Clink Theatre which used to be the Mossman Court House and Lock Up and the steam train Faugh a Ballagh. Back on Macrossan St is the site of the Bank of New South Wales, the first bank in Port Douglas. Then come the hotels. First is the site of the Exchange Hotel, then you can cool off with a coldie at the North Australian Hotel, now known as The Central Hotel, before the street ends at the Buchanan’s Family Hotel which everyone knows as The Court House Hotel.
The waterfront precinct along Dickson Inlet holds many links to Port Douglas’ gold mining past. Take in the view from the deck of the Combined Club, a former old Douglas Divisional Board wharf overlooking the Inlet, and see where the Bond Store, Customs Office and tramway station were situated.
Finally, see the Queensland Heritage-listed timber buildings of The Sugar Wharf and St Mary’s by the Sea, the picturesque timber church which once stood on the hill in Grant St.
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