IF the Prime Minister needed convincing of the Far North's merits as a sub-location for G20 summit events, she might have been swayed by cracking weather and friendly locals.

PM Julia Gillard and partner Tim Mathieson have been happy to press the flesh with locals at Port Douglas during their week-long break in the region.

Flanked by a small group of security officers, the pair soaked up the laidback lifestyle on Thursday night, dining at Zinc restaurant before strolling down Macrossan St to interact with street entertainers.

Davvyd "Paradise Birdman" Brown was impressed with the PM’s relaxed demeanour as they posed for photographs with him and his two cockatoos.

"She ended up staying for about 45 minutes, having photos with kids and people on the street," Mr Brown said.

"It blew everyone away.

"Where else can a PM walk down the street and not be hassled by people on the street but Port Douglas?"

Fellow busker Phil McNamara, who went to school with Mr Mathieson, held the couple’s attention by playing his "musical saw".

Ms Gillard raved to locals about the weather: while temperatures at Port Douglas have barely dropped below 20C this week, her home base of Canberra has rugged up to withstand daytime maximums of about 13C.

The holidays comes as her government plans the 2014 G20 summit in Brisbane.

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