by Philip Dalziel

I have only been in Port Douglas for about four years and was not familiar with the Skase era so I look through the eyes of a ‘Mexican.’ For those who aren’t familiar with that term it means somebody from south of the Queensland border.

The way I see Port now is as a place to sleep while I explore the region.
 I believe there are only three images of Port Douglas; the pretty fish, Four Mile Beach and expensive restaurants. Unfortunately these three images are available pretty well down the entire east coast but they don’t identify us as a town.


The current promotions are basically the same as for the past ten or so years and the inbound tourist numbers are dropping so I suppose we are being told loud and clear that something is not working.

Let’s have a genuine workshop, not a slanging match or ‘blamefest’.  Let’s talk feedback because hey, you guys are out in the battlefield every day. What is being said, what do the customers want? Because as far as I can see we are not supplying it.


I know we are pretty laid back here and it reflects in the business attitude but if we don’t develop some passion we are going to end up like some broken down, out of date, caravan park. You see it all around town now, places that should be refurbished but are not.


We need a plan!  



I am luke warm on the lagoon proposal. Who are we catering to?  If it’s the kids, give me a hose and a jumping castle and you won’t get rid of the kids with dynamite.


Port must have, per capita, more swimming pools than anywhere else in the world so do you really think that the guests of the hotels are going to gather up their stuff, leave the poolside bar of their resort and travel downtown to sit by another pool?


Let’s create our own identity. There are tourist towns all over Australia that have embraced the passive tourist market. Ideas like making Macrossan Street for pedestrians only, and instead of the pubs wanting to host loud music which has been a bone of contention in recent years, just accept that it’s not gunna happen.



Get over it and come up with something new. There are a lot of extremely talented musicians in this town but do you really need lots of volume and rehashed 60’s songs to make a performance work? Does it really fit with the beauty of Macrossan Street?


Wouldn’t it be nice to walk down “Macrossan Mall”, past the statue of Philip Dalziel (just a suggestion) and hear more tranquil relaxing sounds with no cars, and no 60’s hits?


I have noted that a lot of the weddings have utilised dreamlike themes with lots of white lace (or whatever its called) and fairy lights in trees and soft music - you know flutes, violins etc and the atmosphere when you walk past on a warm night is just electric.  Is there a message here? 


What stimulates these brides to travel thousands of kilometres and drag all their guests up here just to get married?  
The bride would have considered probably dozens of venues over many months but chose Port Douglas - and a bride is not a creature to be messed with.  Her wedding has to be perfect in every way, so poke with a stick at your peril.  



Does anyone know why she choose Port?  Does anyone know her spending patterns (I know the florist at Mossman does a roaring trade because they have bothered and are passionate) and where do the wedding parties stay and why and what else is provided?  



Lets get a little more like McDonalds and up-sell (do you want a cruise down the inlet with that wedding?).


Some brides are spending $8,000 on flowers, some brides are bringing their own florists and caterers and I don’t mean from Cairns, I mean Melbourne, what does that tell you?   To me it screams “I will pay anything as long as it is what I want.” 


I’m afraid our bait has gone stale. Let’s go and find a new super-duper bait that is guaranteed to work every time.  

I am a poor fisherman, but if I use an old boot and don’t catch anything and yet I keep going back week after week with the same result I am going to starve! 

However, I know there is something that will get me a feed so I watch other fishermen (and women) and I try different things and very soon come up with a plan that works.  



We must do the same. There are some great people, full of passion in this town, so let’s get them together and rebuild Port Douglas.


Have a listen to the morning DJ on Port Radio. He bangs on about Port with such enthusiasm he can even make some local golf games sound like the Olympics but he believes in the place and we all must do the same.


What makes us stand out? I don’t know, but I do know that we must find out.

We have two ears and one mouth, so let’s start listening to what visitors are saying about what they are enjoying or not enjoying about Port Douglas.  

We are not just the Great Barrier Reef, we are not the Daintree, we want visitors to experience Port Douglas.

Lots of visitors don’t even get to the reef or the Daintree. It is a different market and I am yet to see any promotion from the Daintree which links to Port Douglas and why? Because they promote themselves and they don’t need us. It is a different market.

Let’s encourage visitors to experience Port Douglas as Port Douglas. Let’s get over the Skase era. The high rollers are long gone, our market now is visitors wanting the tropical experience, so let’s embrace that. 


Let’s promote ourselves as a no pressure destination where lunch can take four hours. Dad, get to know your kids again. Mum, this is the honeymoon you always wanted and the honeymooners, well, hey you don’t need to get out of bed. No phones, no pressure, just barbeque by the pool and making new friends. Every day is Sunday here!


Coles has recognised the change and has embraced it. They have doubled the size of their store in a town that has a very high number of businesses struggling and why?  Because they see a changing visitor demand. 



Visitors are coming for the relaxed attitude of the town - beautiful surroundings, walk or cycle to the beach or never leave their accommodation other than to buy the groceries because the visitors are choosing to self cater.  Nothing is required of you, the biggest decision each day is what to eat?


So let’s become the wedding destination in the world.  Let’s become the laziest, most casual destination in the world or whatever. 



All I know is we must become something unique and soon, very soon.