Both the AFL launch at the Court House Hotel and the inaugural 'Undie 500' were cancelled in precautionary moves because of the threat of Cyclone Olga yesterday afternoon, Sunday 24th Jan. 

Perhaps Cyclone Olga is a little bit of prude and got her own knickers in a twist about the thought of seeing some of Port Douglas' finest running around proudly in their undies, what a spoil sport, it was for charity you big bag of wind !

The last round of promotion for the Newsport Daily Subscription Competition was also cancelled at the Court House.  Organisers have said that anyone who wants to enter can still subscribe on line until midnight on Monday evening or come down early (about 9.30am) on Tuesday to the Court House for some last minute sign ups to ensure they are in the draw for a chance to win the $1,200 worth of beach goodies from Windswell Kitesurfing and Tshinta in Port Douglas.

The other good news is that Undie 500 has only been delayed by just one week until next Sunday 31st Jan.  We will advise readers the re-scheduled date for the AFL launch as soon as we know.  The only damage news we have had reported so far is that a tree came down out the back in the garden area of the Central Hotel  in the morning winds that preceeded Olga but no one was hurt.  The Combined Club was also closed again as a precautionary move because of its prominent position on the waterfront and the myriad of boats usually moored in and around the Meridien Marina were all safely moved up deeper into more sheltered end of the Dickson Inlet.

As the afternoon panned out, it became all too obvious that Olga had lost her strength in the final period before she hit land and thankfully she was only at Category 1 or less when she came through Port Douglas and the Daintree Region.  She still brought plenty of rain and some strong winds with her but nothing like the Category 2 that she originally threatened. 

The new emergency operations centre congratulated the residents of  far north Queensland for taking the correct precautions and handling the situation exactly as had been advised.