By Pam Willis Burden

A large crowd of over 70 watched MP Hon. Leeanne Enoch, Minister for Science and Innovation, together with our Mayor Julia Leu, lift the old Douglas Shire flag to reveal the new touchscreen computers at Douglas Historical Society's launch of their Douglas Diggers project on Tuesday.

Many of the crowd had ancestors mentioned in the project including Dick Coulthard who attended with his daughter Karen, Sev Andreassen with daughter Leanne, and Bill Collie with his wife Heather. 

Norm O’Donoghue and his daughter Lyn are related to Private Taylor and Ethel Cras is the granddaughter of Norman Baird.

Project Manager Ken Keith had images projected on the large Council room screen to demonstrate how the touchscreen operates. 

Technical manager Mike Stent of uTouch Technologies, Manunda was also present and he and Society President Noel Weare made sure everything was working well.

The afternoon began with a smoking ceremony by Kibbiwarra elders and was followed by a Welcome to Country by Alfie Diamond.

After the launch, the crowd enjoyed afternoon tea in the foyer and many were keen to try out the computers and find their own Diggers.

The touchscreen will be in the Council foyer until the end of April for the community to access, and on Anzac Day there will be a touchscreen in the Court House Museum after the March in Port Douglas.