'Proclamation of Port Douglas' unveiled
HISTORICAL PORT
THE 140th anniversary of Port Douglas was celebrated today when the Douglas Shire Historical Society unveiled a sign detailing the “Proclamation of Port Douglas” at the iconic Teamsters Park, in Craiglie on the Captain Cook Highway.
Port Douglas was proclaimed as an official port of entry for the levy of dutiable goods on December 1, 1877.
Douglas Shire Mayor Julia Leu said the shire has such a rich and unique history and this is a fantastic opportunity to tap into that.
“Craiglie was a centre for wagon-load transfer, where hundreds of bullocks and horses were based, and played a pivotal role in driving the Port Douglas economy in the early settlement era,” she said.
Melbourne-born explorer Christie Palmerston discovered the route from the Hodgkinson Goldfield to the coast and leading down the Mowbray Valley. This route is known as the “Bump Track”.
Craiglie was originally known as Four Mile and served as a good base for animals, such as horses and cattle, due to the pasture available. In its prime, the town had three hotels, a store, a bakery, a butcher, a blacksmith and a saddler.
Douglas Shire Historical Society Executive Committee Member Noel Weare said entrepreneurial merchants set up shop on what was then known as Island Point and quickly built private wharves at Dickson Inlet.
“This sparked a rush by packers and teamsters who mainly travelled from Cairns to desert the use of the packhorse track over the range from Smithfield, which was not suitable for transporting heavy mining equipment,” he said.
“A loss of trade at the Port of Cairns meant the Government experienced reduced customs duties while no duties were collected at Island Point.”
Port Douglas was named after the then Queensland Premier John Douglas.
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