Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

The prospect of an aquatic park becoming a reality in Port Douglas continues to haunt Council’s corridors of power and frustrate residents and visitors alike.

And Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr has chosen to highlight the proposed Port Douglas Splash Park and Water Precinct in a Mayoral Minute in the final Open Session of Council this year in Council Chambers, Mossman on Tuesday (10:00am).

Headlined: Reversal of motion 6.2 Port Douglas Splash Park and Water Precinct, the mayoral minute reads:
“As per section 262 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, I gave notice to Councillors on December 6 2021 of my intention to propose the repeal of motion 6.2: Port Douglas Splash Park and Water Precinct from the Ordinary Council meeting of November 30 2021, which stated:

“That Council:
1. Consults with the community for the location of the Port Douglas Splash Park and Water Precinct;
2. The final location of the precinct is decided by council resolution;
3. A business case and cost benefit analysis are conducted on the proposed 50m lap pool and an alternative lagoon style pool;
4. The business case and cost benefit analysis, for both options, are brought to a council meeting to be publicly discussed and noted.”

Kerr’s motion

Mayor Kerr will be putting forward the following motion as part of his Mayoral Minute.
“That Council:
1. Consults the community with the completed concept design including location and facilities that would be provided;
2. Brings back to council the consultation, full costings, and a cost analysis of the proposed staged Aquatic precinct;
3. The final approval will be decided by council resolution.”

Carnivale 2022

Douglas Shire Councillors will get the opportunity to endorse the draft program for Carnivale 2022.
The draft program has been developed based around the three foundation activities of Street Parade, Family Beach Day and Tropic Rock concert.

It is expected that a number of additional third-party events and attractions will be included in the festival program to build a depth and greater appeal to locals and visitors. Once finalised these will be included as part of the overall Carnivale program and promoted via the Carnivale website.

Carnivale has been a part of Port Douglas’ events scene since 1994 and was managed over that time by community and industry groups. Council acquired the responsibility for hosting and managing the event in 2016 which it outsourced in 2016 and 2017. The 2018, 2019 and 2021 events were managed directly by Council.

The primary objectives of Carnivale:

a) To host a ‘core’ three-day festival celebrating the ‘essence’ of Port Douglas that also includes additional venues and activities under the Carnivale banner hosted by third parties;
b) To deliver a simple event program that ties in with the Spiegel tent activities over 10 days; and
c) To present the Carnivale as a destination marketing activity to attract increased visitation and overnight stays.

Proposed draft program:

Festival Theme: Tropical Wonderland (All events are hosted and managed by third parties except where indicated)

Friday 13 May 2022 – Sunday 22 May 2022 Spiegeltent at Dixie Park – Ticketed event 7pm to 10:30 pm

Saturday 14 May 2022 Carnivale Carnage Wrestling – Ticketed event Oaks resort Skate Board Comp – Free event Port Douglas Sports Complex Douglas Photographic Exhibition – Free event Port Douglas Community Hall

Sunday 15 May 2022 Paws and Claws Gala Luncheon – Ticketed event Zinc Restaurant

Wednesday 18 May 2022 Tin Shed Presents – Ticketed event The Tin Shed Food or Art –at the Sugar Wharf

Thursday 19 May 2022 Carnivale’s Got Talent – Free event

Friday 20 May 2022 Longest Lunch at Rex Smeal Park – Ticketed event 11.30am to 5pm Macrossan Street Parade – Free event 5.30pm to 8pm (Council run event) Fireworks to Finish At end of parade – approx. 8pm (Council run event) Hot & Steamy Carnivale Party – Ticketed Event – Free event (incorporating Sugar Wharf projections) 8pm to Midnight Market Park / Sugar Wharf

Saturday 21 May 2022 Family Beach Day, Four Mile Beach – Free family event 10am to 3pm (Low tide 2:58 pm) Includes: Dream state entertainment Acro workshops Theatre / performance Salsa in the Sand 1 pm SandCastle competition 10am to 2pm Kite flying 11am to 3pm Street Dance class with Bodies in Motion 2:30pm Skydiving display Treasure Hunt / tug of war (Council run event) Saturday Surfside Sesh 3pm to 6pm Port Douglas 

Surf Lifesaving Club Free family entertainment Tropic Rock, Rex Smeal Park – Ticketed event Support Acts 6:00pm to 11.00pm Includes: Licenced event Food outlets Refreshment outlets (Council run event) POP UP ART – Free Event Sugar Wharf

Sunday 22 May 2022 Seafood Extravaganza – Free event Picnic in the Park – Free event POP UP ART – Free Event Sugar Wharf
(This is a draft proposal ONLY. Events could be added or removed from the program as production progresses).

Australia Day Awards

Douglas Shire Council's Australia Day Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday January 26, 2022 (10:00am) at the Port Douglas Community Hall.

Douglas Shire Council’s Australia Day Award categories are:
a) Citizen of the Year recognising outstanding members of the community for their personal endeavours, achievements and community involvement.
b) Young Citizen of the Year (Aged 25 years or under at 26 January 2022) recognising young citizens for their personal endeavours, achievements and community involvement.
c) Volunteer of the Year recognising members of the community of any age making significant and lasting contributions to the social, recreational, environmental and economic quality of life in the community through their endeavours on behalf of individuals, organisations, charities, service groups, clubs, churches, sporting groups, health or youth.
d) Arts and Cultural Award recognises members of the community of any age making significant and lasting contributions to arts and culture in the community.
e) Environmental Achievement Award recognises members of the community of any age making significant and lasting contributions to the environment.
f) Senior Sports Award recognises sports people for their personal endeavours and achievements in their sporting code.
g) Junior Sports Award (Aged 18 years or under at 26 January 2022) recognises young sports people for their personal endeavours and achievements in their sporting code.
Councillors will note and endorse the Australia Day Awards awarded recipients in line with the Douglas Shire Australia Day Award Guidelines.

Agenda

3.1 Mayoral Minute – Late Item
5.1 Biosecurity Plan and Surveillance Program 2022-2026
5.2 Naming of Unnamed Road off Mossman Gorge Road, Mossman
5.3 Combined application for a boundary realignment and a change to an existing approval for a material change of use at 23-25 Macrossan Street and 20 Warner Street Port Douglas
5.4 Reconfiguration of a Lot, Captain Cook Highway Craiglie, Stage 2 New Port Estate
5.5 Carnivale 2022 Proposed Program and Contractual Arrangements
5.6 Australia Day Awards 2022
5.7 Financial Report November 2021

The meeting will be live-streamed online and can be accessed by clicking here.

More information: here