Michael Warren

Journalist

Douglas Shire Council has unequivocally thrown its support behind growing calls to beautify a key local entrance point “that’s fitting for a world class tourist town” like Port Douglas.

For years tourists and visitors alike that arrive from Cairns or north from Mossman have passed or driven around the non-descript, bleak roundabout, that’s situated on the corner points of the Captain Cook Highway and Port Douglas Road.

Traffic entering Port Douglas Road do so quite underwhelmingly and without a genuinely meaningful entrance point that encapsulates the essence and beauty of our region.

“A major safety upgrade of the Port Douglas Rd-Captain Cook Highway intersection including a new roundabout was completed in 2014,” Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr told Newsport.

“The Captain Cook Highway and Port Douglas Road intersection is controlled by the State Government and at the time, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) committed $100,000 towards landscaping at the intersection.

“While there was a high community expectation about the project providing a unique entrance statement for Port Douglas, the safety criteria imposed by TMR placed major limitations on what could be achieved at the roundabout."

“I strongly support the community’s wishes to ask the State Government to look at this project again and create an entrance fitting for a world-class tourism town.”

The State Government said any demand for the beautification of the roundabout would have to meet serious safety standards.

“Landscaping on the roundabout at the intersection of Captain Cook Highway and Port Douglas Road was designed and installed by Cairns Regional Council,” a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson revealed to Newsport.

“We would consider any proposal from Douglas Shire Council to beautify the roundabout, in line with our safety guidelines."