by Mat Churchill

It's official…almost…Port Douglas is likely to be a prime location for at least some of Oprah Winfrey's 300 guests to base themselves in order to experience the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree rainforest.


It has been reported that Federal Tourism Minister confirmed that at least some of the audience members will be come to our region, but it is still not certain whether the lady herself will come with them.


"They will travel to some of Australia's most stunning locations in regional and remote Australia including the Barrier Reef, the Daintree, Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, Uluru, the Blue Mountains, and the Hunter, Margaret River, Yarra and Barossa Valleys...," he said.

Jeff Gillies, Tourism Queensland's Director of the Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef, is awaiting an announcement from Tourism Australia to confirm the arrival.

"There has been some movement (on the finalising of the itinerary). The protocol in terms of this announcement is Tourism Australia will give the official statement."

Oprah's guests arrived in Australia yesterday in preparation for their Ultimate Australian Adventure and the talk show Queen will fly in today.

Her day time talk show averages over 6 million viewers each day in the US alone. It is expected her three Australian shows will be broadcast the world over.

Tourism Australia anticipates the publicity generated from these shows will provide a fillip for an ailing tourism industry.