Port Douglas and Palm Cove in style – and on a budget

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY SHERIDEN RHODES

Mirage Marine Resort, Port Douglas
Photolibrary/Roel Loopers

 

Tropical North Queensland’s Port Douglas and Palm Cove are synonymous with all things chic these days: flash resorts, restaurants, designer boutiques and acres of manicured golf courses. It wasn’t always the case: until the developers zeroed in, Port Douglas was a sleepy fishing village, and its fashionable younger sister Palm Cove was a quiet beachside hamlet. These days, “Port” and “Palm”, as the locals call them, tend to conjure up images of white linen–clad, platinum credit card– carrying visitors – but if you scratch beneath the surface, there’s still a lowkey, affordable side to these slices of tropical heaven. We’ve discovered you can holiday in style, without the hefty price tag.

On the road

Horseriding on the beach, Cape
Tribulation
Tourism Queensland/Peter Lik After landing in Cairns, grab a hire car or the Sun Palm Express Shuttle (tel: +61 (7) 4084 2626) and head to Port Douglas along one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world, the Captain Cook Highway, overlooking the sapphire waters of the Coral Sea. Port’s a one-hour drive north. Stop at Rex’s Lookout and Yule Point for panoramic views of lovely, deserted beaches: the wonderful Wangetti Beach, Alice Beach and Oak Beach are favourites with locals for their pristine beauty, and surprisingly, haven’t yet appeared on the tourist radar. And north Queensland is the only place on earth with two World Heritage– listed jewels cheek by jowl: the Great Barrier Reef on one side and the lush green rainforests of the Daintree and Cape Tribulation on the other.

Port Douglas

Sunset at Port Douglas
Photo: Tourism Queensland/Peter Lik

The main drag in Port Douglas is Macrossan Street, home to swish boutiques and restaurants, hip bars and some impressive galleries. Shop at Tshinta (26 Macrossan St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 5886) for Seafolly swimwear, resortwear and bargains like AU$12 sarongs, or try Splish Splash (12 Grant St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 4484), which often has last season’s cossies on sale. Pick up cheap summer dresses and kaftans at The G Spot (1/42 Macrossan St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 4669), then stop in at the Whileaway Café and Bookstore (43 Macrossan St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 4066) – it’s the spot for a latte, with probably the best coffee in town.

kill time at the Whileaway
Cafe and BookstoreIf you’re in need of something more substantial, there are lots of options. Try the retro-style Michaelangelo’s Place (26 Macrossan St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 4663) for traditional Italian pizzas, or trendy Bistro 3 (cnr Macrossan and Wharf sts, tel: +61 (7) 4099 6100) for wood-fired pizzas and tapas. The Court House Hotel across the road (tel: +61 (7) 4099 5181) is the pick of the pubs. A classic “Queenslander” built in 1878, its wide, shady verandas overlook parklands and Dickson Inlet. Get a box of the fresh tiger prawns with lime aïoli and crusty bread for AU$18.50, or opt for the “Courty Ham Sanga” – leg ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard pickle relish on

Turkish bread with fries for just AU$9.90. Upstairs, cap off an afternoon with an ice-cold XXXX beer and watch the tropical sun set from the Sunset Lounge’s veranda.

For great fish and chips, follow the locals’ lead to Four Mile Seafood (4/1 Barrier St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 3352) just outside the main township, a stone’s throw from Four Mile Beach. Tshinta’s Annetta Tantanis lists eating takeaway fish and chips in Stinger Park or a hamburger from Beaches Café (tel: +61 (7) 4099 4998) on the Esplanade as two of her favourite things to do. “You’ve also got to have breakfast at Fresq (cnr Grant and Macrossan sts, tel: +61 (7) 4099 6111) – they have the best bacon in town. And make sure you stroll around the Sunday markets for local jewellery and handmade gifts.”

tuck into the tiger
prawns at The Court
House HotelThe Beach Shack (29 Barrier St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 1100) is another casual local hang-out. Crunch over the sand-covered restaurant floor to tuck into tasty pizzas and affordable meals, and then take a leisurely stroll on more sand in the form of Four Mile Beach with its picture-postcard palm trees. For something a bit more upmarket, try 2 Fish (7/20 Wharf St, tel: +61 (7) 4099 6350), which has fantastic daily-catch specials and scrumptious tempura-battered reef fish and chips with fresh coconut pickle and garlic mayo for AU$20.90.

The local bus service, Sun Palm (tel: +61 (7) 4084 2626), will shuttle you between resorts, outer residential areas and town all day for just AU$3 a trip.

Palm Cove

Affordable tucker at
Pete’s PlaceHeading south back towards Cairns, the charming seaside village of Palm Cove feels a little like Noosa twenty years ago. Ancient melaleuca trees line Williams Esplanade, and coconut palms front the entire length of the golden-sand beach. While Palm’s a sought-after destination these days, there’s still plenty for families and those on a budget to do.

Affordable meals can be had at Pete’s Place (73 Williams Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4055 3088) and Cocky’s at the Cove (121 Williams Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4059 1691), while the Cairns Surf Club (135 Williams Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4059 1244) serves up hearty steak and pasta dishes. For smoothies, ice cream and fresh juices, try Castro’s (Shop 8b, 47 Williams Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4059 2600), while the best coffee is at Nu Nu’s (123 Williams Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4059 1880) – arguably also Palm Cove’s best restaurant, and open for lazy brekkies every day. Alternatively, grab some food from the local grocery store for an impromptu picnic or a free-to-use barbecue on the beach.

Have a dip in a hybrid
poolDangling a line off the pier at sunset is another magical – and cheap – experience. Bait is available from most general stores and petrol stations, or try Cairns Tackle World (172 Aumuller St, Bungalow, tel: +61 (7) 4031 4040).

Palm Cove is serviced by Sunbus (tel: +61 (7) 4057 7411) from Cairns through the day. Catch the Sunbus to nearby Trinity Beach: the 30-minute ride is worth it! While you’re there, order a pizza at L’Unico (75 Vasey Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4057 8855) for a quick bite, or get a sit-down meal at the Trinity Beach Tavern. BYO at Atlantis (47 Vasey Esp, tel: +61 (7) 4057 8550) is another local gem; owner Leigh Sykes serves up modern seafood dishes at down-to-earth prices in a lovely setting facing the Coral Sea.

The Reef

For a great family day out to the Barrier Reef, try a Quicksilver cruise (+61 (7) 4087 2100) at AU$186 for adults, AU$93 for children. Silver Series Sonic, also operated by Quicksilver, offers diving and snorkelling at three sites in the outer reef from AU$153 per adult. Ragamuffin, skippered by Pete Mitchell (tel: +61 (415) 874 202), offers trips to the Low Isles Reef for snorkelling and a seafood and barbecue lunch, for AU$135 all-inclusive; there are also romantic sunset cruises every Wednesday night from 5pm for AU$25. All tours depart from Port Douglas Marina Mirage.

The Rainforest

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Tourism Queensland/Barry Goodwin

While you’re in the area, turn your back on the sea for a day and drive yourself to the Daintree Rainforest: head north to Mossman and follow the signs to the Daintree River, where a ferry crossing will take you into the rainforest. If you’d rather do a tour, there are a number of companies – Coral Coaches (tel: +61 (7) 4031 7577) is the best bet for those on a strict budget. A wonderful rainforest experience can also be had with Kuranda Scenic Railway (tel: +61 (7) 4036 9333) and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway (tel: +61 (7) 4038 1555).

Sheriden Rhodes says
Before I visited Port Douglas and Palm Cove, I imagined it to be an expensive destination with tourists walking around in jewels, designer sunnies and white linen. I guess you could say I was pleasantly surprised: Port and Palm have some of the friendliest locals; they’re willing to share their insider tips and point you in the right direction. I heard that if you turn up at the Port Douglas Yacht Club at 4pm any Wednesday, you can get a free trip out to the Low Isles on one of the member’s yachts – all you have to do is buy them a six-pack of beer! Now that sounds like a pretty good deal to me!