Blog # 1

I am an owner within the Wyndham Resorts empire & to use some of my pending overdue holiday credits I became very lucky to engage a 2-bed apartment at the Wyndham Port Douglas Resort 1hour drive north of the North Queensland town of Cairns around my birthday timing. To gain such bookings in Australia since COVID is like winning a lottery, so one must take these opportunities when they show as some bookings become available 13months in advance or when a rare cancellation appears. The 2-bed apartment was also in the hope I could share it with someone or my family but as you will read on, sadly this wasn’t to be.

I spent the early time after my booking confirmation for the best available flights, hiring a car which was a nightmare, costly & full of ‘traps’ from supplier contracts & some adventure tours, etc.

I left my hometown, Yamba, NSW at 4.15am to leave my car at my son’s place at Banora Point (2hrs away) for him to wake early & drive me to Varsity Lakes Train Station (Gold Coast) to board the Airport train at 6.40am (train goes directly to the Brisbane Airport Terminals) @ $23 one way. After 90mins I arrived with plenty of time to handle the terminal construction redevelopment changes now in play. No problem through security & found my favourite eatery from last time .. The Aviary. It is so much nicer than the communal fast food outlet area. Table service too, great food & coffee. 

2hr 10mins flight time to Cairns Airport via Boeing 737-800. Flew over the coastline going North & seeing a volume of popcorn looking clouds which I’ve never seen before. Saw the magic sea colours of The Whitsundays (mineral sands floating through the sea water gives out the glowing colours). Unfortunately, the photos are not doing it justice through the airplane’s porthole windows & at 36,000ft. I did the Airlie Beach/ Whitsunday stay in 2023 & the sands & water were beyond amazing. Reaching Mackay I counted 26 container & bulk ships anchored off the coast & there must be more, as the coastline was now on my western side. Must be a massive wait time to get into the port.

Not long after this I arrived at Cairns & was picked up by East Coast Car Hire shuttle bus for my MG car hire for 6days. They had the best deal & a breeze of a contract. From there I did the grocery shopping at Cairns Central (main shopping centre) but bought my fruit & vegies at nearby Ridleys (so cheap & fresh) & travelled further north (55mins) to my Ramada Wyndham Resort at Port Douglas where I settled into my apartment with great ease & had a well-earned sleep that night in of my upgraded apartment (2 Bed) of the Ramada Resort nestled in a melaleuca rainforest. Such a shame I couldn’t get anyone to come with me, so the 2nd bedroom & bathroom wasted, I guess. 

The resort has a great nature looking Central Pool off the large timber boardwalks & the restaurant/ bar is adjacent to the unique ‘nature’ pool & within the structure they have kept the natural strangling figs taking over the host trees & these puncture through the dining roof. Quite huge specimens & creates a great atmosphere. The pool area is perfect for families. From the pool there are separate lounge areas, perfect for chatting, reading or card games, etc.

By mid-morning I had a Wyndham ownership update meeting, then headed 2klms down the road to the Port Douglas CBD (Macrosson St is the main street full of all types of pubs, eateries & boutique shops). Being Sunday, the huge markets are on in the park at the end of Macrosson St, along Wharf St. 

From the markets I walked through the large park sighting the ANZAC Memorial full of wreaths from our annual commemoration of the landing of our ANZACs on 25^th April 1915 which is heavily placed in our history where our veterans went fay & beyond and gave us our lives we enjoy now. Next to the memorial is the restored Court House of yesteryear & now a museum, such a presentation of old building construction & techniques. On the southern side of the park, I came along a restored and relocated St Mary’s By the Sea Church. Again, beautifully restored but it wasn’t open this day. A cousin of mine lived her for some 30+ years & was heavily involved in raising funds to restore & relocate this wonderful community building. Next door to this church is the famous Tin Shed … a seaside tavern of sorts linked to the fishing community. They have a large deck overlooking the bay.

Leaving the Tin Shed I walked back up Wharf St to spend a bit of time at The Central Hotel for a beer or two & listening to a great guitar/ singer performer & as Aussie as they come. Great music!! After the pub I walked right along the nature thick shoreline on a nature path at the northern end of Wharf St until I took a shortcut to get me back onto the sealed road of Island Point Rd which eventually leads you to the end for the Trinity Bay Lookout. This is the highest point of Port Douglas so there is the restored signal mast for old shipping lines & the radio/ telecommunications tower.

I met a large travelling family from India looking out over the bay & then trying to get a family photo, so I jumped in to take the photo for them & not missing any family members. They were so surprised an old Aussie guy would do that for them. Surely, I can’t be the only one to do these simple but very important gestures? When I started to look out over the bay, I could see the ‘surf club’ far below with their structured swim pool area boarded off to the remaining sea & quickly spotted a large saltwater crocodile (4m, my guess) lying still just outside the border. The Indians were amazed they had not seen it & were thrilled to be shown how these crocodiles are so free & brazen. With a cheery good-bye I walked slowly back to my hire car & then headed back to my resort, now it’s quite late & time for a beer next to the pool.

Port Douglas was established in 1877 when gold was discovered & then forest logging took place. Back then, the population was around 27,000 & with 27 hotels. The population is now around 3,700 & expands to almost triple in the peak tourist season (Winter migration from southerners). This region cops the cyclones & a couple of nasty ones have devastated the region & some of the buildings in my photos took major restoration & relocating. 

Pt Douglas is 1hr drive from Cairns & both these locations are the stepping areas for The Great Barrier Reef (largest coral reef in the world) & The Daintree Rainforest (oldest rainforest in the world). Tomorrow is my birthday & I have to get up at 5.15am to meet my pre-booked Waterfall Tour in Cairns towards Karanda & South, expecting it to be an extra special day so I’ll end my 1^st blog here & many thanks for reading them. Pls stay happy, healthy & safe.