Author: Tegan

Port Douglas made simple: Everything you need to know

Since coming back from Cairns and Port Douglas I’m a bit of a convert. Those windy roads hugging slivers of sand, rocky pools and yes – the cliched-but-real – turquoise seas with the forest creeping down to it. There’s lots to do and it can get busy, so here’s what to know when planning a trip with the family.

When to visit

Port Douglas is one of the go-to Queensland destinations, particularly for those down South escaping the cold, making peak season during the dry from June to October. The family and I went in August and it did seem like everyone in Melbourne was also there but according to one boutique employee, ‘avoid the September school holidays’. August seemed to be a sweet spot with consistent 26 to 27 degree days.

Getting around and where to stay

We flew into Cairns and decided to hire a car to make life easier with a kid and allow us more freedom to do some exploring further afield. You can get a transfer straight from the airport to Port Douglas though and if you’re planning just to chill by the pool and beach then it’s as easy option.

We spent one night in a resort for a bit of luxury but really, for us – two adults and one pre-schooler, a cabin in the Big4 Port Douglas Glengarry Holiday Park was actually more comfortable and suited our needs better. It’s a bit outside the town but with a car that wasn’t a problem.

Book everything – no, really

Before heading up there I did get an email from one of our accommodation providers saying things were a bit busy in Port Douglas post COVID lockdowns and lots of places were experiencing staff shortages so it was advised to book ahead.

I did not take that as seriously as I should have because once there you realise that staff shortages and high demand make booking a necessity. Luckily there are plenty of hole-in-the-wall coffee places to at least get you a coffee with Sparrow Coffee serving a rare cold brew. The Whileaway Bookshop and Cafe does a brisk trade in hot drinks and cake surrounded by a great selection of books. There are also two pubs at the end of the main strip (Macrossan Street) that are your best bet to get a meal if you didn’t get around to booking.

Food with a view

If you can book ahead there are some great options offering gorgeous tropic views. Housed in a train carriage, Choo Choos at the Marina is a unique setting for a light lunch, while Hemingway’s Brewery is a safe bet for dinner and sunset viewing. St Crispins is a lovely brunch spot on the water with a view to the Daintree Ranges – and even some friendly crocodiles as dining companions.

And although not technically in Port Douglas, I would highly recommend booking lunch at NuNu in Palm Cove either on the way to Port Douglas or the way back, it’s a must-do stopover. The restaurant is a little fancy but not pretentious, and has a comprehensive kids menu with a hearty Bolognese. It’s relaxed, the service is great and the food is delicious.

It’s worth going beyond Mossman Gorge

Visiting Mossman Gorge is an easy morning or day trip, about 20 minutes drive from Port Douglas. From the visitor centre you get a bus up to the Gorge, and then you can spend some time in the shallow waters of the Gorge itself, and walk the loop around.

If you can, plan another day exploring the Daintree Rainforest – the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people have taken back formal ownership of the world heritage-listed rainforest in recent years.

The trip up and the ferry across (plan to go early) is worth it alone for the lush vegetation and Jurassic forests. Stop at the Daintree Discovery Centre and enjoy the view from the tree top platform.

Driving through is an interesting experience – there are lots of houses nestled back off the road, obscured by the forest. It’s home to many residents who live there off grid.

Oh, and spend a minute in Cairns

Many visitors to Port Douglas head straight there as soon as they land at the airport in Cairns, but it is worth spending a night or two here as well. While you might not be able to dip your toes in the sea for fear of crocs, you can instead hang out along the beautiful esplanade which includes playgrounds, cafes, volleyball courts, waterplay and a fantastic man-made lagoon.

Add in the aquarium, a boat cruise out on the reef and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, and you’ve got plenty to fill a few days.

June 13, 2023
Want to reduce food waste? Foraging is your friend

The ABC’s War on Waste program has been stirring up a lot of debate about our plastic waste and the sheer amount of food we’re discarding on a daily basis. And it’s a good thing.

Being confronted by the statistics on how many plastic toothbrushes end up on this tiny island in the Pacific Ocean has made me vow to buy a bamboo one instead.

But being green or waste wise doesn’t just have to be for those living in the inner city. Reusing and choosing second hand are options for us all.

I’m all about second hand clothes, furniture and anything else that’s still serviceable. Thanks to the generosity of friends and family we have managed to gather most of our baby needs for our impending arrival without actually having to go into a store with the words ‘bunting’ in it.

Some people like to have brand new things and that’s fine – but when you see how much stuff is out there already – and in good nick – then it seems a waste not to give it a second (or third) life.

It’s the same when it comes to food. The idea of dumpster diving might not be everyone’s thing, but don’t discount the food that is hanging overhead or growing in the verges near your home.

One of my favourite hobbies is to scour my neighbourhood for verge-side figs and overhanging lemons.

Passionfruit is another exciting find. I’d never seen passionfruit growing before I moved to my suburb and I love their exotic looking flowers and greenish purple fruit.

I never buy figs but when I forage a bounty during the summer months I eat them fresh, roast them up with mascarpone and honey, or use the runt of the litter in a cake.

Quinces, crab apples and oranges can be the bright spots outside of the warmer months and don’t overlook herbs – keep a look out for bushes of hardy rosemary, mint or parsley peaking through a fence or growing wild in a verge. A few springs won’t be missed.

I’ve yet to experiment with foraging weeds, mushrooms and the like, but hope to branch out after doing a tour first like this one, or taking a look at the indigenous foods that are right under our noses.

If you’re after a more organised foraging experience, check out The Growing Abundance Project in Castlemaine, Victoria where volunteers get a third of the fruit picked during a harvest of an orchard, with the rest going to the tree owner and community organisations.

The Project is currently running a crowd-sourcing campaign to help purchase equipment for their café, The Local. This café is all about growing and eating healthy local food, harvesting from orchards and backyards and growing the local food economy. You’ll be supporting them safe in the knowledge that 100% of profits go back into supporting the Harvest program and other ethical food initiatives.

There’s still time to pitch in if you’re keen to support a local initiative doing some sustainable and tasty things.

Apples anyone? Head along to an orchard harvest with The Growing Abundance Project. Photo: Annie Spratt.

June 1, 2017
If you visit one place in Italy for the food, make it Florence

It’s not hard to see why Florence is a fav destination for many. The place is romantic, filled with history and culture, and also serves up some of Italy’s best food. But you can all too easily fall into the trap of overspending on sub-standard fare if you stick to the haunts around the Piazza del Duomo. Instead, join the locals here:

Florence offers an abundance of deliciousness.

Mario’s

Only open for lunch, this small restaurant offers mouth-watering and satisfying meals that’ll have you salivating for days. Arrive at 11.45am so you can get a table and peruse the menu outside. You can practice your patchy Italian here but all you pretty much need to know is that you’ll get the ravioli and ribollita for starters. And then choose your meat options for the main – a large, juicy, salt-and-butter crusted pork chop, or if you dare, share the city’s famed T-bone steak between two. Order a side, throw in a glass of Chianti for a few euros and that’s your breakfast, lunch and dinner sorted.

Florence’s Subway.

All’Antico Vinaio

Florence’s answer to Subway but about 10 times better. Be prepared for a fast-moving line and know what you want. Choose from the list, or create your own such as prosciutto, sheep’s cheese, eggplant, tomato and tapenade. Squished between slides of warm crusty focaccia bread, these 5 Euro babies will keep you full for hours. Best eaten with a bottle of Chianti poured into plastic cups sitting in the gutter – or for somewhere more classy, take away down to the River Arno.

Central Market

You really could eat every meal here. From 10am start the day with an espresso and a sweet flaky (and cheap!) Italian pastry. Then buy the makings of a picnic lunch – but be warned it may take you a few hours to peruse all the cheese on offer. Add some prosciutto, tomato tasting tomatoes, blood red oranges and some biscotti for afterwards. Still hungry later on? Head upstairs to the large food court with offerings such as fried and grilled seafood, burgers, more T-bone steak, pasta, pizza, and so much more. Grab a beverage from one of the bars and happily feed your face while you people watch.

Vivoli

You can’t visit Italy and not eat gelato. There’s no shortage of gelatarias in Florence, full of mouth-watering mounds of gelato but why not go to the best and original? It’s worth seeking out for the pear and cameral, bacio, mango… well pretty much every flavour under the hot Tuscan sun.

Where have you eaten in Florence? Any recommendations?

July 16, 2016