Page 32 - Port Douglas Magazine 29

Port Douglas in 1982 when Tony first arrived in town

“Always concentrate on the deal. If you don’t you’re doomed to
a lot of disappointments. That’s how to deal with the stress. It’s
people who make their own stress, not the business”.

Tony, ever the shrewd operator, realised that there might just be something organisation had not considered expansion this far north. Tony laid out his
in this transition because the now infamous Christopher Skase (Quintex) was plans and Hookers Queensland boss Graham Cooke approved a Port Douglas
getting quite a reputation in the real estate market with his ambitious plans office.
for the Sheraton Mirage Hotel and Resort here in Port Douglas. And Tony The rest, as they say, is history with Port Douglas going into a golden era on
took the whole opportunity on board in 1986. the back of Christopher Skase’s Sheraton Mirage development until the pilots’
The McGraths came up for the usual holiday in mid 1986. Tony decided that strike in about 1990 struck and crippled the soaring market. This was the first
the first week would be spent in Port Douglas to see whether the transition big downturn in the new Port Douglas . Those who hung in were rewarded
plan made sense. As they drove into town the earthmoving equipment was by a gradual upward market recovery until along came the GFC of 2006/7.
reshaping the Mirage site - it had become a reality. He visited most agents To be fair, as Tony mentioned, there was a deciding factor that helped make
in town to see if anyone would employ him because he really didn’t want his decision to move to Port. He was an hour outside Sydney, returning to
to start a new business as he had done in Toronto. Within 24 hours he Toronto, when an air hostess came to his seat and said there was a telephone
concluded it would be easier to start by buying an established operation. He message for him. She said that his Newcastle property manager Murray
met the legendary Sno Morrish and purchased his fledgling business with a would pick him up at Sydney airport. Tony was bewildered by the message
view to branding it L J Hooker. Within a few months of the family moving because, although it was very nice that Murray was going to meet him, he
here in December 1986, he had expanded the Hooker office into a new wasn’t sure that it was so important as to contact a plane mid flight to advise
development in Douglas Manor on Macrossan Street. him or how it could happen.
He had contacted LJ Hooker franchise boss, Barry Ryan, to see if they would He was rightly suspicious of the urgency of the message when Murray finally
grant him permission to expand their franchise region into Port Douglas. got up the courage to tell Tony that while they had been away their house had
Ryan replied, “Port where? that’s in South Australia isn’t it?”. It was difficult caught fire, and there was extensive damage. As Tony reminisces, “I guess fate
to believe that Ryan didn’t even know where Port Douglas was but the took it’s hand. Everyone was safe so I consolidated the move.”

34 tourismportdouglas.com.au