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THE SUSTAINABILITY PROMISE

WORDS by Tanya Snelling
ort Douglas and Daintree is Protestors tried to stop the machines in champions, primary producers, restaurateurs,
more than just a destination their tracks – literally – and in August 1984, educators, community leaders and public
widely admired for its outstanding the famous Daintree Blockade came to a servants,” Tara said.
Pnatural beauty, rich Indigenous head. Though their protests didn’t stop “Our shared vision to build a strong, culturally
cultural connections, diverse and ancient the road from being cleared, they did inclusive, sustainable community continues
ecosystems, and the Great Barrier Reef. bring enormous attention to the Daintree to gather momentum. Different sectors have
It is a place green at heart, sharing a first nationally and then internationally, a role to play and we are seeing examples
collective vision across industry, business, ultimately leading to its salvation when in of this from urban planning and design
government and community, to ensure its 1988 it was declared a sanctuary under the within local government to educators
continued legacy as Australia’s first ECO protection of World Heritage Area status. celebrating Yalanji culture and language in
Certified Destination. Tara Bennett, chief executive officer of local schools.” Tara says you only have to
The Douglas Shire’s sustainability story Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, says look out the window to see no building in
began in 1983 with one of the largest while the Daintree Rainforest, Wet Tropics Port Douglas is higher than the tallest palm
environmental protests ever seen in World Heritage Area, and the adjoining tree (three stories), interpretive signage
Australia. While progress was seen with the Great Barrier Reef are today universally throughout the region that recognises and
establishment of dairying, timber and other acknowledged as stunningly beautiful, pays homage to the traditional KuKu Yalanji
agricultural industries in the 1960s around scientifically significant and culturally language and, in a Queensland first, the
the communities of Port Douglas and important, with that comes responsibility. Douglas Shire Council adopted a Coastal
Mossman, the northern bank of the Daintree “Today our eco-warriors look a little different. Resilience Strategy to better manage and
River and beyond was largely an untouched They are successful entrepreneurial tourism understand environmental impacts on the
frontier, that is, until the bulldozers arrived. businesses, both large and small, cultural coastline.

34 Port Douglas Travel Planner