Art in the Tropics

The Artists Putting Port Douglas on the Map

Words by Maura Mancini

For more info about Port Douglas Artist Inc. click here.

In Port Douglas natural light shapes everything. It moves across the Coral Sea, filters through rainforest canopies, and changes dramatically with the seasons. Its shifting moods, deep and lush in the wet, crisp and defined in the dry fuel the creativity of local artists and is a key source of inspiration.

Long known as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas is quietly carving out a reputation as a hub for vibrant artistic practice.

Increasingly, work produced in this small coastal town is being seen well beyond Far North Queensland, with artists exhibiting across Australia and internationally.

At the centre of this growing momentum is Port Douglas Artists Inc. (PDA), a volunteer-run, not-for-profit association established in 2015. Representing artists across the Douglas Shire, the group encompasses a broad range of practices, from painting and printmaking to sculpture, textiles and digital media, supporting both emerging and established artists.

When I caught up with artist Chrissie McLaughlin over a cool drink, a long-term member and advocate within PDA, she described the organisation’s evolution as gradual but significant.

“I’ve seen it grow over the years,” she said. “There’s always been creativity here, but now there’s more structure, more opportunities, and more visibility for artists working in the region.” Annual group curated shows have raised the professional level as a group and as individuals in all facets of art practice.

McLaughlin’s own practice distils the essence of the surrounding environment rather than depicting it directly. Mangrove systems, coastal edges, and rainforest interiors are translated into layered compositions, where veils of pigment and gestural marks suggest rather than describe.

Years of plein air painting between Cape Tribulation and Port Douglas inform her work, which is resolved in the studio into contemplative forms. Represented in local resorts and private collections worldwide, her paintings bring the subtleties of the tropics to audiences far beyond the region.

Balancing her practice with her role as PDA secretary, McLaughlin highlights the breadth of artistic styles emerging locally and the increasing profile of these artists. “There’s a real mix now, painters, weavers, ceramicists, print maker, photographers, people working across different mediums,” she said. “And they’re not just showing locally anymore.”

Chrissie Mclauglin Cape - Photo credit Laini Eckardt

This shift is evident in members’ recent achievements. Janet Morris exhibited along Portobello Road in London, bringing a slice of Far North Queensland to an iconic international art precinct. Sam Mathews received the Flying Arts Queensland Remote Award, with exhibitions in Brisbane and Bundaberg, a milestone for artists working outside metropolitan centres.

Closer to home, the relationship with Cairns’ key art institutions continue to provide a pathway for regional artists to engage with broader audiences, strengthening links between local practice and the wider arts sector. Exhibitions at NorthSite Contemporary Arts feature PDA artists regularly, including more recently Gabrielle Cooney’s Fish Eye, her sell out show which opened the 2026 program. Her work explores through a collection of ceramic Fish Eyes, adding another dimension to how the tropics are interpreted by artists in the region.

Tim Ellis’ work, first exhibited at the Cairns Art Gallery, presents a cinematic perspective shaped by his background in film and television. His paintings capture fleeting, everyday moments from life in Far North Queensland, combining hyper-real detail with elements of staging and narrative. Extending beyond painting, his practice incorporates video and digital projection, adding a temporal dimension to these scenes. Following its Cairns presentation, Glimpses has toured to Atherton and Townsville, highlighting the strength and diversity of artists emerging from the region.

This May, the Affordable Art Fair in Brisbane will showcase the work of several Port Douglas artists, including Jacquline Joosen, Perrin Clarke, Donna Ward, and Chrissie McLaughlin. Clarke is recognised for his highly resolved acrylic prints, capturing both the sweeping landscapes of North Queensland and meticulously composed still-life scenes with technical precision and a strong sense of place. Joosen brings an intuitive approach to the landscape, developing abstract compositions through layered mark-making and colour that balance spontaneity with structure. Ward and McLaughlin contribute further depth, reflecting the diversity and creativity of the Port Douglas arts community. The fair provides an important commercial platform connecting artists directly with collectors and curators.

Back in Port Douglas, May is a key moment on the calendar. From 18th to 25th May, the much-loved GO TROPPO exhibition returns to the historic Sugar Wharf. Known for its relaxed, salon-style format, the show brings together a diverse mix of artists and mediums, offering visitors an accessible entry point into the local art scene.

“It’s a real reflection of the group,” McLaughlin said. “You see a bit of everything, different styles, different approaches, but all connected to this place.”

Unlike urban art centres, where trends can shift rapidly, Port Douglas offers something slower, more grounded. Artists here are shaped by seasonality, by isolation, by the rhythms of weather and landscape. The wet season, in particular, leaves its mark, transforming colour, light and mood in ways that find their way onto canvas.

This connection to environment runs through the work of many PDA members. For some, it’s about coastal landscapes and plein air painting, capturing the immediacy of place through ceramic’s, weaving, oil, acrylic or watercolour. For others, it’s about exploring less conventional perspectives, such as drone photography, where aerial views reveal unexpected patterns and contrasts between reef and rainforest.

Across the group, there’s also a strong diversity of ideas and approaches. Some artists work with clay, mosaics and plants, drawing on themes of nature, solitude and a mindful relationship with the environment, embracing the idea that we are part of a larger ecological system and should “tread lightly.” Others explore more conceptual territory, using abstraction to investigate contrasts such as negatives and positives, fragmentation and disruption, often creating visually striking works that also invite deeper reflection.

Supporting this broader visibility is Art in Transit, an online platform showcasing Far North Queensland artists. Featuring both established and contemporary practitioners, including Ray Crooke, Tania Heben and Diana Crooke, it connects regional work with a wider audience of collectors and curators.

A new initiative, PDA Studio Visits, will soon invite visitors into working studios across Port Douglas, offering a rare glimpse into the creative process. Together with the upcoming Art Trails Port Douglas, it marks a shift toward more immersive cultural experiences, where art is not just seen, but encountered where it’s made. This connection to place continues to define the work.

Looking ahead, Chrissie McLaughlin sees potential for further growth, including the possibility of a dedicated contemporary gallery in Port Douglas, one that could support artists long-term and contribute to a lasting cultural presence.

For now, that momentum is being built collectively. Through exhibitions, awards, touring shows and independent platforms, Port Douglas artists are steadily extending their reach.