Douglas Shire Ecotourism Destination

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  Kuku Yalanji & Yirrganydji people

  The Traditional Owners of the land, the Kuku Yalanji  and Yirrganydji people have inhabited and cared for this ancient landscape for thousands of years.

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  1770 - Captain Cook names Cape Tribulation

  On 10 June 1770 Captain James Cook's ship, the HMS Endeavour struck the Great Barrier Reef.  He named that point 'Cape Tribulation', because according to his log book, "here began all our troubles".

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  1880 - St Mary's Church

  The popular wedding venue was originally erected on Flagstaff Hill in 1880.  The church was later moved to its current location in Market Park in 1989 and renamed St Mary's By the Sea.

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  1970 - First Commercial Cruise to Low Isles

  Quicksilver Cruises began the first commercial cruise to Low Isles in 1970.  They later built the first reef platform in 1983 at Agincourt Reef.

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  1981 - UNESCO World Heritage Listing - Reef

  The reefs and waters of the Great Barrier Reef were inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site Listing in 1981.

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  1981 - Cape Tribulation National Park

  The Cape Tribulation National Park was declared in 1981, to protect the rainforest from logging.

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  1987 - Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime Walks

  The Kuku Yalanji Dreamtime Walks commenced in 1987 at Mossman Gorge, conducted by local Indigenous guides.

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  1988 - The Sheraton Mirage resort opens

  The Sheraton Mirage resort, developed by Christopher Skase, officially opened in 1988.

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  1988 - UNESCO World Heritage Listing - Rainforests

  The rainforests of the Wet Tropics of Queensland were inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site Listing in 1988.

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  2006 - Tourism Port Douglas Daintree Established

  Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, established in 2006 is the sole recognised tourism marketing organisation for the Douglas Shire.

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  2012 - Mossman Gorge Centre Opens

  The Mossman Gorge Centre, which includes a cafe, retail shop, art gallery and training centre was opened in 2012.  Since opening it has maintained a 80-90% Indigenous employment rate.

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  2018 - Quicksilver Dive Centre Opens

  Quicksilver Cruises opened a state-of-the-art dive centre in the heart of Port Douglas, featuring a 4-meter deep dive pool, on 23 October 2018.

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  2019 - ECO Destination Certification

  The Douglas Shire (Port Douglas Daintree) became the first certified ECO Destination under the Ecotourism Australia program on 4 December 2019.

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  2020 - Continuous Improvement

  Douglas Shire Council and Tourism Port Douglas Daintree continue to work with partners to strengthen the destination's environmental practices.

Background

Port Douglas Daintree is a premium destination located within Tropical North Queensland, Australia.  Renowned for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity, it is the only place in the world where two natural World Heritage areas meet - the Daintree rainforests of the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef.

For more information about visiting Port Douglas Daintree CLICK HERE

ECO Destination Certification

The Douglas Shire and the Port Douglas Daintree destination hold the ECO Destination at the Nature level.  This was achieved on 4 December 2019 by Douglas Shire Council and Tourism Port Douglas Daintree.

Ecotourism Australia's ECO Destination Certification program has been designed to provide assurances to travellers that a destination is committed to strong, well-managed sustainable practices and provides high quality nature-based experiences.  The certification methodology is based on the internationally accredited and recognised Green Destinations Standard and incorporates pre-qualifying and additional ecotourism criteria specific to the Australian context.

For more information about the ECO Destination Certification program CLICK HERE

Sustainable Destinations Top100 Competition

The Douglas Shire and the Port Douglas Daintree destination made the Top100 list in 2018 and 2019.

The Sustainable Destinations Top100 competition is organised by 12 organisations, including Ecotourism Australia.  The competition is open to destinations across the world and aims to showcase environmental success stories and good practices.

For more information about the Sustainable Destinations Top100 competition CLICK HERE