Douglas Shire Ecotourism Destination

Douglas Shire Council and the destination Port Douglas & Daintree were awarded Ecotourism level certification after successfully completing 90% of the internationally recognised Green Destinations standard for sustainable tourism. This comes only a year after the Council was awarded a Nature level certification with 80% of the completed criteria. While the destination is kicking goals in working towards sustainable practices, also the tourism industry has done their part. This year two different tourism operators in Douglas Shire joined the Ecotourism Australia’s Hall of Fame. The Daintree River Cruise Centre and Sailaway were recognised for being ECO certified for 20 years. The certification is internationally recognised and shows the operators' commitment to deliver quality tourism experiences that care for the environment we live in.

For more information CLICK HERE

Winners for Sustainable Destination Awards 2020 announced!

The Douglas Shire destination received a ‘Best of Communities and Culture’ award at 2020 Sustainable Destination Awards in ITB Berlin. The award recognises the location’s efforts in celebrating indigenous experiences and creating local jobs through the Mossman Gorge Centre. The competition is part of Green Destination’s Top100 program. ITB Berlin is the world’s largest tourism trade show where people and businesses from over 180 countries present their products and services. The award showcases sustainable tourism in the region and recognises the efforts internationally.

For more information CLICK HERE

Douglas Shire has become the first certified ECO Destination in the world!

The Douglas Shire and the Port Douglas Daintree destination made history today by becoming the first certified ECO Destination. The rigorous process involved addressing 80 criteria, followed by a desktop and onsite audit. Mayor Julia Leu and Tara Bennett from Tourism Port Douglas Daintree accepted the award at Ecotourism Australia's annual Global Eco Asia Pacific Tourism Conference in Cairns.

For more information CLICK HERE

Did you know that Douglas Shire has over 30 accredited ecotourism operators?

From accommodation providers, to reef trips and rainforest tours, there's something for everyone.  When you choose an eco-certified tourism experience, you are helping us conserve our pristine environment for the enjoyment of generations to come.

For a full list of accredited operators CLICK HERE

Douglas Shire Council will host two Environmental Workshops on 12 December 2019

The workshops have been designed to muster community feedback on initiatives listed in the current Corporate Sustainability Strategy and guide Council's future direction.  The workshops will take place in Cow Bay (10am) and Port Douglas (5:30pm).

For more information CLICK HERE

Local Ecotourism Pioneer awarded Australian Geographic Lifetime of Conservation Award

John Rumney has been working to protect the GBR for over three decades, bringing together science and tourism.  He is the Chairman and Founder of Great Barrier Reef Legacy, a global leader in marine expeditions that accelerate actions vital to the future survival of coral reefs, based in Port Douglas.

For more information CLICK HERE

6 November 6:30pm @ Port Douglas Central Hotel

Rainforest Rescue is hosting a Charity Trivia night on Wednesday 6 November to raise funds to help #ProtectRainforestsForever.  Rainforest Rescue has been protecting and restoring rainforests in Australia and internationally since 1998 and has a strong commitment to the Daintree area.

For more information CLICK HERE  

Did you know that feeding cassowaries is illegal?

The Southern Cassowary is an endangered species found in the rainforests of the Wet Tropics.  They are beautiful to see in the wild, however feeding them is illegal and potentially dangerous - to you and the cassowary.  Always slow down when driving in cassowary territory and remember, a fed bird is a dead bird.

For more information CLICK HERE

Douglas Shire has made the Green Destination's Top100 list for the second year running.  The Top100 competition recognises the 100 most sustainable destinations across the world.

The 2019 list was released by Green Destinations at their annual conference, which took place in Croatia between 8-12 December 2019.

The Sustainable Destinations Top100 list is available HERE