sugar wharf

Sunday and it's Market Day in Port Douglas with exotica galore...and that's just the hippies!

The town itself was established in 1877 and at its peak had a population of 12000 and 27 pubs (Australian town and city history always seems to equate peak population with pub numbers).
As a port destination for gold mining and later sugar industry the town thrived until rail inks and other townships were developed along the coast and inland and cyclones wreaked havoc.
By 1960 it had a population of 100 (and possibly no pubs!) but has since grown as a tourist destination with adjacent Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest World Heritage Areas.

The Sugar Wharf, now restored and wedding party central, was built in 1900 at Dickson's Inlet.
Serviced by a rail line carrying sugar to be shipped round Australia, by 1945 the Wharf, formerly the town's largest employer was reduced to 15 'sugar lumpers.'
The final bags were shipped in 1958.

Now restored and very lovely, this is the scene from Wharf Street and the Sunday Markets.