Port Douglas and Mossman Gazette

14/08/2026

Federal MP Matt Smith insists Far North Queensland councils must not be left to foot the bill, urging the state government to absorb proposed disaster funding cuts.

Federal Member for Leichhardt Matt Smith claims the onus is on the state government - not local councils - to fill the disaster funding shortfall under proposed changes to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

12/08/2026

An 18-year-old apprentice diesel fitter from Mossman with no sponsors has beaten some of the world’s best enduro riders to claim victory at Red Bull Romaniacs in Romania.

A teenager from Mossman has comprehensively beaten some of the best riders in the world to win what is regarded as the world’s toughest hard enduro event.

11/08/2026

Katter’s Australian Party’s castle law bill, backed by more than 116,000 signatures, is set for a public hearing. https://bit.ly/4xxNURI

07/08/2026

A man charged with the manslaughter of Savannah Spence allegedly attempted to grab a police officer’s gun while recovering in hospital and could soon face further charges over the fatal crash.

📌 Court report ➡️ bit.ly/4wgQRoS

04/08/2026

After building Reef Sprinter from scratch over 25 years, Port Douglas tourism pioneers Steve and Cathy Sherwell have handed the keys to a former deckhand turned skipper.
❌ Read more ▶️ bit.ly/4fSFRrO

31/07/2026

Douglas Shire’s 10,000 ratepayers could face bills of up to $8000 each after the Federal Government moved to slash its disaster recovery funding contribution.

Douglas Shire’s 10,000 ratepayers might have to fork out up to $8000 each if a natural disaster on the scale of Cyclone Jasper hits again as the Federal Government moves ahead with changes to slash its contribution to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

22/07/2026

The Daintree community has farewelled its longest-serving river guide, Bruce Belcher, whose encyclopaedic knowledge of crocodiles and birdlife made him a local legend.📍Read about Bruce's life ➡️ bit.ly/3RNPu2M

16/07/2026

Locked away by environmental regulations in the 1980s, a Far North Qld’s most controversial road is at the centre of a new battle to allow public use as a supplementary Tablelands access route. 📲Have your say and vote in our poll.

It’s been called a road to nowhere, an illegal road, and a road not built to code.

09/07/2026

A Cairns councillor is urging state and federal governments to back in the Far North’s sugar industry or risk losing it in a similar scenario to what ploughed in Mossman’s cane farms.

25/06/2026

Liquidator BDO Australia has revealed that 52 unsecured creditors of collapsed Port Douglas bus company Exemplar Coaches and Limousines are unlikely to receive any payment.

A creditor’s report into collapsed Port Douglas company Exemplar Coaches and Limousines has revealed 52 unsecured creditors, owed almost $800,00 collectively, are unlikely to receive any payment, but 61 employees should receive some wages.