New historic photo posts welcome addition to town

Port Douglas History

Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

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Pictured are five new historic photo posts which have been installed by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery. Images: Douglas Shire Historical Society.

Cities and towns over the world have adorned their historical landmarks with photo posts which aptly describes its history along with a photograph or image from years gone by.

And The Douglas Shire Historical Society, in partnership with Douglas Shire Council, have done an outstanding job in positioning additional five posts by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery.

This is a continuation of the Port Douglas Historic Walk which already features photo posts at 17 places of interest around the town, plus photo posts at Craiglie Teamsters Park and at Dixies Shed.

Pictured are five new historic photo posts which have been installed by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery. Images: Douglas Shire Historical Society.
Pictured are five new historic photo posts which have been installed by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery. Images: Douglas Shire Historical Society.

There are also walks with photo posts in Mossman and in Daintree Village.

Free brochures describing the features of each walk are available from the Port Douglas Court House Museum, or online for download at www.douglashistory.org.au

The Museum is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am till 1pm and is staffed by knowledgeable volunteers.

Fast facts:

Sugar Wharf: Opened in 1905 as a port to service the Hodgkinson Goldfield in the Tablelands. Following the gold rush and prior to the construction of railway lines to Cairns, it functioned to service the mining and sugar industries up until the late 1950's.

The Sugar Wharf was commonly known as the 'Shipwreck Museum', that housed a large collection of shipwreck relics including Captain Cook's 'Endeavour' up until the early 2000's. Today, the Sugar Wharf is primarily used as an venue for weddings and other events as well as a local fishing spot.

St Mary’s by the Sea: St Mary's by the Sea is a heritage-listed non-denominational church at Wharf Street. It was built from 1913 to 1914. It is also known as the former St Mary's Roman Catholic Church. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Clink Theatre: The Clink Theatre is home to the Douglas Theatre Arts Group. Some 20 years ago a small group of locals had a dream, “a small place to put on some shows”, and they found a building, sought funding from council, local residents and the bank; and in typical Aussie style they ‘got it done’.

Combining hard work and dreams they crafted the Clink Theatre, a wonderful building, full of history and life. What once was the old police lock-up was moved to its new location and became a majestic little theatre.

In 1899 the Douglas Divisional Board, forerunner to the present Douglas Shire Council, was granted a loan of £22,000 to construct a tramway to extend the Mossman Central Mill’s passenger service from South Mossman to Port Douglas. During the year 1900 the tram traveled almost 6,000 miles carrying over 23,000 passengers.

Faugh-a-Ballagh: Faugh-a-Ballagh, was the fearful battle cry used in faction fights by the clans of western Ireland in Connaught & Munster. From the Gaelic language it translates as "Clear the way" though how it is spelt is often disputed.

It seems that it became woven into Irish history as a nationalist song first published in 1842 and it is also the motto of 87th regiment, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, known as "The Faugh a Ballagh Boys". The locomotive’s original manufacturer’s plate that has been presented to the Douglas Shire Historical Society today is part of the Shire’s history which goes back over 100 years.

Port Douglas Cemetery: The first burial at the cemetery was on 22 June 1878, of George Freshney who died aged 21 years.

This was not long after Port Douglas was established. William Thomson died in 1886, believed to be murdered by his wife Ellen, who was the only woman ever hanged in Queensland.

Her family is now seeking her pardon. Catherine Carstens died in 1895. Her husband’s second wife Pauline erected the monument in Macrossan Street in memory of Frederick who was a ‘champion of the Mossman tramway’.

Unfortunately, Frederick’s grave was one of many desecrated in 2004 and a new angel now replaces his damaged one.

Pictured are five new historic photo posts which have been installed by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery. Images: Douglas Shire Historical Society.
Pictured are five new historic photo posts which have been installed by the Sugar Wharf, St Mary’s by the Sea, the Clink Theatre, Faugh-a-Ballagh, and the Port Douglas Cemetery. Images: Douglas Shire Historical Society.

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