Locals urged to adopt a worker during busy season

Campaign to tackle staff and housing shortages

Jamie Jansen

Journalist

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The Adopt A Worker Campaign calls on the local community to open their homes to seasonal workers. Image: supplied

With staff shortages and the current rental crisis in our Shire being an ongoing problem, today’s launch of a new campaign will be a step in the right direction to tackle the issue during the high season.

The Adopt A Worker campaign is an initiative of Tourism Port Douglas Daintree (TPDD) and will connect Douglas locals with a spare room in their house and potential holiday workers for the upcoming tourist season.

The campaign asks the Douglas Shire community to open their homes for the busy season, housing anyone from baristas, kitchen hands and chefs, hotel workers, cleaning staff, and tour guides struggling to find accommodation while working in the region.

“If you have a spare room, granny flat or vacant land suited to a tent or van we’re urging you to adopt a worker,” TPDD Chief Executive Officer Tara Bennett said. 

“By providing living arrangements for seasonal workers, businesses will be able to operate with full teams, and provide the services our warm community is known for.
“Not only will you be helping those businesses who are there for you year-round, it is an opportunity to earn some extra dollars.”

Ms Bennett explained that the community needs to get creative to overcome the housing challenges. “We are asking the Douglas community to step up and assist the tourism industry by putting forward any space they may have to accommodate our much-needed seasonal workers,” she said.

Birth of the campaign

The Adopt A Worker campaign is based on a concept that started in Lorne, Victoria, where they face the same issues regarding the staff and housing shortage.

Ms Benett said that TPDD discussed this concept with Douglas Shire Council in May last year and shelved it when COVID restrictions slashed forward demand.

“Over the summer I came across the Love Lorne Facebook page and saw they were running Adopt A Worker, very similar to what we had discussed, successfully executed and something to note for what may be ahead for Douglas,” Ms Benett said.

Expanding the close-knit community

According to Ms Benett, anyone with room to house a worker can benefit from expanding the close-knit community, whilst also forming beautiful relationships across the board.

Port Douglas local Sharon Timms doesn’t mind a chat and decided to rent out her spare room. “Rather than seeing the space go unused, I’m more than happy to house someone while here on their tropical adventure,” she said.

Salsa Bar and Grill Owner Rhys Bawden said he is unable to operate at full capacity over the next six months due to accommodation shortages. His business is certainly not the only one in town struggling with this issue.

“We have staff members that have lived and worked in Port Douglas for over 15 years losing their homes to increased rent making them unaffordable, or properties that are being taken out of the rental pool to become holiday homes,” he said.

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said it was great to see people being creative at a time of need.
“Adopt A Worker is an excellent way for everyone to assist by renting out a room and working with local community groups to help out where they can,” he said.

“Douglas Shire has always dug deep in the past when help was needed, and I hope that they will again.” “Council has done plenty of work in this space, but unfortunately most of it is not a quick fix to the problem.

“For example, we are also pushing for more controls over Airbnb to reduce an onslaught of mini resorts in our residential neighbourhoods.”

Ms Benett added: “Our region is well known for its laid-back village atmosphere and friendly service, however this current rental crisis is threatening our current reputation.”

If you’re interested in renting your extra space, you can register here. 

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