A platinum milestone for Port Douglas Sea Temple
20TH ANNIVERSARY
As the sun dipped below the horizon last Saturday, casting a golden glow over the iconic resort pool, the Pullman Sea Temple Resort welcomed guests to a spectacular gala dinner to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The evening started with a beautiful scene as a long, elegant dining table stretched toward the center of the resort, ending at the large glowing “20” numbers that served as a bright beacon for two decades of memories.
Local harpist Loni Fitzpatrick played as everyone took their seats, her music setting a relaxed, cohesive tone for the evening.
Over a beautiful three-course dinner, the conversation was filled with memories from the resort’s two-decade history.
General Manager Ahmad Ghaddar addressed the long table. He noted that while the location is world-class, it is the people, the staff's passion and resilience, that are the true heart of the Sea Temple story.
Here from day one
Among the attendees was Pam Davies, who has seen the resort through every stage of its life.
She and her husband, Kerry, were living on the Gold Coast when they became some of the first people to buy in, and they’ve now owned their villa for all 20 years.
“When we first saw the plans for Sea Temple, we just knew it was the right fit,” Pam said.
Back then, the couple used the villa as a getaway from their life on the water.
“We had a boat on the Gold Coast and we used to sail up here a lot. Port Douglas was just a little fishing village then,” she recalled.
“We’d come up for a week off, go fishing and scuba diving, and get our 'fix' before heading back south to work.”
While the couple eventually retired to Port Douglas permanently, the villa has become the ultimate family magnet.
“Our family in the Gold Coast never needs much convincing to visit,” Pam laughed. “Any excuse to come up, they’re here.”
Today, Pam has built more than just a home at the resort; she has cultivated a thriving community.
She is famously known for establishing her own ritual at the resort, affectionately dubbed “Pammie’s Coffee Corner”.
Every morning, she and a group of close friends grab takeaway coffees from the resort cafe before heading to the pool to sit on their pool noodles, chatting away in the morning.
“It’s the highlight of my day,” Pam laughed. “The staff know exactly how we take our coffee, and it’s just the best way to catch up.
“At the end of the day, the people are what make this place feel like home.”
