EDITOR COLUMN: Let's broaden the Shire jobs base with biofuel production
Douglas industry
Tourism is carrying too much of the burden for jobs and industry in Douglas Shire.
Don’t get me wrong, the tourism industry in the region is fantastic - so many travellers here, and resorts, tours, hotels, pubs and restaurants.
So many world-class crocs, reefs, waterfalls and rainforests.
We are certainly living in paradise.
The whole place screams tourism day and night - or at least until about midnight when the last shuttle leaves Paddy’s.
No complaints from me on the tourism-industry front.
But, as the council most reliant on tourism in the whole country, we have too many eggs in one basket - and sometimes that basket goes crashing to the floor and the eggs smash all over the ground.
This happened, for example, during Covid-19 and Tropical Cyclone Jasper, when tourist numbers took a real “beating” (groan, should’ve issued a dad-joke warning there).
Now, we are all only too familiar with how fickle the tourism industry can be.
The mere hint of a possible cyclone or flood can cause mass cancellations, which is probably fair enough, when you think about it.
If you’ve slaved away all year in an office job and saved your pennies for that one week of lazing by a resort pool in paradise, you are understandably going to be a bit sensitive about the possibility of dodgy weather, and may exercise your right to change up your destination.
So, point being, we badly need some other industries that are not tourism-associated.
What can our Shire do about diversifying its employment base?
Retired developer John Morris is doing an outstanding job rallying the troops around a new boat-repair and waterfront shopping precinct in Port Douglas.
This may take up some of the slack in years to come if the idea stacks up.
The broader picture with this is that more activity down on Dickson Inlet might encourage someone to buy the marina and put some love into it.
That eyesore section around the back on the waterfront - which reminds me of the movie Amityville Horror every time I walk past - is doing nobody any favours.
But the one idea I really like is from former farmer and pool-business owner Phil Carlon, who reckons we should build a biofuel plant at the site of the old Mossman Mill.
Phil has really done his research, and this plan ticks all the boxes for our region.
We have fertile soil, farmers looking for a crop to plant, and a nearby airport looking for sustainable fuel.
We have former mill workers and scientists looking for jobs.
We have a State Government willing to put in money to get new industries in the region off the ground.
Come on, Douglas Shire Council, Premier David Crisafulli, Cook MP David Kempton, Leichhardt MP Matt Smith and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, climb on board this new cane train.
Here is a chance to really do something for Far North Queensland that will leave a lasting legacy for decades to come.
The future beckons.
Newsport Editor Shaun Hollis has been a print and online journalist for 25 years. He has worked in three states and territories and on more than 15 suburban, metropolitan and country mastheads. The opinions and views in this column are those of the author and author only and do not reflect the rest of the Newsport staff.
