About $350,000 for repairs to the Sugar Wharf building, $2.2m for a Cooya Beach Reservoir and $2.6m to start preparing surrounding areas for the new Daintree River Ferry are all featured in the latest Douglas Shire Council budget, announced this week.

And other previously flagged bigger-ticket items to receive money in 2025/26 include $2.3m for the Port Douglas Splash Park, due to open for the September school holidays, $10.3m for the Mossman River water scheme and $860,000 for extensions to the Port Douglas Road cycling path.

Of those six projects, the Sugar Wharf building repairs and ferry landscaping are coming out of DSC coffers, while the other four are being paid for by grants from other levels of government.

Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said during Tuesday’s council meeting the budget was about “prudent financial management”.

“(There is) $2.6m to commence landside infrastructure improvements that will support the future upgrade of the Daintree River Ferry,” she said. 

“We are investing $10.3m in the Mossman River Intake - an alternative water source that will strengthen water security for the Douglas Shire, supporting population growth and climate resilience.”

Mayor Scomazzon said the council was planning for a return to surplus by 2027/28 - “five years ahead of schedule”.

The other councillors all backed the Mayor’s speech, saying this was a responsible budget and the DSC finance department had done a great job.

None of them opted to comment on rates increases.

But the council’s push towards a surplus is being funded by a total rates hike of about 9 per cent - a 5.9 per cent increase by Cairns Council last week caused widespread condemnation in that region.