Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 6 . QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
stay. Rates include full breakfast. MC, V. From Port Douglas take Captain Cook Hwy. toward Mossman for
10km (6 1 ⁄4 miles), turn left onto Mt. Molloy turnoff for 1km ( 1 ⁄2 mile), then right onto Ponzo Rd. for 2km (1 1 ⁄4
miles); Chook’s Ridge is on your left. Undercover parking. Pets by arrangement. No children under 13 allowed.
Amenities: Outdoor pool; nearby golf course; tour desk; use of laundry; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV,
hair dryer.
WHERE TO DINE IN PORT DOUGLAS
A good place to chill out by the water over an inexpensive meal is the Port Douglas
& District Combined Club, 7 Ashford St. (& 07/4099 5553). It’s a humble
corrugated iron shed with pool tables and slot machines, but the food is
remarkably good, and it’s got the same water views of Dickson Inlet as the
pricier On the Inlet (see below). It’s open 10am to 10pm daily, for meals 12:30
to 2pm and 5:30 to 8:30pm.
Court House Hotel PUB GRUB Since 1879 this lovely old pub has been a
favorite with locals and visitors alike. In the past year, it has been painstakingly
renovated and revamped. One thing that hasn’t changed is it’s central location
with a stunning outlook over the Coral Sea. From the veranda of the upstairs
“Sunset Bar” you can watch the spectacular sunsets and enjoy fantastic cocktails.
Great value pub/bistro meals are available from 11.30am till late, and there’s live
entertainment on the weekends in the courtyard, which boasts a magnificent
giant mango tree.
Macrossan St. at Wharf St. & 07/4099 5181. Bar open daily 10am–midnight; bistro daily 11:30am–2pm
and 5:30–9pm. Main courses A$15–A$20 (US$9.75–US$13). AE, D, MC, V.
On the Inlet SEAFOOD No-nonsense seafood and a no-fuss atmosphere
make this waterside venue popular with the locals. Relax in high-backed cane
chairs on a shady timber deck with nice views, or kick back over a long lunch,
which might include chile salt calamari on shinyo noodle salad, followed by a
seafood linguini. Or try the seared scallops for an appetizer and a wonderful wild
barramundi for a main course. “Happy Hour” from 3:30 to 5:30pm every day
features specials such as a “bucket of prawns” or plate of oysters with beer or
wine for just A$15 (US$9.75), and you can watch stingrays and groupers feed
below. A take-out section up front serves fish and chips. The restaurant doubles
as a seafood wholesaler, so you know it’s fresh.
3 Inlet St. & 07/4099 5255. Reservations recommended. Main courses A$16–A$25 (US$10–US$16). AE,
MC, V. Daily for lunch from noon–3pm; dinner from 5:30pm–late.
Port O’ Call Bistro Kids CAFE/BISTRO Locals patronize this poolside bistro
and bar at the Port O’ Call Lodge (p. 293) almost as often as guests do, because
it offers good, honest food like lamb shanks and steaks in hearty portions at
painless prices. The atmosphere is fun and friendly. Tuesday is curry night, and
if it’s Sunday, there’s a roast. Every night there are “chef’s blackboard surprises,”
including local seafood. Kids’ meals are all A$6 (US$3.90), and there are burgers,
nachos, and pastas to appeal to everyone.
Value Camp Your Way Around Queensland
Another accommodations option is camping. You will find both campsites
and air-conditioned self-contained park cabins at many prime locations
around the state. Check the Q-Parks website (www.qparks.asn.au) for a
full list of accredited parks which can offer big savings.