Port Douglas, despite extensive development over the years, has always maintained a community rich in creativity. From the creator of exquisite shell jewelry who played a significant roll in the culture, and history of the community – to actress and author Diane Cilento, who adopted the town while it was still no more than a sleepy village. Diane has since developed the renowned Karnak theatre on her Rainforest property where the beautiful and talented flautist, Jane Rutter, has performed hanging, Jane like, from a jungle vine.
The Tropics of North Queensland exemplify renewal and abundance. This is a region that draws artists from around the world to be inspired by trees laden with flowers and fruit and coral spawning in the heady spill of moonlight. The prolific underwater documentary maker Ben Crop, based in Port Douglas, captured the essence of life on The Great Barrier Reef, it’s islands, and the fertile mangroves that serve as nursery for so many marine life forms.
Sometimes artists just never leave, choosing instead to nurture their creative muse in the relaxed lifestyle and luminous light of the Tropics. At Thala Beach Lodge you can watch the moon rise over Coral Islands and reflect it’s light onto Rainforest mountains – that’s when you too will feel the magnetic draw of the tropics fix you in place.
September is when the community of Port Douglas celebrates the creative fecundity of Far North Queensland at the Go Troppo Festival. ‘Go Troppo’ being a delicious play on the friendly jibe when one tends to unravel a little too loosely in the fungus soup of a monsoon season.
At a festival it is permissible, even for the uninitiated, to dabble in clay, oils, coconut cream, writers block or a whiff of grease paint as a piece of local community history is masterfully brought to the Clink (used to be the local jail) Theatre.
‘Go Troppo’ and you may never want to leave either! – More info at the Go Troppo Blog here…