NEWSPORT NEWSFEED: Passengers say Port has the edge

Passengers from the Celebrity Edge cruise ship which docked off Port Douglas yesterday have poured into town and poured on the compliments… although most thought it was “a bit too hot and muggy’’.

American visitor Grace Law was full of praise for Port’s retailers.

“The shops are very reasonable compared to other ports,’’ she said.

“I’d like to see more local merchandise but it is very affordable and I do like the style,’’ the San Francisan said.

Divya Dhingra, from Sydney, said she and her family were having Port.

“We’re buying food, doing some other shopping, and going to the beach,’’ she said.

Brian Langhans said he had been to Port Douglas before and loved it.

“It’s changed a bit since I first came up in 1995,’’ he said.

While taking a seat out of the hot weather, Mr Langhans quipped “my wife spends in the town’’.

Stephen Barnes, from Brisbane, was keen to spend some money in one of the pubs, as he and wife, Vicky, struggled with the muggy conditions.

“It has a good beach vibe here, but it is hot and sweaty going,’’ he said.

“I’m looking for gifts and a smoothie, he’s looking for a beer,’’ Vicky added.

Melbourne couple Trevor and Lynn Logan are no strangers to Port Douglas and make sure they spend in town when they come up.

“We love Port Douglas… but not at this time of year so much,’’ Trevor said.

“We would rather be staying here with a car and doing what we want to do when we want to do it,’’ Lynn added.

“We usually come up in the middle of the year.’’

They were, though, busy doing some Christmas gift shopping and planned to have lunch and a drink at one of Port’s venues before getting back on board the Celebrity Edge which pushed off overnight.

Volunteering Queensland, the state's Peak Body for volunteering, has enthusiastically welcomed the establishment of a Parliamentary Inquiry into volunteering in Queensland. 

Jane Hedger, CEO Volunteering Queensland, said "This is a significant opportunity for volunteers, organisations, communities and the people who benefit from volunteering, to tell their story and put forward their ideas. 

"With around two-thirds of Queenslanders involved in various forms of volunteering, and many organisations and community activities relying on volunteers to survive, this is an Inquiry that matters to everyone. 

"The Inquiry has been designed so that everyone can participate and have their say. No one is more knowledgeable about a person's own volunteering experiences than volunteers themselves. 

"Christmas time is busier than usual for many volunteers in our communities, making it appropriate to start putting this spotlight on the contribution volunteering makes and the challenges we face if volunteering rates continue to decline. 

"We congratulate the Premier and the new Minister for Volunteers, The Hon Ms Ann Leahy MP, for making volunteering a priority of this new government."

More details on the Volunteering Inquiry can also be found on Volunteering Queensland's website here.