Port Douglas, QLD
With the world heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep, Port Douglas today is one of Australia's premier tourist destinations, although this certainly has not always been the case. Founded in 1877 and named after former Queensland Premier John Douglas, the town profited from the gold rush and quickly attracted a population of 12,000. Then, after the demise of the gold rush and a devastating cyclone in 1911, all that was left of Port Douglas was a sleepy fishing village with a population of about 100 in 1960. Things changed dramatically during the 1980's however, when when developer Christopher Skase saw the town's potential and developed the Sheraton Mirage complex, which is widely recognised as the starting point of today's booming tourist industry. During peak season from May until September tourists easily quadruple the local population of about 1,000. They also account for a large proportion of local fashion sales.
"About 20 per cent of our customers are locals, another 20 per cent come from the area, the rest are tourists", says Janette Walker, owner of Jungle Road Clothing. And happily for local store owners, the tourists are not necessarily one-off shoppers. On the contrary - being on holiday, the well-heeled clientele enjoys shopping and is not stickling for a bargain.
"We have many people coming back each year", says Walker. "On the way to their holiday houses they buy their complete summer wardrobe in Port Douglas."
Her clients are "women not girls", who are currently on the hunt for frocks and more frocks in anticipation of a red-hot summer.
"We sell dresses, sarongs and beach kaftans made of natural fibres from Australian labels such as Elliot Kennedy, Sequel, Lavender Road and New Zealand label Verge." Prices start from $30 but can easily go up to $300. Uncomplicated, chic summer clothing is what shoppers are looking for in Port Douglas and that's what they get in abundance. Most local boutiques specialise in resort- and beachwear. And given the absence of shopping centres and department stores the diverse array of owner-managed boutiques coexist happily because each offers a unique assortment. For example local boutique Tshinta has stocks Seafolly exclusively, while others such as Josephine's offer brands such as Jets, Irene Berzelli, Zimmermann, Cheetah and Millennium. All of these labels are an ideal fit for the no-holds-barred escapism promised by the town's tourism industry. As Tshinta owner Julie Bell puts it on her website: "After 15 years of catering to every woman's fashion needs, I decided to simplify and now only carry beachwear. Lets face it - that's all a girl needs in the troLOWDOWN
Population: 948 (last census 2006)
Location: 70 km north of Cairns
Brands: Elliot Kennedy, Lavender Road, Sequel, Verge, Seafolly, Cheetah, Millennium, Zimmermann, Jet