Port Douglas & Dickson Inlet

Port Douglas is a small natural harbour in Dickson Inlet, tucked behind Island Point about 30 miles north of Cairns. It's a community port used mainly by reef tourist boats, fishing boats and recreational craft. It has small fishing wharves, two marinas, and safe refuge for anchored or moored vessels further up the inlet (MSQ port procedures). MSQ says it isn't a compulsory pilotage area, and Marine Rescue Port Douglas is right beside the public ramp.

At a glance

Getting in

The approach. Island Point looks like an island from seaward, rising to 74 m (NGA). Morey Reef, which dries, lies 0.3 mile north-west of Island Point, on the west side of the entrance range. Keep a listening watch on VHF 16 approaching and in the harbour (NGA). The TMR list shows a public entrance channel to the boat harbour.

Semi-submerged vessels. A semi-submerged sailing vessel lies in Dickson Inlet at 16°29.783'S 145°27.212'E, marked by a Fl Y 3s light (MSQ NtM 008(T)-2026). A 15 m fishing vessel lies semi-submerged in 3 to 5 m at 16°29.633'S 145°27.345'E, marked by a Fl Y 3s buoy (MSQ NtM 460(T)-2026).

Dredging. Dredging of Dickson Inlet and the Port Douglas channel was scheduled to finish around 30 August 2026, with navigation aids moved off station in turn while it ran (MSQ NtM 464(T) and 465(T)-2026). Check that the marks are back where you expect them.

Berths and anchorages

• Superyacht marina. The MSQ port procedures describe a 135-berth marina for monohulls and multihulls, including 20 superyacht berths for vessels of 25 to 50 m, with fuel (no unleaded petrol). OpenStreetMap labels it Port Douglas Marina.
• Closehaven marina. Immediately upstream, for small recreational and commercial vessels (MSQ).
• Mooring piles. Pile berths on the western side of the inlet are managed by the Douglas Shire Council (MSQ).
• Anchorage. 7 to 9 m, mud, 0.5 mile north of Island Point (NGA). The port procedures give external anchorages at 16°28.5'S 145°29.0'E for drafts under 8 m, and at 16°28.0'S 145°29.5'E.

North of Port Douglas

• Daintree River. An extensive bar with about 0.9 m runs some 0.5 mile offshore (NGA). MSQ temporarily removed both entrance lateral buoys and warned that the entrance may have changed in the severe weather of December 2023 (NtM 617(T)-2023).
• Snapper Island. Anchor off the north-west end in south-easterlies, though swell sets round and makes it uncomfortable. In north-easterlies or south-westerlies there's good anchorage in its lee (NGA). The Reef Authority lists it as a Sensitive Location: vessels under 35 m can anchor, using public moorings if available, and no motorised water sports.
• Cape Kimberley to Cape Flattery. A two-way route is shown on the chart. It isn't mandatory and isn't a traffic separation scheme; NGA says it shows the best route "for vessels up to 9m" given the charted depths and dangers.

Tropical North Queensland in brief

• Marine park. Almost all of this water is in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the matching Queensland marine park. Check the zone on the Reef Authority zoning map before you fish or anchor.
• No-anchoring areas. These are mostly marked by white pyramid buoys with a blue label. Don't anchor inside them; use the public moorings (blue buoys), which have time limits and vessel-size classes (Reef Authority).
• Crocodiles. The Queensland Government says crocodile habitat starts near Gladstone and runs north, and no waterway in their range is crocodile-free. Keep arms and legs inside the boat, use the boat or trailer as a barrier at ramps, avoid small craft like kayaks, never clean fish at ramps, and stay more than 10 m from any crocodile. They're more active at night and in the September to April breeding season (Be Crocwise).
• Stingers. Marine stingers are present all year, with higher risk from November to May. Swim at patrolled beaches and in stinger nets and wear a full-body lycra suit. If someone is stung, call Triple Zero (000) and pour vinegar on the sting; Irukandji symptoms can take 20 to 40 minutes to show (Queensland Government, page updated 2 October 2019).
• Cyclones. The official season runs from 1 November to 30 April, though cyclones can form outside it (Bureau of Meteorology). On 30 October 2026 the Bureau had not yet published its 2026–27 tropical cyclone outlook. Have a cyclone plan before you leave a boat here in summer.

Ashore

What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 30 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.

From Port Douglas ramp / Port Douglas Marina (boat ramp / dinghy landing, marina)

Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 30 October 2026.

About this page

These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the official chart, current MSQ notices to mariners, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.

Official links

Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.

• MSQ notices to mariners: Daintree River and Port Douglas
• MSQ Cape Flattery, Cooktown and Port Douglas port procedures (February 2026)
• Reef Authority zoning Map 5: Cairns (PDF)
• Reef Authority: Cairns Area Plan of Management
• Queensland notices to mariners, all areas (subscribe)
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland coastal waters forecasts
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland warnings (incl. marine wind warnings)
• Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictions
• Bureau of Meteorology: tropical cyclones in Australia
• Reef Authority (GBRMPA): zoning maps, all areas
• Queensland Government: boating in crocodile habitat
• Queensland Government: dangerous marine life (stingers)
• Marine Rescue Queensland: rescue units

Sources & credits

Need a delivery skipper for this coast? Get a quote from Garry Hartshorne, AMSA Master <45.