07 4099 5518
manager@pdnc.org.au
6-10 Mowbray St, Port Douglas 4877
Acknowledgement Of Country
In the Spirit of reconciliation, PDCSN acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which our service is located and where we deliver care for the community. We pay respect to Ancestors and Elders past, present and emerging, and acknowledge the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People play within our community.
Port Douglas Community Service Network is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander peoples unique cultural and spiritual relationships to land, waters, seas and their rich contribution to society.
Let’s Thrive in 2025
What a different start to the Wet Season 2025, at least for the Far North. With memories of Cyclone Jasper still in people’s minds our hearts go out to our neighbours in North Queensland and further South who have experienced the same sort of unrelenting rain that many places around FNQ went through in 2024. The aftermath is heartbreaking, the clean-up relentless and then there’s the Insurance.
After a nice long Christmas Break the Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre re-opened on January 6th all programmes are back in full swing including Play Group, New Mothers Group and visits from the Maternal & Child Health Nurse.
Fortnightly Foodies will be every 2nd Tuesday with Catherine having had her first cook up for 2025 there was some pretty amazing smells coming from the kitchen. Men’s Breakfast has been serving up an amazing hot breakfast for the boys for a few weeks now. Our florist extraordinaire Serena ran two hands-on classes in floral design, with attendees taking home beautiful arrangements. Next week we are holding an Essences of Autumn Workshop learning to make household air fresheners and beauty products with essential oils. These classes are always very popular so booking is essential.
Yarn Time will once again be on Monday Arvo from 1.30pm and the girls would love to see some new faces in the group. Oz Harvest have been doing their best competing with driver shortages, food shortages and generally wet slippery roads, conditions making it very hard to get up to Port.
The van also broke down at the Rex Lookout but staff and volunteers met the van to ensure much needed food got through. Let’s face, it we all could have done with some fruit, veg and other staples in the past few weeks. I have never seen the shelves so empty for so long, which should remind us to stock up before the Wet Season as we never know what it’s going to throw at us and it’s not over yet. Our new Community Transport program is up and running so give us a call if you are needing transport.
NIC NAK SHED OPENING HOURS
MONDAY 9.00AM-4.00PM
TUESDAY 9.00AM-4.00PM
WEDNESDAY 9.00AM-4.00PM
THURSDAY 9.00AM-4.00PM
FRIDAY 9.00AM-2.30PM
SATURDAY 9.30AM-12.30PM
DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED BUT WHEN DONATING PLEASE THINK QUALITY OVER QUANITY, STAINED, PILLED, FADED, DAMAGED AND INCOMPLETE ITEMS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR SALE
New Charge Up! Program
Save energy, save money!
Helping Douglas Shire become more energy efficient...
Are you looking for ways to cut your power bills and make your home more energy-efficient? The Charge Up! Program is here to help!
We will be offering free resources and advice to help you take control of your energy use and save money.
- Hints & Tips – Simple changes you can make today to reduce energy waste.
- One-on-One Sessions – Get tailored advice to suit your home and lifestyle.
- Home Energy Audits – Identify where you’re losing energy and how to fix it.
- Workshops – Learn practical ways to cut costs and improve efficiency.
For information call Megan or Colleen on 4099 5518
Floral Art with Serena
Tuesday’s Fortnightly Craft Group has proved very popular with the ladies (boys can come too) especially Serena’s floral art classes. This is the second year Serena has volunteered her time to teach her craft to our willing participants. It’s such a great way for people to let their creativity flow and those who attended had a nice Valentine’s gift to take home.
It is with great sadness we report the recent passing of Ray Legg. Ray was a big part of the PDNC family having served as committee member since 2009 and as president from 2012-2016. Ray was a mad Richmond Tigers supporter and the black & yellow polo was the uniform of choice. Ray, Nanna Marg & family have called Port Douglas home for many grand finals. Ray’s cheeky smile and sense of humour has been missed since he stepped away from committee duties in 2023. He is with his beautiful lady Nanna Marg now. We miss you both and wish Richmond wins every grand final in Heaven Go Tigers
Wet Season Essentials
In light of recent events, flooding, road closures and food supply trucks at a standstill I thought it might be a good idea to write a list of Pantry Staples you should stock up on before the Wet Season. Cyclone Season goes from November-April so it’s not over yet.
READY TO EAT CANNED/ BOTTLED FOOD
Meat
Fish
Fruit
Juice
Vegetable
Soup
Pasta sauce
DRIED & LONG-LIFE FOOD
Ready-to-eat meals
Breakfast Cereal
Flour/Bread
Milk powder/UHT milk
Soup mix
Dried vegetables
Rice & pasta
Long-life cheese
Coffee/Tea
Sugar
SNACK FOOD
Dried fruits 7 nuts
Biscuits/Crackers
Spreads
Snack bars
DRINKS
Bottled water (3 litres each per day
Water sterilizing tablets
BABY SUPPLIES
Baby Food/baby formula
Nappies & wipes
PET FOOD
Canned/Dried
TOILETRIES/CLEANING PRODUCTS
Toilet rolls
Soap and shampoo
Feminine hygiene products
Rubbish bags
Tissues/paper towel
House & laundry cleaning products
This list is a guide only for items that may assist in an emergency situation and should be customized to meet your households needs.
If you are not in the position to stock up in a single shop maybe consider buying 1 extra item a week or fortnight and put away in storage. Choose products with the longest best before date
Other Emergency Items
Seniors Out & About
Herberton Historical Village
Geoff & Terry along with Derek the bus driver from Rodgers Rides took a group of 10 of our finest seniors for an adventure to The Herberton Historical Village. The weather Gods were kind and the rain held off for most of the day. The journey brought back wonderful memories of a bygone era the old irons, wood stoves, furniture and other household items, tractors and machinery were like being back at grandma’s place. The four hours round trip seemed much quicker on Rodgers Rides new comfy bus and with great conversations they were there and back in no time. A delicious lunch & coffee were all part of the day and attendees moved around at their own pace exploring what was on offer.
Funded by the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, our Seniors Adventures Trips provide a great experience at minimal cost, enjoying great company, exploring our region and building long term friendships.
Be Connected Technology Sessions
Be Connected will re-commence on a fortnightly basis from Tuesday March 11th class times will be 1.30pm-3.30pm. Depending on demand these technology classes may become a weekly activity so bring yourself, your laptop, mobile phone, your tablet or all of the above so we can get you back online. Lessons will be a mixture of 1:1 help and group activities. We are here to help no matter how tech savvy you are. Booking is essential and a gold coin donation is optional.
Save The Date 30/08/25
Monthly Cairns Bus Trip
This bus runs on the last Thursday of every month
$10 members $15 non members
Both the monthly Cairns Bus Trip & Seniors Outings sell out very quickly, so book early.4099 5518
Join us in welcoming Harper
Harper has been a Port Douglas local for 18 years and is in his third-year of studying social work at James Cook University Cairns. We are lucky to have Harper undertaking his first field education placement with the PDNC consisting of 500 hours. You will see Harper helping around the centre, getting involved in all aspects of the organisation. In line with the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) guidelines, this observational placement focuses on introducing Harper to professional practice with-in a real-world organisational setting. His roles will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the organisational operations, approaches to service delivery, and methods of client engagement through observation and critical reflection. Through this experience, Harper will gain insights into ethical social work practices, the application of theoretical knowledge in a community setting, and build the skills required to communicate effectively within practice. This placement serves as a foundational step in his development as a competent and reflective social work practitioner.
