Entertainment
12 September, 2025
Cemetery walk uncovers local history
A GUIDED cemetery walk in Port Douglas, organised and hosted by the Douglas Shire Historical Society, takes place later this month.
Although potentially sounding a little morbid, the occasion will actually offer some interesting stories and history of the Douglas Shire.
Led by renowned former local funeral director Stephen Oldham, the walk will visit graves of some well-known local people and he will explain their role in the community. Hotel proprietors, victims of murder, the builder of St David’s in Mossman, the first settler of Shannonvale and those killed in the 1911 cyclone are some of the featured stories. Surprise guests will present some of the histories and re-enact the people’s lives.
One example is past local character J D Johnston, who owned the sugar estate Mango Park in Mossman, which became the site of the first Aboriginal reserve at Mossman Gorge in 1916.
He married Wilhelmine, who was 38 years younger. She was the niece of F.D.A. Carstens whose monument stands in Macrossan Street. Their granddaughter, who joined the last walk in 2019, said Wilhelmine commented “better to be an old man’s darling than a young man’s slave.”
“The last walk in 2019 was overwhelmingly successful, so this time numbers are limited,” said historical society member Pam Willis Burden.
“Those keen to learn more about the shire’s history should certainly book their place as soon as possible,” she said.
The walk takes place on Saturday, 20 September at 2.45pm. Reserve places via info@douglashistory.org.au for $10.
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