General News
10 April, 2026
Douglas is only place to be
LIFE has certainly thrown us a few challenges in recent weeks with Cyclone Narelle passing nearby and the ongoing wet season that just doesn’t want to end.
Also add in the generally high cost of living, together with the excruciatingly high fuel prices.
Douglas locals are being encouraged to stay in paradise, while at the same time saving on petrol and enjoying free school holiday fun close to home.
By staying local, families can make the most of a huge line-up of free school holiday activities at Mossman Pool, Mossman Library and Mossman Shire Hall. With fuel prices sitting near record highs and beginning to influence how far families are willing to travel, Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the school holidays were the perfect time to explore what’s on offer close to home.
“Many families travel to Cairns for kids’ activities but with fuel so expensive, why not stay local and enjoy all the fantastic free events happening right here in the Douglas Shire,” she said.
“It’s always a challenge for parents to fill the days during school holidays, so it’s great to see so many free, fun and creative options available for our young people.”
Families keen not to travel can look forward to a variety of engaging activities at Mossman Pool, including Easter-themed fun days, underwater hockey experiences and a ‘Life Saver Fun Day’ designed to build water confidence through games and rescue challenges.
At Mossman Library, children and families can take part in creative workshops that explore sustainability and storytelling through junk journalling and painting on calico.
For tech-savvy kids, a free ‘Drones and Programming Workshop’ at Mossman Shire Hall offers hands-on learning in drone flight, coding and real-world applications.
Mayor Scomazzon said the activities were a cost-effective way of keeping the kids entertained.
“With so many free activities on offer, families don’t need to travel far to give their kids a great school holiday experience,” she said.
“There’s something for every age and interest – and it’s all right here in our own backyard.”
Personally, I reckon it all sounds like a good plan to me, so if you’re keen to keep it local you can get full details and event times by visiting Douglas Shire Council’s events page at https://bit.ly/41VAktK
I’m off to try underwater hockey, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
