Port Douglas is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Douglas, Queensland, approximately 70 km (40 mi) north of Cairns. In the 2016 census, Port Douglas had a population of 3,504 people. The town's population can often double, however, with the influx of tourists during the peak tourism season from May to September. The town is named in honor of a former Premier of Queensland, John Douglas. Port Douglas developed quickly based on the mining industry. Other parts of the area were established with timber cutting occurring in the area surrounding the Daintree River and with settlement starting to occur on lots around the Mossman River by 1880.

Previous names for the town included Terrigal, Island Point, Port Owen, and Salisbury. The town is situated adjacent to two World Heritage areas, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

The Port Douglas township was established in 1877 after the discovery of gold at Hodgkinson River by James Venture Mulligan. Port Douglas Post Office opened on 1 September 1877. It grew quickly, and at its peak, Port Douglas had a population of 12,000 and 27 hotels. With the construction of the Mulligan Highway, it serviced towns as far away as Herberton.

Port Douglas State School opened on 11 November 1879 but closed in 1962. It was reopened on 23 January 1989.

In the late-1980s, tourism boomed in the region after investor Christopher Skase financed the construction of the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort.

Port Douglas was No. 3 on Australian Traveller magazine's list of 100 Best Towns in Australia.

Port Douglas is ideal for a trip to the Great Barrier Reef or to the Daintree Rainforest, with Cape Tribulation a 90-minute drive on well-maintained sealed roads.

Port Douglas maintains a village feel, as it is a town where the Palm Trees are taller than the buildings and you can meander through the town to do some shopping, or enjoy a wide variety of cafes, pubs, restaurants & bars, ranging from those offering excellent value to world-class cuisine.

It is a very popular tourist, beach, and reef destination, with the peak season being during the Australian winter.