Douglas Shire Council

What Douglas Shire Council does

Douglas Shire Council is a statutory local government authority in Far North Queensland, Australia, originally established, dissolved in 2008 during Queensland's local government reform when it was amalgamated into Cairns Regional Council, and re-established as a standalone entity around 2014. It serves approximately 11,000–12,000 permanent residents across a geographic area of roughly 2,400 square kilometers spanning from Port Douglas to the Daintree Rainforest and Bloomfield River, with two administrative offices in Mossman (headquarters) and Port Douglas. The council is led by Mayor Lisa Scomazzon (elected 2024) and four councillors, with an Acting CEO appointed as of December 2025; Martin Fahy serves as Independent External Chair of the Audit Committee.

The council delivers a standard suite of municipal services including rates and charges, water and wastewater management, waste and recycling, road infrastructure, town planning and development assessment under the Douglas Shire Planning Scheme 2018, animal management, cemetery services, library services, community venues, and disaster preparedness. Its technology infrastructure is conventional local government IT: Microsoft Teams for live-streaming council meetings, YouTube for on-demand video archiving, and a website-based online services portal for payments, applications, forms, and document downloads. Customer service is delivered through two walk-in centres, phone/after-hours emergency lines, and self-serve online channels.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: differential general rates and utility charges, annual fees and charges for development applications, animal registrations, licences, and permits, and Queensland Government and Commonwealth grants including disaster recovery funding (DRFA), infrastructure grants, and community development funding. The council also derives in-kind economic value from its ECO Certified Destination status—Australia's first—and partnerships with Tourism Port Douglas Daintree, Douglas Chamber of Commerce, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, and Birdon (which assumed Daintree Ferry operations in July 2026). The 2019 tourism sector recorded 2.478 million visitor nights, and the region's strategic context is anchored by proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Name

Douglas Shire Council

Legal name

Douglas Shire Council

Website

https://douglas.qld.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Douglas Shire Council is a Queensland local government authority serving approximately 11,000–12,000 residents across roughly 2,400 sq km from Port Douglas to the Daintree Rainforest, delivering rates, utilities, planning, waste, and community services as a statutory monopoly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Government Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD)

Keywords

• Local government services
• Municipal administration
• Waste and recycling
• Water and wastewater
• Town planning and development

Headquarters

HQ city

Mossman

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Rates and Charges: Douglas Shire Council generates primary revenue through differential general rates, utility charges for water and wastewater, and special charges for services such as refuse collection and rural fire brigades, as adopted annually through the budget process.
2. Fees and Charges: Council collects fees for a wide range of services including development applications, animal registrations, food business licences, accommodation approvals, plumbing and drainage applications, venue hire, cemetery services, market stall licences, and various permits.
3. Grants and Subsidies: Council receives Queensland Government and Commonwealth grants including disaster recovery funding (DRFA), infrastructure grants, and community development funding.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Douglas Shire Council is a statutory local government authority that delivers municipal services to residents, businesses, and visitors of the Douglas Shire region in Far North Queensland. Its core offerings include rates and utility billing, water and wastewater management, kerbside waste and recycling collection, development and building approvals, community venue hire, cemetery management, animal management, library services, and operation of the Daintree Ferry. The council funds these services through general rates, utility charges, fees and charges, and government grants.

Product overview

Douglas Shire Council is a local government entity providing public services to the Douglas Shire region in Queensland, Australia. The council does not offer a unified technology product but rather provides a suite of public-facing services including an online portal for transactions and information, community venues for hire, waste and recycling management, water and wastewater services, development and planning services, animal management, library services, and Daintree Ferry operations. Services are delivered through the council's website, customer service centers, and physical facilities across the shire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Venues and Facilities Hire Council-operated venues available for hire including Sugar Wharf Port Douglas, Port Douglas Community Hall, Mossman Shire Hall, Mossman Showgrounds, Port Douglas Sports Complex, and Daintree Hall, for events, weddings, and community activities.
• Waste and Recycling Services Kerbside collection services, waste and recycling facilities, sustainable waste management programs, and waste education tours for residents and businesses of Douglas Shire.
• Water and Wastewater Services Water supply connections, wastewater management, and water service alterations for residential and commercial properties within Douglas Shire.
• Development and Planning Services Planning services, development and building applications, infrastructure charges, and administration of the Douglas Shire Planning Scheme 2018 for applicants and property owners seeking development approval.
• Animal Management Services Dog registration, animal control, pet owner responsibilities, and impounded animal services for residents of Douglas Shire.
• Library Services Public library services and resources for the Douglas Shire community.
• Daintree Ferry Services Ferry operations across the Daintree River providing access to the Daintree Rainforest region, operated by Birdon as a contracted operator on behalf of council.
• Cemetery Services Cemetery management including interment applications, site reservations, installations, and plaque services for residents and families.
• Community Grants and Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Council distributes RADF grants for arts projects and community grants for local initiatives, supporting not-for-profit community organisations, sporting clubs, arts groups, and volunteer organisations within the shire.

Quantifiable outcome

• First ECO Certified Destination in Australia (EcoTourism Australia / Global Sustainable Tourism Council recognised)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• BirdonmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Birdon commenced Daintree Ferry operations on 1 July 2026, taking over ferry management for the iconic Daintree River crossing which is a critical transportation link for the Daintree region and a major tourism asset. This partnership represents a significant operational transition for one of the council's most visible public services.
• Tourism Port Douglas DaintreecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil works in partnership with Tourism Port Douglas Daintree on regional tourism strategy, destination marketing, events development, and investment promotion. The organization is identified as a key partner in the Investment Prospectus 2022 and Economic Development Strategy 2021-2024. Joint initiatives include the Port Douglas Daintree Destination Tourism Plan 2025.
• Douglas Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Douglas Chamber of Commerce is referenced as a key business partner in council's economic development initiatives, promoting the shire as a business destination and collaborating on events such as 'Do It In Douglas'. The council supports the chamber in business development and investment attraction activities.
• FAB FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFAB FM is a local radio partner in the production of the 'G'day Port Douglas & Daintree' video series, a community storytelling initiative showcasing local residents to promote the region's lifestyle and attract visitors.
• NewsportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNewsport, a local media outlet, partnered with Douglas Shire Council on the 'G'day Port Douglas & Daintree' video series to share community stories and promote the region.
• Voyages Indigenous Tourism AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransfer of Trustee Lease and Road Use Agreement from Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation to Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia was approved at the 28 October 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting. Voyages operates the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre and represents a key strategic relationship for indigenous tourism in the region.
• Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation held trustee lease arrangements over land now transferred to Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. The ILSC is a key stakeholder in indigenous land management across the shire, and the transition represents a significant governance change in the Daintree region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunshine Coast Council: Larger Queensland regional council with overlapping tourism economy, environmental programme emphasis, and similar service delivery mandate. Comparable on business model and customer mix but operates at materially greater scale than Douglas Shire.

Direct peers

• Cairns Regional Council: Neighbouring Queensland local government authority that Douglas Shire was historically amalgamated into (2008-2014). Most directly comparable in geography, Far North Queensland climate exposure, tourism-dependent economy, and shared regional infrastructure planning context.
• Whitsunday Regional Council: Queensland regional council with a tourism- and reef-dependent economy sharing similar cyclone and Great Barrier Reef environmental exposures. Highly comparable in customer base (tourism operators, residents), disaster exposure, and revenue mix.
• Hinchinbrook Shire Council: North Queensland regional council of similar population and budget scale to Douglas Shire, with comparable tourism/agricultural economic base and tropical cyclone exposure profile.
• Noosa Shire Council: Queensland shire with a comparable eco-tourism-led economy and UNESCO-adjacent natural assets (Noosa National Park). Similar small-ratepayer, tourism-dependent council model with emphasis on environmental stewardship and premium destination positioning.
• Cassowary Coast Regional Council: Adjacent Far North Queensland council sharing Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest geography, sugar/tourism economy, similar cyclone exposure history, and small shire fiscal structure.
• Cook Shire Council: Adjoining Far North Queensland shire with overlapping Cape York/rainfront-rainforest geography, similar small remote population, indigenous land management relationships, and tropical disaster exposure profile.

Regional players

• Tablelands Regional Council: Far North Queensland council with comparable small-population, large-area profile and similar reliance on tourism/agriculture. Less direct overlap than coastal peers but highly relevant on operating model and revenue structure.
• Mareeba Shire Council: Neighbouring Tablelands/Far North Queensland council with comparable small-population, large-area service delivery challenge, mixed agriculture/tourism economy, and reliance on Queensland Government grants for infrastructure.

Others

• Tourism Port Douglas Daintree: Statutory Regional Tourism Organisation in partnership with the council under the Port Douglas Daintree Destination Tourism Plan 2025. Not a peer council but the closest operating partner for destination marketing and tourism investment attraction in the shire.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DouglasShire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLfrL36WkILmzbW1KnuEcCSPYnxLF6peEn
• Facebookfacebook.com/douglasshirecouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/douglas-shire-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/douglasshirecouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Douglas Shire Council