TOAST ‘asta la vista‘ to the fiasco of 2021 at our selection of local New Years events. There are three days of live music in the rainforest, a decadent pool party, dining with a view, seafood and champagne extravagances, a seven day beach party and waterfront tunes at our local craft brewery.
For the party peeps, there are plenty of celebratory options-kicking off with one of our favourite ideas-escaping to the Daintree, with three days and two nights of live and electronic music in the rainforest.
PARTY
Sling it at PKs Village Cape Tribulation with two nights and three days jam-packed with some of FNQ’s finest talent featuring diverse electronic music, live bands and hip hop. Enjoy the famous PKs bar, pool tables and restaurant, a fabulously social outdoor deck and tropical pool, and your choice of camping or glamping.
In Port, there are plenty of choices for hopping between the local pubs and bars, with The Court House Hotel and The Tin Shed in hot demand as prime viewing destinations for the two fireworks sessions. The IronBar are hosting DJ Iszi from 11pm and there is also live music at the Central Hotel.
Local waterfront craft brewery, Hemingways are hosting a Disco Party to herald in the New Year with DJ Bart and DJ Omiam boogying till 2.
EAT
La Cucina (formerly Sassi) is the go-to destination for salmon carpacccio, insalata caprese with burratta, and fabulous fizz. If you are fortunate enough to get a seat, it is also prime position for the fireworks and fabulous street style people-watching.
Harrisons Restaurant at the Sheraton Grand Mirage will serve a lavish cocktail attired affair with a five course tasting menu by Spencer Patrick extravagantly trimmed with a three hour beverage package of Jansz Premium bubbles and Vasse Felix wines. Live entertainment is provided by violinist Kirtley Leigh.
Pullman Port Douglas will deliver a curated three-course dinner accompanied by a fire and drum show, and sparkling wine on arrival to its glamorous New Year’s Eve Dinner.
You could always skip the crowds by sharing a meal with family and friends at Kai Port Douglas in Four Mile who are offering their regular menu plus an unbeatable Friday night $10 steak special-reservations essential!
FAMILY & FIREWORKS
Weather permitting, roll out the rug along the waterfront, or pull up a pew along Macrossan Street, looking skyward to ring in the new year with fireworks at 8pm, and again at midnight.
Family fun kicks off at 5:30 pm with Ace DJ dropping kid hits at a UV Glow Disco down at Dixie Inlet through till the 8pm fireworks. Kids can enjoy free face painting and prizes. Dress up in your fluro best!
FARTHER AFIELD
Lions Den Hotel is hosting a weekend long Pirate Party with a swag of local bands inviting us to make tracks for Rossville. Musos include Shannon Hunter, Lady Valiant, Dave Cooke, the Roadtrippers, Something Borrowed, Boing Boing and more! To book accommodation or a powered campsite, call 0740603911. There is no need to book unpowered camping. Sure to be a ripper worth travelling for.
AND IF YOU’RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT PARTYING
Turtle Cove, our very own LGBTQIA+ adult only and socially inclusive private beachfront resort, are committed to a full seven-night calendar of events from December 27, 2021 through to January 3, 2022. There are four themed party nights for in-house guests, culminating in a NYE RETRO spectacular followed by recovery days serving up massage, yoga, mani’s and pedi’s, and a life-restoring juice bar.
RECOVERY MODE
Tropical Sounds at the Oaks Resort invite you to wet the deck for 2022 with a candyland themed pool party. Renowned DJs Andy Van (Madison Avenue), Safage (Paris) and Just Andy (Cairns) will be spinning tracks as punters sip on tropical cocktails and feast on the poolside BBQ grill. Pack up those floaties, budgies, boardies and bikinis for an afternoon of easy beats and pool play.
Hemingways welcome you back with tunes by Justin Wellington from 12-3pm.
Get the New Year off to a healthy start by popping out to Mossman farmers market where you can stock up on immunity-restoring fresh fruit and veggie vitality (did you say Jamu?), and a dip in the chilled “healing waters” sure to soothe the sorest of recovering bodies.
If you’ve been waiting for the launch of House of Gucci, an escape to the dark air-conditioned cinema for some good old fashioned New Years’ Day movie tradition might be in order….
WHEN PARTYING ISN’T YOUR THING…
Taking a more subdued option and avoiding the crowds?
Here’s a few ideas:
- Our waterfalls are turning on their most fabulous performance thanks to the monsoonal rain, so maybe head bush to admire the power of the Barron Falls
- Or curl up on the lounge and take stock of ‘ the year that was’
- Perhaps set some intentions for ’22
- Escape into your tower of summer reading
- Invite your beloved for your own intimate gathering, put together your own smooth grooves, order in, and stock up on some celebratory fizz…champagne, salmon pearls and oysters anyone?
The cusp of the New Year can be the perfect peaceful moment to simply appreciate the meaningful things in our lives and relationships which have come under incredible stress and pandemic-induced pressure of late. Over to George Carlin for a little more on that…
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.
Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.
An observation by George Carlin:
The Sound Healing Journey at Deep Yoga Studio looks like a wonderful opportunity to re-set for 2022, a deep relaxation session to be held this evening from 6.30-7.30pm in which the sounds of crystal singing bowls washes over you and the vibrations move through you, activating the body’s parasympathetic nervous system for self-healing. Booking via www.trybooking.com/BRMWL
Our best wishes to each and all of you for a safe, healthy and peaceful celebration to close out 2021, and cheers to a more promising 2022….
