The Yachty, Port Douglas Yacht Club (PDYC)

The Yachty is the Port Douglas Yacht Club’s restaurant and bar, set beside Dickson Inlet in a character-filled clubhouse that reflects its Far North Queensland setting. The waterfront location is central to the experience: visitors can settle in with a drink or meal while looking out across the inlet, with the club’s boating community and nearby marina adding to the sense of place. The venue welcomes club members, guests and visitors, making it an accessible stop for people who want to enjoy the setting without needing to be part of the sailing community.

Live entertainment is programmed regularly, with the club aiming to present something each week. The schedule can change, so the venue directs visitors to its upcoming events for the latest details. The Yachty also hosts WAGS every Wednesday, when volunteer skippers take guests sailing. Interested visitors are asked to arrive at 3.30pm for the chance to be selected, making it a distinctive midweek activity rather than simply a night out at the bar.

Food is part of the clubhouse offering, with a Sunday roast served from 12.30pm to 3pm. Bookings are recommended for the roast, and tables can also be booked for other visits. The clubhouse is open from 2pm to 10pm Wednesday to Friday, and from 12pm to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday. These hours make it suitable for an afternoon drink by the water, a weekend lunch, or an evening built around the entertainment schedule.

The club’s background gives the venue more depth than a typical waterfront bar. Port Douglas Yacht Club was established in 1985 by sailing enthusiasts and has grown from a volunteer-run operation open mainly on race days and selected evenings into the clubhouse it is today. Members have shaped the space over time, including fundraising for the original clubhouse and later improvements. The club remains closely connected to sailing, hosting organised activities and Port Douglas Race Week, a major local regatta with roots reaching back to the Clipper Cup events held in Far North Queensland. For visitors to Port Douglas, the Yachty offers a relaxed way to experience that maritime community, whether stopping in solo, meeting friends, joining a sailing activity or sharing a meal beside the inlet.