 However, it was a very steep trip up through the Barron Gorge to reach Cairns and so explorer Christy Palmerston successfully searched for an easier track (known as the Bump Track) down the Great Dividing Range to the coast leading to the creation of Port Douglas.In 1877, two towns - Kingsborough and Thornborough emerged in the area with a substantial population of thousand people residing in each town.Just five kilometres away from each other, the towns developed at a fast pace and were soon home to various hotels, retail stores and shops.