Australian Holiday Ideas - Cooktown - History, Seclusion, Rainforest, Reef, Great Fishing

Cooktown is a isolated and secluded holiday town established on the coast of Tropical North Queensland, perfectly places between the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage areas. It is located about 330 km from Cairns and 200 km from Port Douglas, along the sealed inland road or along the more picturesque but challenging unsealed 4WD-only Cape Tribulation Coast road.

The town, though somewhat resembling a ghost town, has many fantastic attractions and excellent facilities for a wide range of tourist activities. The extra space in the layout of the town arises from Cooktown being a much larger service town and port for the Palmer River Goldfields, inland from Cooktown, where one of the richest gold fields in Australia was discovered in 1872. At this time, Cooktown had a population of over 30,000 people. Today it has less than 1000 and this is the way the locals and most of the tourist like it.

Cooktown is a great place to relax, purchase all your supplies for a Cape York adventure and to step back into the rich heritage and past of this intriguing area. The sealed bitumen inland road from Cairns was only completed about 10 years ago, and before then the only access was via boat or the rough and challenging coastal road which is only suitable for 4WD vehicles. Cooktown still retains its feel and character as a 'frontier town' and many visitors enjoy its isolation and seclusion.

Discovery and Early History

Located at the mouth of the Endeavour River, Cooktown is famous as the place where Captain James Cook, the British explorer who was the first white man to discovered Australia, beached his vessel named 'Endeavour' to repair the wooden craft after it ran aground on the Barrier Reef. On the night of June 10th, 1770 the HMS Endeavour struck a reef and the vessels took on water, with more than 4 foot of water leaking into the hold. The pumps barely coped with the leak and the ship was refloated after dumping canons and a lot of materials overboard. Eventually after several days searching along the coast the damaged ship was steered into the mouth of a river and nearby safe harbour. Cook named the river where he beached his boat after the boat's name 'Endeavour'. He named `Cape York Peninsula` after the then HRH the Duke of York. Cook and the crew spent 7 weeks near the site of present-day Cooktown, repairing their damaged ship, stocking up on food and water supplies, and caring for their sick. The Endeavour was repaired using timber planks cut from the local trees. The Endeavour was refloated and the crew resumed their journey back to England. You can learn about the fascinating history of Cooktown at the various museums and heritage buildings in the town.

The first kangaroo sightings by Europeans was made on Cooktown's Grassy Hill, which stands over the place where the ship was beached. Cook climbed Grassy Hill to find a safe passage for sailing through the surrounding reefs, after the ship was repaired. Joseph Banks, part of the crew, communicated with the local Aborigines and logged about 50 words of the Guugu Yimithirr language, including the name of the intriguing animal the natives referred to as `gangurru`. Cook's anchor and cannon recovered from the reef can be seen in Cooktown.

Environment and Natural History

Cooktown has spectacular mountain views, cascading waterfalls, majestic rivers, pristine beaches, great boating and fishing, rainforests, majestic streams, stunning hill outlooks, cascading waterfalls, unspoiled sandy coastlines, magnificent kayaking and diving, beachfront vacation accommodation overlooking the Coral Sea, seclusion, and is perfect for holidays based on the reef, fishing, history, culture and rainforest in this unique tropical environment.

A good way to get an introduction to the diverse natural habitats and culture of Cooktown is to take a walk along the Cooktown Scenic Rim Walking Trail that includes a variety of habitats, each with their own unique features. Along the trail is a rich variety of fauna and flora, historic and cultural sites all within a short walking distance from the town centre. The diverse habitats included range from the mangrove lined shores of the Endeavour River estuary to the delightful tropical rainforest of Mount Cook National Park. The tour also takes you through the Botanic Gardens and the historic Cooktown Cemetery and then onto to rocky headland between Cherry Tree Bay and Finch Bay and you also stroll along the beaches and sand dunes and beaches and other features of the coastline.

Other scenic sites close to Cooktown are Grassy Hill and the Little Annan Gorge, which is a waterway lined with black granite that has been carved by the flowing water. Further up the road is the renowned Black Mountain Lookout. Black Mountain is a geological marvel that is made up of thousands of large black boulders. Local Aboriginal elders have many fascinating stories about the creation of this special place.
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National parks in the surrounding area include: # Cape Melville National Park, # Mount Cook National Park, that includes the rugged Mount Cook with an elevation of 430 m, provides a spectacular backdrop to the town. # Hope Islands National and Marine Park includes 2 low-lying coral cays. # Lakefield National Park, that has extensive river systems and wetlands. Lizard Island National Park - a remote group of five islands set in the turquoise Coral Sea on the Great Barrier, North East of Cooktown.

Where or Stay

There is a large range of accommodation available in Cooktown, including beachfront and waterfront accommodation.

There is a wide range of things to do and see in Cooktown to suit every budget and taste. Below is a table which lists many of the attractions and activities. The main activities that attract people to Cooktown are:

Fishing - With a wide range of habitats for fishing including headlands, pristine rivers, beaches and the reef, Cooktown is famous as an angling paradise. You can join Charter boats for half day or extended reef fishing trips. The Great Barrier Reef and pristine local rivers and estauries yield a wide variety of species including: Barramundi, Mangrove Jack, Queenfish, Black Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, and many other species. You can charter a tinnie and outboard for local fishing in the river and estuary. For other fishing options visit Princess Charlotte Bay, Lakefielf National Park and the McIvor River. Cooktown is an ideal location to connect to a charter angling cruise to the outside reef, because the reef is so close offshore in this area.

Aboriginal Tours - You can tale a fascinating walk with the traditional custodian Wilfred (Willie) Gordon on one of Guurrbi Tours. You will visit ancient rock art sites and get a new perspective on the features and vegetation in the area surrounding Cooktown.

History - You can take a self-guided tour of join a group to explore the history of Cooktown and the its heritage including Captain Cook`s and the Palmer Gold Rush days in 1873. The James Cook Museum is run by the National Trust of Queensland.

Exploring the Reef - The Great Barrier Reef lies only 10 km offshore from Cooktown - the closest distance for any coastal town in Queensland. You can join many charter boats for a unique trip to the reef and enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving.

Cruises - Many boat cruise operators visit Cooktown and the this is a good option to get to Cooktown from Cairns. Many of the extended diving, sailing and scenic tour boats also call in to the Cooktown wharf.

Bush walking - There are many excellent walking trails around Cooktown that traverse the rainforest tracks in the area along the coast and pristine beaches. This is a wonderful way to discover more about the local environment and habitats.

Hopevale - Explore the Hopevale Aboriginal Art Centre, Coloured Sands, Elim Beach, Isabella Falls, beautiful Endeavour Falls, Barretts Lagoon and Endeavour Valley.