|
Cooktown
Fishing the Endeavour River from the jetty at Cooktown is a popular
pastime for locals and tourists.
Latest
news: The inland road to Cooktown is now sealed all the way!
Cooktown is one of Australia's most historically significant
towns, in 1770 on the banks of the Endeavour River pictured above
James Cook and his crew managed to fix his ship after their disastrous
crash on the Great Barrier Reef. They spent seven weeks here,
discovered many species of flora and fauna, most notably the kangaroo,
and then managed to continue their journey further north where
they planted the Union Jack and claimed Australia, otherwise this
country might have still been New Holland today, which was its
name before Cook claimed it.
James Cook, the man Cooktown is named after
A hundred years later gold was discovered in the Palmer River
and this put Cooktown on the map as a port and trading centre
was needed to service the goldfields. It may be hard to imagine
today when you walk through the sleepy village but once upon a
time this town was the second biggest in Queensland with 4000
inhabitants and 30,000 people passed through the town during the
goldrush, it had direct shipping lines with China, thousands of
Chinese lived here and a hundred bars and brothels kept the miners
entertained. A walk through the cemetery will give you a feeling
of how tough life must have been in those days. After the goldrush
the town was reduced to about 400 people, it was further hit by
two devastating cyclones and was evacuated during World War Two
but has since then grown to the current 1600. Locals are very
happy with the completion of the sealed inland road, now that
you no longer need a four wheel drive this will no doubt bring
changes and more people to the town.
Cooktown still has some fine old buildings dating back
from the prosperous goldrush days
|
The Cooktown Hotel is another historic building
and a good place for a cold beer
|
Cooktown is located on the inland side of a headland which shelters
it from the ocean winds that can blow quite strong along this
coast and looks out over the Endeavour river. The shelter of this
headland has also helped some rainforest to survive, there are
a few patches of rainforest within walking distance from the town
centre which form a nice oasis in the otherwise dry and dusty
surroundings of the town. The town is packed with history, a visit
to the James Cook Museum will give you a good insight on the colorful
history of this town, they also have some items recovered from
the ocean floor that Cook had thrown overboard to stop his ship
from sinking. In the main street you can see some of the old buildings
left over from the goldrush days and one time I observed from
the balcony of the Cooktown Hotel how the kangaroos hopped through
the main street in search of green grass when the traffic stopped
after midnight.
View of Cooktown from the Endeavour River
|
View of Cooktown from the Grassy Hill lookout
|
Another bit of history is the lookout on the top of Grassy Hill
where the lighthouse stands. James Cook spent quite a bit of time
on this hill in 1770 to observe the mouth of the river with its
treacherous sandbanks to plan a passage out to sea, the last thing
he needed was to get stuck again! Nowadays this lookout is a good
spot to watch the sunset over the Endeavour river, a rare treat
on the Queensland coast where in a lot of places the sun just
disappears behind the Great Dividing Range.
The lighthouse on Grassy Hill,
a good place to watch the sunset
|
Sunset over the Endeavour River
seen from Grassy Hill lookout
|
What to do:
Cooktown is famous for its fishing, you can try your
luck from the wharf but for some real fishing get on a boat
and head up the river or out on the ocean.
To the right you see some happy fishermen on Mark Privett's
fishing charterboat "Gone Fishing" showing off
their catch.
Mark knows all the best spots and has many years of fishing
experience in the local area. Contact him on 07-40695980
or visit his website fishingcooktown.com
for more info on all styles of fishing, charters, scenic
cruises, croc spotting etc. |
|
There is no better way to see the area and learn about
it than to go on a guided four wheel drive safari.
Bart of Bart's
Bush Adventures has lived in the outback all his life
and knows the Cooktown area, its history, and its flora
and fauna, and its Aboriginal culture.
Tours vary from half day sight seeing to longer safaris
all the way to the top of Cape York. Contact him on 07-40696229
or contact
via email |
|
Cooktown also has a couple of nice beaches at Quarantine Bay
and Finch Bay where you can go for a swim (outside stinger season).
On the way to Finch Bay there is a very good botanical gardens
and the impressive art gallery Nature's Powerhouse.
For information and bookings during your stay go and see "The
Best Little Toure House In Cooktown" in the main street at
the northern end of town. Phone 07-40695381 or contact
via email
Cooktown is also the departure point for flights to Lizard Island,
a beautiful Great Barrier Reef island about 100kms. north, here
you can either camp in the National Parks campground for a couple
of dollars or go for the other end of the scale and stay at the
Lizard Island Resort;
Lizard
Island Resort |
|
Lizard Island Resort
is located right on the Great Barrier Reef. It is
a private paradise with 24 powdery white sandy beaches
and a lagoon. It lies 240 kilometres north of Cairns
and 27 kilometres off the coast of north Queensland.
Lizard Island offers a total of 40 rooms, which
are all well furnished with modern conveniences.
The resort's relaxed bar and lounge are the ideal
place to sit and enjoy a drink. Dining is one of
Lizard's many pleasures. You can share the panoramic
coastal views while dining seated on the broad sweeping
verandah, or enjoy an intimate dinner, beachside,
in a private marquee. PLEASE NOTE: Children under
10 years are not catered for.
More
info and reservations.... |
|
Where to eat:
For breakfast from 7 am onwards you can't beat the food and the
view of Cook's Landing Kiosk.
Bart getting some breakfast before heading out
for a day's touring with Bart's Bush Adventures
|
Breakfast with a view
|
For dinner try the RSL club or the Bowls Club next door to them.
Accommodation in Cooktown
Now that the road is sealed there will be more people
heading up to Cooktown, you are advised to book your accommodation
well in advance for the July/August peak season.
Pam's
Place |
|
Cooktown, the most northerly
town in the east coast of Australia.
Pam's place is a modern hostel catering for people
of all ages with twins,doubles and single rooms,all
with air conditioning,ceiling fans and refrigerators.
Three and six bed dorms also available.We have a
large kitchen,TV and pool room,laundry and licenced
bar
The Hostel is set in tropical gardens with salt
water pool and an out door fire place . |
|
|
Hotel and resort accommodation in Cooktown
Sovereign
Resort |
|
Sovereign Resort Hotel
Cooktown is located in the centre of Cooktown and
set amidst landscaped gardens, about 30 minutes flying
time from Cairns International Airport, with fantastic
flights up the coast over rainforest and reef. All
guestrooms at the resort are tastefully decorated
with several modern amenities. Guests can dine at
the in-house restaurant that serves a wide variety
of cuisine and later enjoy drinks at the on-site bar.
You can relax with a dip in the outdoor swimming pool
amidst palm trees and a natural setting that surrounds
the resort.
More
info and reservations.... |
|
Mungumby
Lodge |
|
Mungumby Lodge is a private
wilderness retreat located on a freehold estate, near
the settlement of Helenvale, thirty-five kilometres
south of Cooktown. Within walking distance are opportunities
to swim in jungle waterfalls, observe wildlife, relive
history or simply enjoy the Lions
Den, which is an amazing historic Australian pub.
Surrounded by nature, Mungumby boasts 10 spacious
wooden bungalows with private en-suites and a large
spacious main building with wide-open living areas.
For meals, reading or just plain relaxing by the pool,
guests can use the spacious main house building, which
is surrounded by large tropical gardens and a pool.
More
info and reservations.... |
|
How to get there:
Option A: Go on a guided tour
from Cairns; pass through Cape
Tribulation, head up the famous Bloomfield track and include
the Palmer River goldfields, Cooktown, the
Lions Den pub and Aboriginal rock art at Laura. More
info....
Adventure
North Australia |
Adventure North operate
1 to 3 Day 4WD Safari tours to Cooktown.
Travel the rugged terrain of the scenic coastal road
to Cooktown renowned as one of the most spectacular
locations in Australia.
Cross the Daintree River by cable ferry, travel
through the World Heritage Listed Daintree National
Park. The 4WD ONLY BLOOMFIELD TRACK allows you to
venture through the heart of the Daintree Rainforest.
Traverse mountain ranges and river crossings.
Lunch at a typical Aussie Bush Pub the famous Lions
Den Hotel. View mysterious Black Mountain, free
time to explore Cooktown. Return travel is via the
Mt Mulligan Highway, the outback of Far North Queensland.
Overnight in Cape Tribulation and Cooktown options
available.
|
|
|
Option B: Take the coast road;
follow the highway north through Mossman, cross the Daintree river
and continue a beautiful scenic drive through rainforest to Cape
Tribulation. Spend a night at Cape Tribulation in some rainforest
accommodation, (or a few nights, there is heaps
to do and see around here) and then continue up the infamous
Bloomfield Track, you will need a four wheel drive for this. There
are lots of beautiful beaches, creeks and rainforest along this
road, and also the Bloomfield Falls and the Lions
Den Hotel which is a must do stop for a drink. To allow yourself
more time to explore this magnificent stretch of coastline you can
also stay overnight in Bloomfield at Bloomfield
Cabins & Camping.
Crossing the Bloomfield River on the way to Cooktown
Photo by Thelma Chalmers
Bloomfield
Cabins & Camping
Option C: Take the inland road;
YES! THEY'VE DONE IT! THE INLAND ROAD TO COOKTOWN IS NOW
SEALED ALL THE WAY!
Follow the coast road north from Cairns, turn left just before Mossman
and head up into the hills. You'll come to a T intersection where
you can turn right to go to Cooktown or make a short detour to your
left for a lunch at Lobo Loco cafe in Mount Molloy which is famous
for its ginormous burgers. A bit further up the road is the Mount
Carbine Hotel which is a good place for a beer. Closer to Cooktown
are some more places worth stopping; the Annan River and Black Mountain.
Ginormous burgers in Mount Molloy
|
Black Mountain, a mysterious place on the way to Cooktown
|
Gorge in the Annan River, bridge on the way to Cooktown
in the background
|
Mount Carbine Hotel on the inland road
|
By public transport bus:
Sunpalm Coaches do regular runs up and down both the inland road
and the coast road, phone 07-40842626, or contact
via email
Country
Road Coaches |
|
This bus does
a run all the way from Cairns to Cooktown, so is a
good option if you plan to head further north after
your Cape Tribulation stay. They depart Cairns at
06.45 in the morning, arriving in Cape Trib about
10.45 but not every day, contact them for up to date
info.
More info.... |
|
Phone
07-4045 2794 |
|
By plane:
Skytrans now flies to Cooktown four times a day, between Cairns,
Townsville and the Torres Strait. With a fleet of 20 aircraft, the
company operates scheduled services from Cairns to Aurukun, Coen,
Cooktown, Karumba, Lockhart River, Townsville and Yorke Island with
a connection to Horn Island, more info on www.skytrans.com.au
|
