Cooktown, Far North Queensland, Australia
Created | Updated Feb 25, 2004
Do you long to be off the beaten track for a while? Out of the rat race? Relax amongst people who call a spade a spade and will treat you on face value? A place of (almost) guaranteed sunshine and warmth, where nothing is done today if it can wait until next month? Add to that, beaches, tropical mangrove swamps, the Great Barrier Reef and unique wildlife and you're describing Cooktown, Far North Queensland.
Where?
Cooktown is 230km - as the daily 16-seater 'plane flies, or 350km by road - north of Cairns, at the start of the Cape York Peninsula1. This small town of around 1300 people, stands at the mouth of the Endeavour River on the Coral Sea.
Some History
What's in a Name?
Cooktown's first European residents were the company and crew of His Majesty's Bark Endeavour in 1770, led by Captain James Cook. It was during their voyage of discovery to what they hoped would be the Great Southern Continent, that they came to grief amongst the lethal outcrops of coral just off the Australian coast. The ship almost sank when it hit what is now called Endeavour Reef, off Cape Tribulation2. Cook's crew managed to patch the ship at sea, which gave them time to find a suitable beaching area to undertake more permanent repairs. The mouth of what is now the Endeavour River proved perfect, providing a beaching area, wood for repairs, a flat area of land upon which to camp and sources of abundant food. The company and crew stayed there for 48 days while repairs were completed on the ship.
Cook was less than complimentary about the area, which given his straightened circumstances, is understandable. He left descriptions in his diary from which the area is still recognisable today:
18 June 1770. I climbed one of the highest hills among those that overlooked the harbour, which afforded by no means a comfortable prospect; the lowland near the river is wholy overrun with mangroves3, among which the saltwater flows every tide; and the high land appeared everywhere to be stony and barren. In the mean time, Mr Banks had also taken a walk up the country and met with the frames of several old Indian houses, and places where they had dressed shellfish.
Mr Joseph Banks - the expedition's botanist - made the most of the enforced time ashore and collected 186 hitherto unknown plant species4 and he wrote the first European description of a kangaroo. The company included an Aboriginal who had joined them earlier in the journey, as a translator, but who was not native to this area. Legend has it that when asked What is that bouncing beast?, the translator - not wanting to look stupid - replied in his native tongue Kangaroo, translation: I don't know .
There's Gold in Them There Hills
Nothing much happened after Cook's brief sojourn, until gold was discovered in 1873 by Chinese and British prospectors, in the Palmer River, 140km to the south-west. Within months the mouth of the Endeavour River was surveyed and a tented camp called Cook's Town was established as the key access port for the burgeoning goldfields.
By the end of 1873 there were over 500 tents and by 1875 there was a school, a fire brigade, two churches, a population of 30,000 people, 94 licensed premises and 163 brothels5. In 1886, the imposing brick-built St Marys Convent was constructed and several other permenant buildings followed within the next few years, including two Banks. All a sign of the prosperity of the town and the optimism of its populace.
After the Goldrush
This was rather misplaced. The reserves of gold ran out in the 1890s, and although the discovery of tin in the area helped the town maintain its status for a while longer, a cyclone almost destroyed the town in 1907. Cooktown slipped into decline for most of the 20th Century, until tourists found it in the late 1970s, when the town was reintroduced into the public's conciousness during the Australian Bicentenary celebrations. The current tourism boom has brought more wealth and more people to Cooktown than at any time since the 1890s.
Cooktown Today
Cooktown is still remote, even by Australian standards. Until 2003, the road between Cairns and Cooktown was packed dirt along much of its distance, which washed away regularly during the summer monsoon season and was only suitable for fourwheel drive vehicles at any time of year. It has been the more persistent tourists that have made their way this far north. It remains to be seen how much this will change now that the entire 350km road is sealed.
What greets visitors is a town still girt by mangrove swamp in the river delta and dry bush on the higher land. It is a small town, making little visual impact on the enormous landscape of the Cape York Peninsula. Flying in by 'plane from Cairns provides the most interesting views of the town, nestling beneath Grassy Hill and Mount Cook, lying between Finch Bay and the mouth of the Endeavour River6.
What is There to Do?
Arrive in Cooktown and kick back, chill out, let life happen. Hang out at the Wharf, watching the fishermen. Sit with a beer in one of the town's pubs and chat to the locals. If it's activity you're after, check out the James Cook Museum7, which contains information about and artefacts from the history of exploration and settlement of the town and its area. The Marine Museum details the 1899 cyclones, Mahina and Nachon, which collided north of Cooktown, sinking 76 vessels and killing 350 people.
The Botanic Gardens, on the road to Finch Bay, are 154 acres of native planting, such as runner bean trees8, strawberry trees9 and custard apples10, first planted in 1886 on a site used by Chinese charcoal burners. It was restored in 1984, when stone-pitched waterways and paths were rediscovered. Nature's Powerhouse in the Botanic Gardens, houses a priceless collection of botanical illustrations of local flowering plants, by the late artist Vera Scarth-Johnson. There is also an exhibition of the wildlife of Cape York to be found there.
It's hard to get away from History in Cooktown. The tourist highlight of the year, over the Queen's Birthday weekend11 is the Discovery Festival and re-enactment of James Cook's arrival at the rivermouth. The parade of floats by local clubs and societies, draws the crowds, as do the numerous parties and hoolies that go on into the night.
Enough of History (perhaps). The top of Grassy Hill12 is where Cook saw the surrounding mangroves and high land in 1770. It's a steep climb, but it is possible to drive right to the top. Upon it stands the old Cooktown Lighthouse and a useful viewfinder map. It has expansive views of the town, to the river delta and across the bush of inland Cape York. In the east lies the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef, clearly visible just 10km offshore. Northwards is the long beach of North Shore and Cape Bedford in the distance.
There are three beaches in Cooktown. Finch Bay is at the end of the road that passes the Botanic Gardens. Locals swim on the northern end only. At the southern end, a creek runs into the sea and crocodiles are not uncommon. Cherry Tree Bay is accessible only on foot, on a walking trail from Finch Bay or from Grassy Hill. It is much less used than Finch Bay and a good place to find tranquility. The North Shore beach on the other side of the town and the river, is over a kilometre long and good for beachcombing. It faces into the prevailing south-easterlies and so receives an interesting clutter of sea-borne flotsam. Access is only possible by boat. Make enquiries at Cook's Landing Kiosk, by the wharf, about getting there13.
The Great Barrier Reef is closer to Cooktown than to any other town in Australia. There are fishing boats and sail boats that can be hired for a trip to fish, dive or snorkel on the Inner and the Ribbon Reefs. The Inner Reef here has some of the least damaged corals and is the least visited. It is not uncommon to be the only people on an entire Reef: indeed it is unusual to see another boat. To appreciate the beauty and bounty of the Reef, snorkelling or diving is a must. The Coral Sea is very bouyant compared to most oceans, so the least confident swimmer can float quite comfortably on the surface and gaze at the wildlife beneath. It is probably the highlight of a visit to Cooktown14.
After All That: Food and Sleep
There are numerous eateries in Cooktown and there's enough variety to suit any budget, from take-aways and kiosks to restuarants. The local fish is excellent, and many of the eateries have local specialities, such as black-lipped oysters, barramundi, coral trout, Spanish mackerel, painted crayfish and mudcrabs. Tropical fruit are also in abundance and difficult to miss, including pawpaws, passion fruit, custard apples, mangos and pineapples.
There are just three pubs left from the golden days of the 1880s. All lie along the main street, Charlotte Street, and are locally known as the Top Pub (the Cooktown Hotel), the Middle Pub (the Westcoast Hotel) and the Bottom Pub (the Sovereign Hotel), reflecting their proximity to the bottom of the hill and the wharf. There are other licensed premises in Cooktown and most of them also serve food.
For such a small place, there are a large number of different accommodations: 17 in all15, to suit every budget, ranging from caravan parks and backpackers to self-catering and resort hotels. It's worth booking ahead, because it's a long drive to the next town if everything is full, but it's usually only the June weekend when the town is booked out.
How Hot Does it Get?
Temperatures in the dry months of April to October16, seldom reach higher than 28oC and the days tend to be endless sunshine. In the wet months from November to March it is hotter, reaching around 33oC. The humidity during these months can make it uncomfortable for anybody used to a drier, cooler climate. There is a lot of heavy rain in a typical year and between the monsoon rains, the humidity remains high. Most accommodations have airconditioning, as do all the other buildings catering for visitors, which is essential at this time of year.
Indescribable
There is no way to describe the atmosphere of Cooktown, created by the climate, the friendly locals, the sound of waves lapping on the wharf, the laughter in the pubs and the relaxed approach to life. You'll have to go there to find out.
Bibliography
Lonely Planet Australia 8th Edition
