Welcome to Cooktown and Cape York!
Welcome to historic Cooktown, and the remote, unspoilt beauty of this stunning part of Tropical North Queensland.
Renowned for its rich Aboriginal culture and pioneering past, this small, friendly coastal town holds a unique place in Australia's history as the site of the country's first European settlement.
Surrounded by one of the country's few remaining wilderness areas, here you can experience the essence of Australia, with rainforest, outback, hilltop savannah, wetlands and stunning dune formations on your doorstep. The Great Barrier Reef, with its spectacular marine life, fringes the pristine waters of the east coast not far from Cooktown.
So let us help you find the perfect Queensland holiday with off the beaten track attractions, accommodation for all budgets, local guides and tours, self-driving routes, vibrant festivals and so much more in your one-stop guide to Cooktown and Cape York Peninsula.
Take your time to explore - the history is just the beginning!
Cooktown - Far North Queensland's best-kept Secret
- Cooktown Wharf
Join the locals fishing inland, offshore or from the wharf
Learn about our ancient country on must-do Aboriginal tours
View the Great Barrier Reef from the top of Grassy Hill
Browse in the museums and galleries and feel the history
Visit Nature's Powerhouse in the historic Botanic Gardens
Stay at campsites, farmstays, comfortable lodges and hotels
Be Inspired by the Nature and Culture on Cooktown's doorstep
- Giant Horse Gallery
Swim at secluded waterholes and waterfalls around Cooktown
See the mysterious Black Mountains National Park
Buy Aboriginal art from the locals at Hopevale Community
Visit one of the world's top ten rated Aboriginal rock art sites
Walk along beautiful rainforest trails on the Rainforest Coast
Camp at the beach and see the amazing Coloured Sands
Cape York - The Ultimate 4WD Adventure
- Pascoe River
Drive the traditional Old Telegraph Track to the Tip of Australia
Enjoy fishing at it's best with local experts
Seek the golden shouldered parrot and more endemic birdlife
Experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
You've made it! Stand at the Tip of Australia
Make the trip of a lifetime to Cape York
No Leave, No Life - Enjoy the Great Australian Outdoors
- Fishing for barramundi. Courtesy Graham Burton
Catch a barramundi for dinner at Lakefield National Park
Swim in crystal waterfalls at Jardine River National Park
Head for the iconic Chili Beach in Iron Range National Park
Hike through the rainforest in Cedar Bay National Park
Explore our region's diversity with self-drive itineraries
Play golf on coastal links at the foot of Mount Cook
Coming Soon ....
The Wallaby Creek Festival September 24-26 - experience the 'Best Little Festival in Australia', celebrating music and the arts in Far North Queensland in idyllic rainforest surrounds.
Come to Home Rule Rainforest Lodge for an ideal September family holiday in the Wet Tropics. Free camping amongst the lush camping grounds at Home Rule is available with the 3-day festival pass.
Photo Competition Winners
Try Something Different
Ride bush and beach horse trails
Spot a croc on the Endeavour River
Sample life on a working cattle station
Try a traditional bush feast
Join a small group 4WD adventure
Go pig hunting in the wilderness
Book an art tour at Lockhart River
Hire a campervan and explore
Enjoy the Best Little Festival in Oz