Everything - Cooktown

Cooktown Swimming Pool

The Cooktown swimming pool is located on Charles Street next to the state school.

Cycling in Cooktown

The stunning natural scenery around Cooktown can be enjoyed by the whole family on a choice of cycle trails.

Endeavour River

Boat cruises on the Endeavour River explore ancient mangrove systems and magnificent rainforest habitat. Guests experience native wildlife and fauna in its natural form and learn about this amazing eco-system and the part it plays in supporting its neighbour the Great Barrier Reef.

Finch Bay

Finch Bay is a spectacular beach, surrounded by mountains and only a 5 minute drive or half hour walk from the centre of town.

Fishing in Cooktown

Cooktown is unique for its close proximity to a myriad of angling environments. You can fish the outer reef for its legendary black marlin; the inner reef for coral trout, red emperor, mackerel and tuna. On the beaches, headlands and coastal flats you'll find trevally, queenies, permit and the elusive bonefish; and in the estuaries chase barramundi, mangrove jacks, fingermark and crabs. And way up in the sweetwater jungle, perch and sooty grunter abound. This is a fishing paradise!

Grassy Hill - The Lighthouse

Cooktown was established in 1873, but no beacon guided ships through the reef until the lighthouse was built in 1886. It was supplied by Chance Brothers Ltd, England, and for years was one of only four along the Queensland coast. Small lighthouses were staffed by a lone keeper who announced the arrival of ships by raising a flag. At midday a time ball was dropped from the signal staff.

Grassy Hill - The Radar Station

Just as Captain Cook had found Grassy Hill such a natural vantage point, so the aspect proved a natural option for new communication and detection technologies as they were developed.

Great Barrier Reef

One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef is an incredible living ecosystem. Vibrant colours, a myriad of fish species and crystal blue waters, refresh, invigorate and inspire.

Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling

The beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is yours to experience from Cooktown – Australia's closest mainland port to the Great Barrier Reef.

H.M.B. Endeavour - Reconciliation Rocks

“It was here on these rocks that a group of eleven Guugu Yimithirr men and James Cook and several of his companions reconciled their differences and restored the peace and friendship that was the defining nature of the European’s seven weeks stay in Endeavour River.”

Hope Islands National Park

Two low lying coral cays, West Hope is a shingle cay dominated by mangroves and East Hope is a sandy cay.

Keatings Lagoon (Mulbabidgee) Walk

The Mulbabidgee (Keatings Lagoon) walk has been developed in conjunction with the local Gungarde Aboriginal Corporation who worked on the 1.5 kilometre boardwalk and walking track on the edge of this important bird sanctuary.

Kitesurfing near Cooktown

One of the kite surfing community’s best kept secrets is starting to spread and the Cooktown region is now gaining a reputation as one of the southern hemisphere’s premier kite surfing hot spots.

Lizard Island

Located 93 km north of Cooktown and 27km from the coast these 6 islands are part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Public moorings are provided for private boats and there is an airstrip for small aircraft.

Mary Watson

Mary Beatrice Watson, nee Phillips, was born in the Cornish town of Truro, England. During the mid 1870's, her family emigrated to Queensland. While working in Cooktown, Mary met Captain R.F. Watson, a beche-de-mer fisherman. The couple married in Cooktown on 30 May 1880. They moved to Lizard Island where their son, Ferrier, was born in 1881. Their homestead was apparently built on an Aboriginal sacred site. It is widely believed that this provoked the attack on the holding.

Mount Cook Hiking Trail

An exhilarating walk requiring a good level of fitness which provides fantastic views over the Great Barrier Reef

Mount Cook National Park

Rising to 431m Mount Cook provides a scenic backdrop to Cooktown. The rainforest clad granite hill is known as Waymbuur by the Aboriginal Traditional Owners.

Public Art in Cooktown

A stroll around the centre of Cooktown leads you to several public art works

Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park

Rinyirru (Lakefield) is Queensland’s second largest National Park and the largest park in Cape York at 537,000 ha. Spectacular wetlands and extensive river systems attract a great diversity of waterbirds while estuarine and freshwater crocodiles bask along the river banks and barramundi wait in the shallows.

Scenic Rim Walking Trail

The "Scenic Rim Walking Trail" consists of a mixture of pathways, rough tracks and trails, and is uniquely able to cater for every level of fitness.

Also in this section

Cooktown - Sports