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Captain James Cook
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With a rich history starting with Captain James Cooks' landing here in 1770, to the Palmer River Gold Rush a hundred years later, Cooktown is one of Queensland's oldest historic towns.
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What To Do
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History & Culture
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Cooktown Railway
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Hailed as Australia's most unusual railway, the creation of the Cooktown to Laura Railway, was a direct result of the discovery of gold in the Palmer River.
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What To Do
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History & Culture
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The Gold Rush
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Little happened after Cooks initial landing until William Hann set out on his overland journey of exploration in 1872. The discovery of payable alluvial gold deposits at the Palmer river in 1873 by James Venture Mulligan, sparked a huge gold rush, drawing prospectors not only from Australia, but also from around the world.
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What To Do
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History & Culture
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Keatings Lagoon (Mulbabidgee) Walk
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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.
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Bush walks
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Bicentennial National Trail
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The Bicentennial National Trail is the longest marked, non-motorised, self-reliant multi-use trekking route in the world, stretching an extraordinary 5,330 kilometres from Cooktown in tropical North Queensland, to Healesville in Victoria.
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Suggested self-drive itineraries
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Fishing in Cooktown
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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!
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Fishing & Boating
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Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling
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The beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is yours to experience from Cooktown – Australia's closest mainland port to the Great Barrier Reef.
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What To Do
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Fishing & Boating
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Endeavour River
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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.
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What To Do
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Fishing & Boating
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Mount Cook National Park
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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.
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What To Do
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Nature, Adventure & Discovery
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National Parks
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Lizard Island
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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.
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What To Do
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Nature, Adventure & Discovery
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National Parks
