Cooktown Tourist Attractions

Cooktown (pop. 1300) was the first - though very temporary - white settlement on the east coast of Australia. In 1770 Captain Cook had to beach the Endeavor here for repair after running aground on a coral reef, and the crew lived ashore in tents for seven weeks.

Surroundings

From Grassy Hill there are good views of the surrounding country and the reefs. In 1988, Australia's bicentennial year, a 5000km long Bicentennial National Trail for walkers and riders from Cooktown to Healesville in Victoria was inaugurated.
Cooktown is a good base for trips to Black Mountain National Park, Lakefield National Park and the Aboriginal cave paintings at Laura.

Lakefield National Park

528,000ha
The very varied landscape of Lakefield National Park includes savannas and plains with open woodland which are flooded in the rainy season, wide rivers and expanses of marshland, lagoons with rich flora and fauna, particularly water birds and crocodiles, mangrove swamps and rain forest. It is the most accessible National Park on Cape York Peninsula north of Cooktown.

Black Mountain National Park

780ha.
This is an area of granite boulders, bare rocky peaks and hillsides covered with rain forest vegetation. The highest point is the Black Mountain (475m). The hill and the park take their name from the dark-colored lichens which cover the bare granite. The park is a rock wallaby reserve.

Surroundings

Outside Black Mountain National Park there are tracks leading to the waterfalls on the Annan River and Mumgumby Creek.

Cedar Bay National Park

5650ha.
The Gap Creek valley divides the park into two parts. The Bloomfield Track, a dusty road suitable only for all-terrain vehicles, runs through the valley.

Endeavour River National Park

1340ha.
While Cook was having the Endeavor repaired in this area, in June 1770, his companion, the botanist Joseph Banks, recorded the flora and fauna. This park, to the west of Cooktown, is named after Cook's ship and fine examples of Aboriginal rock art are found here.

Mount Cook National Park

500ha.
Mount Cook (432m), after which this park is named, lies on the southern outskirts of Cooktown.