How to spend 48 hours in Cooktown
Itinerary
By Catherine Blake
About one quarter of the way between Cairns and the tip of Australia, Cooktown is an often-overlooked destination and one of the most historically significant sites in the country.
Home of the Guugu Yimithirr people, the region is known as Gangaar, ‘(Place of the) Rock Crystals’ due to the abundance of quartz in the area. These crystals are an important aspect of Indigenous ceremonies, and there is even evidence of them being traded as far as 300km south of the region.
In more recent history, this township became a place of further preciousness as a port during the Gold Rush. It’s also the place where the Endeavour ran ashore after its hull was grated along the reef, making it Australia’s first non-Indigenous settlement.
Being right on the way to Cape York, Cooktown is a must-stop location for anyone heading to the Cape.
If you’re on your way to the continent’s northernmost point, stopping off in Cooktown is a must. Here’s 48 hours’ worth of stuff to keep you busy.
Day 1
9am: Set off from Cairns
Aerial view of beach and 4WD track, Driving along the Bloomfield Track | Best Things to do in Cairns to Cooktown
It might only be 327km long, but the drive between Cairns and Cooktown encompasses every type of Australian landscape into a neat package. From the rainforest to the reef to stretching swathes of the outback, you’ll see it all in just four hours’ along The Great Barrier Reef Drive and Bloomfield Track.
If you’re not already familiar with these roads, they’re the kind that drive a petrolhead wild. Hairpin bends, river crossings, and the most spectacular views make the trip from Cairns to Cooktown an adventure all of its own.
Make sure you break up the drive with a splash at Bloomfield Falls, a lounge under the palm trees in Port Douglas’s Rex Smeal Park, and a stunning view at Bob’s Lookout.
Not in a rush? Take your time and venture from Cairns to Cooktown in 10 days.
12pm: Lunch at Lions Den Hotel
The only access to Cooktown is by car, so you’re bound to arrive at the Lions Den Hotel with an appetite. This tin and timber hotel is located just four hours from Cairns. It’s perfectly situated to provide lunch for those who leave Cairns in the morning, and dinner for anyone leaving the capital in the afternoon.
The Lions Den is a quintessentially Australian pitstop, offering a camping ground and access to one of the few safe swimming holes in the area. On entry, expect to be greeted by the bar flies with a nod and curious stare.
Pubs don’t come much more iconic than this one – with evidence written on its walls by the number of visitors who’ve passed through this establishment since 1875. Outside, you’ll find a beer garden and plenty of shade to scoff down a pizza under the 100-year-old mango trees that tower over the courtyard.
2pm: Discover the Black Mountain legends
For a taste of local folklore, drive out to Black Mountain National Park.
At first glance, the mounds of black rock look like a coal mine perched next to the highway. On closer inspection, you’re looking at lumps of dried lava, formed over 250 million years ago.
Besides the significance of this geological phenomenon, the ancient mountain is also a place of myth and mystery. The stories date back to the 1800s of prospectors who went missing fossicking in the mountains, and criminals who fled to the black boulders who were never found again.
Home to four separate religious sites for the Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Nyungkal and Guugu Yimithirr people, the cultural significance of Black Mountain cannot be overstated. Traditionally the area is a sacred battleground where warring clans fought over hunting grounds.
Naturally, climbing is prohibited for both cultural and safety reasons.
4pm: Arrive into Cooktown
By late afternoon, set a direct course for Cooktown. Prepare for a patchwork of architecture styles as you drive down the main street. The town’s architecture features a mix of coastal dwellings alongside Gold Rush opulence.
For river views, check into the Seaview Motel. It’s the kind of place where you can leave the car in the car park and walk to dinner, the museum, the riverfront and pretty much everywhere else. Also not a bad spot if you fancy casting a line - the river is practically on your doorstep.
Make sure you get to bed on time, tomorrow has an early call time.
Day 2
7:45am: Depart Cooktown with Culture Connect
Today is all about getting to know the region with the people who know it best. An all-day tour with Culture Connect will have you exploring the home of the traditional owners, the Balnggarrawarra people. Taking small groups of just six people, their Indigenous Rangers will lead you on a journey deep into their homeland and teach you all about traditional preservation practices as you go. Along the way you’ll come up close with ancient sites rich in cultural heritage, get a close look at ancient rock art, learn all about ancient bush food and medicine, and trek along remote tracks as you learn all about the work of the Indigenous Rangers to preserve their homeland.
The all-day tour departs Cooktown early at 7:45am, and delivers you back around 4:30pm. Make sure you bring sunscreen, water, and hiking boots.
Day 3
9am: Get a taste of history
With history old and new, the local museum is as good a place as any to teach the kids about the national significance of this township. Alongside an extensive collection of Guugu Yimithiir artefacts, the museum is a time capsule for the stories of all the different people whose paths ran through Cooktown.
Take for instance the thousands who flocked here 1873 when Cooktown was a port for the goldfields. More than 30,000 people passed through this area, a population that seems almost unfathomable when today it is only around 2600. Finish your circuit of the museum with a moment on the verandah of the three-storey heritage building, and a sweeping view of Cooktown. Entrance is just $35 for a family of two adults and up to three kids.
10am: Go shopping
The Croc Shop is the most iconic shop on the Peninsula. You can pick up everything emblematic of Far North Queensland in this variety store, and everything packs a distinct crocodile theme.
If you run out of time, you’ll also find one just south of the tip of Australia, if that’s where you’re headed.
12pm: Cast off in Cooktown
Photo by @jasonmitchell75
You only need to see the kind of boats bobbing around the Endeavour River to know what Cooktown does best. You won’t find luxury liners here – instead, it’s moor-to-moor fishing boats because Cooktown has the fishing scene to warrant it. In fact, it’s a world-class fishing destination known for drawing in keen anglers to their coastal community.
Join in the Gone Fishing guided tour company with your lure, fly or pole and get ready to reel in anything from coral trout, tuna, and mackerel to jacks and trevally. The river is lined with over 25 species of mangrove, so it’s no wonder the fishing is so good here.
If you’re not so much into fish, join Cooktown Cruises for a nature boat cruise along the river. The croc-infested waters mean you’re practically guaranteed to catch sight of a semiaquatic reptiles.
4pm: Get the lay of the land
What if we told you one of Cooktown’s most well-known structures – its lighthouse – was sold for just $100 in 1988? Not bad for a piece of freehold title with 360-degree views over the town.
Head to Grassy Hill Lookout to see the structure and soak up some sweeping views over the township, Mount Cook, and the reef.
Sunset: Sundowners on the water
Photo by @cape_york_captures
Riverbend Tours know that a good cheese platter is the way to any visitor’s heart. This BYO sunset cruise takes you through Cooktown harbour so you can watch the glorious sunset over the ranges and enjoy a spread of the finest local cheeses from Gallo Dairyland at the same time.
Although you’ll learn a bit about local history, this tour focuses on the Cooktown you see today, which is the last frontier to the gateway to the Cape. Tickets are $49 for adults, or you can bring the kids and it will set you back $139 for a family.
Where to from here?
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, how about Cairns to Cape York? It’s just another 860km to the very tip of Queensland and the northernmost point of the country.
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