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Rainforest Coast
Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails
Cedar Bay North Walk
Strenuous 28km return walk to Cedar Bay’s remote palm-fringed beach
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Black Mountain National Park, (Kalkajaka N.P.)
Mysterious granite mountains, rich in Kuku Yalanji myths and legends
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Lakefield
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Cape Melville National Park
Remote coastline, granite boulders and sandstone escarpments
Cooktown | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Cedar Bay National Park
Remote coastal park south of Cooktown, with rainforest, beaches and wildlife
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Island & Reef Experiences | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Hope Islands National Park
Two coral cays: mangrove-fringed West Hope and sandy East Hope Island
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Lakefield | Laura
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park
Vast Cape York wetlands with waterbirds, crocodiles and barramundi
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown
4WD Adventures | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Fishing & Boating | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Island & Reef Experiences | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Lizard Island
Six islands in the Great Barrier Reef, with beaches, trails and snorkelling
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Mount Cook National Park
A steep 2km trail climbs Waymbuur to a lookout with Great Barrier Reef views
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Cooktown Botanic Gardens
One of Queensland's oldest regional botanic gardens, in a 62ha reserve
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown
4WD Adventures | Island & Reef Experiences | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Great Barrier Reef
Explore vibrant coral reefs, tropical fish and pristine waters near Cooktown
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Elim Beach | Hope Vale | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Waterfalls
Scenic Cooktown waterfalls offer picnics, swimming holes and day trips
Cooktown | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
The Great Tropical Drive Daintree Explorer Trail
A classic 4WD route from Mossman to Cooktown via the renowned Bloomfield Track
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Lakefield | Laura
4WD Adventures | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
The Great Tropical Drive Discovery Trail
2-day Cooktown–Laura loop through Lakefield National Park and Quinkan country
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Bicentennial National Trail
A 5,330km self-reliant trail linking 18 national parks from Cooktown
Cooktown
4WD Adventures | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Birdwatching in and near Cooktown
Explore four habitats and 150 bird species on Cooktown day trips
Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Bennetts Tree Kangaroo
Spot Bennett’s tree-kangaroo in forests and creek areas near Cooktown
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Elim Beach | Hope Vale | Weipa
4WD Adventures | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Fishing & Boating | Island & Reef Experiences | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Beaches
Explore deserted beaches, reef snorkelling, fishing and spectacular views
Archer River | Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Lakefield | Portland Roads | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Bird Life
Explore 321 bird species, including 18 found only on Cape York, year-round
Cooktown
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Cooktown History Centre
Explore Cooktown history through stories, photos, archives and research
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Laura
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Museums and Galleries
Explore Cooktown’s heritage buildings, museums, galleries and local art
Lakefield | Laura
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Quinkan Cultural Centre, Laura
Explore Quinkan rock art, local heritage and Aboriginal arts in Laura
Lakefield | Laura
4WD Adventures | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Palmer River Goldfields
Remote goldfields reserve 280km northwest of Cairns, via rough tracks
Cooktown | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Aboriginal Tours | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Rossville Retreat Indigenous Tours
Learn bush medicines, foods and Kuku Nyungkul culture with Mooks
Cape York Peninsula | Lakefield | Laura
4WD Adventures | History & Culture | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Gateway to Cape York
Pause for Cape York displays, BBQs, photo opportunities and sculptures
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Cook’s Landing – Fast Facts
Endeavour's ordeal, repairs, first contact and reconciliation in Cooktown
Cooktown
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Cooktown Cemetery
Explore diverse historic graves, cultural stories and gold rush mysteries
Cooktown | Lakefield | Laura
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Cooktown Railway
Gold rush railway from Cooktown to Laura, operating from 1885 to 1961
Cooktown | Lakefield | Laura
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
The Gold Rush
The 1873 Palmer River gold rush transformed Cooktown into a boomtown
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Scenic Drives & Lookouts
Grassy Hill – The Lighthouse
Built in 1886, Grassy Hill lighthouse guided ships through Cooktown's reef
Cooktown
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Island & Reef Experiences
Mary Watson
A tragic 1881 escape from Lizard Island ended in thirst and loss
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Scenic Drives & Lookouts
The Story of Mungurru and Wahalumbaal birri
An Aboriginal tale of how Mungurru shaped the Endeavour River
Cooktown
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
The Normanby Woman
Mystery surrounds the fair-skinned woman captured near Byerstown in 1887
Lakefield | Laura
Aboriginal Tours | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Quinkan Galleries
Explore UNESCO-listed Quinkan rock art with local Indigenous guides
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
H.M.B. Endeavour – Reconciliation Rocks
On these rocks, eleven Guugu Yimithirr men and James Cook restored peace.
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Scenic Drives & Lookouts
Grassy Hill – The Radar Station
Grassy Hill’s vantage point hosted ship-to-shore radio and wartime radar
Lakefield | Laura
Aboriginal Tours | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Jarramali Rock Art Tours
Explore Quinkan Rock Art with Kuku-Yalanji traditional owners near Laura
Rainforest Coast
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Bana Yirriji Arts Centre
Temporarily closed after Cyclone Jasper; a new location is being sought.
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Elim Beach | Hope Vale | Lakefield | Laura | Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Fishing near Hope Vale
Fish Cape Bedford reefs and wrecks, or explore the McIvor River
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Lakefield | Laura
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Fishing near Laura
Remote Cape York waters offer wild barra, jacks and superb mud crabbing
Rainforest Coast
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Fishing in the Rainforest Coast
Fish for barra, jacks and trevally amid rainforest and mountain views
Cape York Peninsula | Cooktown | Hope Vale | Lakefield | Laura
Aboriginal Tours | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Aboriginal Rock Art
Explore ancient rock art galleries and guided Aboriginal cultural tours
Cooktown
Aboriginal Tours | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Aboriginal Culture Cooktown
Explore Guugu Yimithirr history, art and culture through local experiences
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Captain James Cook
Cooktown's history spans Cook's 1770 landing and the Palmer River Gold Rush