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Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Island & Reef Experiences
Cape York Adventures
4WD, island, cultural and fishing tours across Cape York and Torres Strait
Rainforest Coast
Aboriginal Tours | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture
Walker Family Tours
Explore Bloomfield Falls and learn about Yalanji culture on ancestral land
Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Aboriginal Tours | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Guurrbi Tours
Award-winning rock art tours with Elder Willie Gordon near Cooktown
Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Aboriginal Tours | Guided Tours & Cruises | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Maaramaka Walkabout Tours
Hear Aboriginal stories and learn about rainforest flora, fauna and culture
Cooktown
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Cycling in Cooktown
Enjoy three family-friendly cycle trails, heritage sights and coastal scenery
Cooktown | Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Guided Tours & Cruises
Kitesurfing near Cooktown
World-class winds, deserted beaches and stunning backdrops near Cooktown
Cooktown
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes
Cooktown Swimming Pool
Swimming pool on Charles Street next to the state school, open daily
Rainforest Coast
Aboriginal Tours | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | National Parks & Walking Trails
Bloomfield Falls Walk
Easy 30-minute walk to Bloomfield Falls, with optional Kuku Yalanji tours
Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | National Parks & Walking Trails
Elim Beach Walks
Explore Elim’s Coloured Sands on an easy 600m return beach walk
Rainforest Coast
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | National Parks & Walking Trails
Home Rule Falls
A moderate 2.6km return rainforest walk to a three-tiered waterfall
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
National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts
Mount Cook Hiking Trail
Strenuous 6km return hike with spectacular coastal and reef views
Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Fishing & Boating | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Jardine River National Park and Heathlands Resources Reserve
Cape York wilderness with waterfalls, remote beaches and 4WD access
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
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 | Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Aboriginal Tours | Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes | Fishing & Boating | History & Museums | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Cooktown Highlights Itinerary
Plan three nights for history, Aboriginal tours, fishing and Cape York
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
Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | Island & Reef Experiences | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Flinders Group National Park
Seven remote islands with Aboriginal sites and nationally significant rock art
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
4WD Adventures | Indigenous Culture & Heritage | National Parks & Walking Trails | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Iron Range National Park – Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park (CYPAL)
Remote Cape York park with tropical rainforest, beaches and rich wildlife
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 | 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 | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Mount Cook National Park
A steep 2km trail climbs Waymbuur to a lookout with Great Barrier Reef views
Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | National Parks & Walking Trails | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
The Tip of Australia
Reach mainland Australia's northernmost point with Torres Strait views
Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Suggested Cape York Self-Drive Itinerary
Plan a 4WD adventure from Cairns to the Tip of Cape York via scenic routes
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
Cooktown
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes
Cherry Tree Bay
Secluded beach with clean sand and palms, reached by walking tracks
Cooktown
Beaches, Waterfalls & Swimming Holes
Finch Bay
Mountain-framed beach with giant rocks, a river mouth and garden trails
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
Cape York Peninsula
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Lockhart River Arts Centre
Contemporary Aboriginal art inspired by Lockhart River’s culture and coast
Cooktown
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Cooktown History Centre
Explore Cooktown history through stories, photos, archives and research
Elim Beach | Hope Vale
History & Culture | History & Museums | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Hope Vale Arts and Cultural Centre
Explore Guugu Yimithirr culture through weaving, bush dyes and art
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
Cape York Peninsula
4WD Adventures | Fishing & Boating | Guided Tours & Cruises | Island & Reef Experiences | Scenic Drives & Lookouts | Wildlife & Birdwatching
Coastal Rotors
Scenic helicopter flights, heli fishing and island transfers from Horn Island
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
Cape York Peninsula
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Aboriginal culture – Cape York Peninsula
Discover diverse Aboriginal cultures, languages and art across Cape York
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
4WD Adventures | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Palmer River Goldfields
Remote goldfields reserve 280km northwest of Cairns, via rough tracks
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 | 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
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
Cape York Peninsula
Aboriginal Tours | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Wik and Kugu Arts Centre, Aurukun
Explore authentic Indigenous sculpture and fibre art in remote Aurukun
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 | 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
Elim Beach | Hope Vale
Aboriginal Tours | History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Aboriginal Culture – Hope Vale & Elim Beach
Explore Guugu Yimithirr country, ancient rock art and local culture
Cooktown
History & Culture | Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Captain James Cook
Cooktown's history spans Cook's 1770 landing and the Palmer River Gold Rush