<p>Accessible by 4WD during the dry season only (May-November).</p>
<p>Access via the Starcke Homestead 12 hours north (225 km) of Cooktown or through Lakefield N.P. and Kalpowar Aboriginal lands, 12 hours north of Cairns.</p>
<p>Recreational fishing is allowed in all rivers and creeks in the park and fisheries regulations apply. Estuarine crocodiles live in the waterways along the coast and offshore – be croc wise.</p>
<p>For coastal fishing limited fishing is allowed in the Conservation Park yellow zone in Bathurst Bay, check <a>www.gbrmpa.gov.au</a>” target=”_blank”>www.gbrmpa.gov.au</a> for marine park zoning info.</p>
<p>Bush camping is possible at Bathurst Bay behind the beach, camping permits are required and available from the self-registration shelter at Lakefield ranger station.</p>
<p>Other campsites are at Bathurst Head and adjacent to the Marrett River – ask for more info at QPWS offices.</p>
<p>Camping is also possible in the nearby Kalpowar Recreation Reserve and on Flinders Island.</p>
<p> Sunset at Bathurst Heads, Courtesy Graham Burton</p>

<p>Rinyirru (Lakefield) is of considerable Aboriginal cultural significance, and the park has many places associated with occupation, ceremonies and ancestral spirits. Hann Crossing and Kalpowar Crossing are two such significant sites.</p>
<p>The Park is located in the Laura Basin 6-7 hours north of Cairns. There are several access points: via Laura and the Peninsula Development Road; from Cooktown along Battle Camp Road; on the Lakeland-Laura Road, or from Coen via the Musgrave Roadhouse. Access is only during the dry season, normally May to November, but early or late rains might render some of the tracks impassable. 4WD is highly recommended.</p>
<p>Fishing is permitted at all camping grounds with barramundi and catfish the most common species caught. Boat tours and hire are not available, but you are welcome to bring your own boat.</p>
<p> Kalpowar Crossing Camping Lakefield National Park. Courtesy of Tourism Queensland</p>
<p>There are bush camping areas at 12 Mile Waterhole, Old Faithful Waterhole, Mick Fienn and Dingo Waterholes, Kalpowar Crossing Campground, 7 Mile Waterhole and  Hann Crossing. Camping is no longer via self-registration; you now need to register either online, at a QPWS office, or by phone. Visit the <a href="http://nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/rinyirru-lakefield/camping.html#all_camping_must_now_be">Parks web site</a> for further information.</p>

<h3>Cooktown Discovery Trail Summary</h3>
<p><strong>Day 1. </strong>Cooktown-Laura via Lakefield National Park 136 km, approx 2 hr 30 mins</p>
<p><strong>Day 2.</strong> Laura-Cooktown 143 km, approx 1 hrs, 30 mins</p>
<p> Kalpowar Crossing Camping Lakefield National Park. Courtesy of Tourism Queensland</p>
<h3>DAY 1. Cooktown-Laura.</h3>
<p>Road conditions unsealed, suitable for 4WD.</p>
<p>A dirt road links Cooktown to Lakefield National Park, past the Endeavour Falls and on through Battle Camp Road. Camping permits and information about the park can be obtained from QPWS rangers at Cooktown, New Laura, Lakefield or Bizant Ranger Stations. Crossing Laura River, you will come upon historic Old Laura Homestead, one of the oldest cattle properties on Cape York. The structure you see today was built in 1892.</p>
<p>You can bush camp in Lakefield National Park (permit required) or continue onto the township of Laura, where hotel and camping facilities are available.</p>
<p>Carry plenty of drinking water and fuel as there are no service stations in the park. </p>
<p> WARNING – CROCODILES. Estuarine crocodiles are present in creeks, rivers and waterholes in this area.</p>
<p> Giant Horse Gallery</p>
<h3>DAY 2. Laura-Cooktown.</h3>
<p>Road conditions sealed suitable for 2WD.</p>
<p>The area surrounding Laura is known as ‘Quinkan country’ and is renowned for its ancient Aboriginal rock art galleries, considered among the world’s finest. The ‘Split Rock’ site about 10km south of Laura is open to the public. To learn more about the region’s history and culture, visit the Quinkan Regional and Cultural Centre to organise a site tour. If you are interested in these areas you will need to contact them prior to starting your trip.</p>
<p>Another of Laura’s highlights is the annual Horse Races and Rodeo which are held on the first weekend of July, and the Indigenous Dance and Cultural Festival held every two years.</p>
<p>Follow the Peninsula Development Road south to the tiny township of Lakeland Downs, in the heart of the Laura River Valley. This is now a major coffee and banana growing region.</p>
<p>The final 80 km back to Cooktown crosses four rivers – the West Normanby, East Normanby, Little Annan and Big Annan. Allow time for a few stops in the last 30km – Black Mountain National Park, the historic Lion’s Den Hotel (a 4km detour from the main road) and finally Keating’s Lagoon.</p>
<h3>Enjoy the whole Great Tropical Drive</h3>
<p>Follow the Great Tropical Drive for 12 days and 2079 kilometres to some of Australia’s best known attractions – the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, Hinchinbrook Island and Undara Lava Tubes – and be prepared for many unexpected discoveries along the way.</p>
<p>The Great Tropical Drive passes through six unique regions of North Queensland: <br /> Cooktown, Port Douglas and Daintree, Cairns and Beaches, Mission Beach and the Cassowary Coast, Tropical Tablelands and Savannah Country, Townsville, Charters Towers and Hinchinbrook.</p>
<p>Information courtesy of <a href="http://http//www.cairnsgreatbarrierreef.org.au/" target="_blank">Tourism Tropical North Queensland</a></p>

<p>Make this your first stop in Laura for information on the region. A select range of Aboriginal arts and crafts are available for sale, and you can book guided tours to some of the world famous rock art sites in the region.</p>
<p>The centre has several interpretive displays with information on the Quinkan rock art galleries, local families and tribal elders, the gold rush days and cattle stations. A DVD showcases the Laura region and children can even learn traditional dancesteps.</p>
<p><b>Ph: (07) 4051 8471</b></p>
<p><strong>Peninsula Development Road, Laura, QLD, 4871</strong></p>

<p>Female Eclectus Parrot. Courtesy of Lynette Ensor</p>
<p>Cape York Peninsula is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with 321 species of birds having been recorded here, 18 of which are found only on the Cape, including the eclectus parrot and palm cockatoo. Two species, the golden-shouldered parrot and white-streaked honeyeater, are endemic to the area.</p>
<p>Highlights include two species of birds of paradise from Papua New Guinea – the magnificent riflebird and the trumpet manucode, which are found in the Lockerbie Scrub rainforest. And cassowaries are seen in the Iron Range National Park and the Daintree rainforest.</p>
<h3>Iron Range National Park</h3>
<p> Metallic Starling at Nest. Courtesy of Lynette Ensor</p>
<p>The mix of coastal and lowland rainforest species makes Iron Range a fascinating birding destination. Endemics include eclectus parrots, red-cheeked parrots, Marshall’s fig parrots, palm cockatoos and the magnificent riflebirds. From October-March Chili Beach offers the incredible spectacle of a congregation of thousands of Metallic Starlings.</p>
<p>Take a spotlight to see the nocturnal birds such as Papuan frogmouths, owlet-nightjars and a variety of owls.</p>
<p>Stop at the Portland Roads Café for local information on the best birding spots or base yourself at Portland House to explore the area. Check the Portland House <a href="http://www.portlandhouse.com.au/birdlist.html" target="_blank">Bird list</a>.</p>
<h3>Lakefield National Park</h3>
<p> Magpie geese, courtesy Lynette Ensor</p>
<p>Lakefield National Park protects over 200 bird species, including the threatened golden-shouldered parrot, star finch and red goshawk. The wetlands attract a great diversity of waterbirds including brolgas, sarus cranes, black-necked storks, magpie geese, comb-crested jacanas and ducks.</p>
<p>Base yourself at the <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/stay/cape-york-peninsula/lotus-bird-lodge" title="Lotus Bird Lodge">Lotus Bird Lodge</a> – the following birds have been identified in the Violet Vale Station, Lakefield National Park and Artemis Station areas on the Lotus Bird Lodge <a href="http://www.lotusbird.com.au/birdlist.html" target="_blank">Bird list .</a></p>
<h3>Lockerbie Scrub</h3>
<p>Lockerbie Scrub is a swathe of monsoon rainforest at the Tip of Cape York. Highlights among a huge selection of species are the 2 birds of paradise (Magnificent Riflebirds and Trumpet Manucodes), Yellow-Legged Flycatchers and Frilled Monarchs.</p>
<p>Basing yourself at Bamaga you will have easy access to the birding spots at Lockerbie Scrub, Pajinka and Somerset Beach.</p>
<p>Driving through the Cape York Peninsula, other areas which offer very productive birding are at Coen, Archer River, Musgrave and Nifold Plain regions.</p>
<h3>Rainforest coast</h3>
<p>Shipton’s Flat, near Rossville, is a lovely day out from Cooktown with refreshing waterholes and stunning scenery plus abundant bird life. If you continue down to Twin Forks, this is also the area where Bennett’s Tree Kangaroos can be seen.</p>
<p>There are at least 137 species of closed forest dependent birds in the <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/go/rainforestcoast/index">Wet Tropics</a> with 13 endemic species – 9 from the uplands and 4 from the lower altitudes.</p>
<p>Base yourself from Helenvale, Bloomfield or further down the coast at Cape Tribulation to explore the remarkable Daintree World Heritage rainforest.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/nature/animals/cooktownbirdwatching">Birdwatching in Cooktown</a></p>
<h3>Experience amazing birdwatching with expert guides:</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/stay/rainforestcoast/mungumby">Mungumby Lodge</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.greatnortherntours.com.au" target="_blank">Great Northern Tours</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.birdtracker.com.au/" target="_blank">Bird Tracker</a></p>

<p><b>Archer Point</b></p>
<p>Located about 20 km outside Cooktown signposted from the Mulligan Highway. Often windy, this is a popular spot for kite surfers. As the 3 beaches are all facing a different direction there is always a calm beach to relax on. From the beach at low tide you can walk out to the reef and snorkel off the point, but beware of crocodiles and stingers. This is a great camping spot if you are entirely self-sufficient – the views are spectacular (unsealed access road). </p>
<p><b>Finch Bay and Cherry Tree Bay</b></p>
<p> Finch Bay – Pam Davey</p>
<p>These are the two local beaches in Cooktown. Although you can drive to <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/nature/beaches/finchbay">Finch Bay</a>, just 2 km past the Botanic Gardens entrance and car park, there is delightful short bush walk through the Gardens. <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/nature/beaches/cherry_tree_bay">Cherry Tree Bay</a> is only accessible by foot through the Botanic Gardens or from the Grassy Hill road.</p>
<p><b>Quarantine Bay</b></p>
<p>A 5km drive from Cooktown – turn off the Mulligan Highway to Quarantine and Walker Bay then continue past the Golf Course turn off. The beach is pebbly here and situated at the base of Mt Cook the backdrop is a rainforest covered slope. </p>
<p><b>Walker Bay</b></p>
<p>Walker Bay is accessed by a road on the right just after the golf course entrance. The beach is located at the mouth of the Annan River and long sandy stretches snake north along the coastline. This is a beach favoured by anglers as they fish the sand bars at the mouth of the River, and also a renowned favourite amongst kite surfers. </p>
<p><b>Weary Bay</b></p>
<p>Named by Captain Cook’s crew in 1770 Weary Bay is an open, nine km long bay at the mouth of the Bloomfield River and a popular fishing spot for the locals.</p>
<p>Weary Bay beach is an ideal spot for a long leisurely walk and access is from Weary Bay road in Ayton.</p>
<p><b>Elim Beach and Coloured Sands</b></p>
<p>Past Hopevale is the beautiful <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/go/hopevale/index">Elim Beach</a> overlooking Cape Bedford.</p>
<p> Somerset Beach, Queensland. Courtesy of Tourism Queensland</p>
<p><b>Cape York Beaches</b></p>
<p>Beyond Cooktown there are accessible beaches at <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/nature/np/cape-melville">Cape Melville National Park</a>. A popular camping site is found at <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/nature/np/iron-range-national-park">Chilli Beach</a> in the Iron Range National Park.</p>
<p>Near Seisa and Bamaga there are several lovely beaches including Punsand Bay, Loyalty Beach and Somerset Beach.</p>
<p>Albatross Bay provides a scenic coastal retreat at Weipa.</p>
<h3>Important advice!</h3>
<p>Crocodiles can be found around many rivers, freshwater creeks and waterholes and along coastal beaches. Fortunately our conservation measures are working so always be croc wise and ask for local advice before going near the water.</p>
<p>Don’t swim after dusk or early in the morning.</p>
<p>Marine stingers have been found throughout the year on local beaches and in the Cooktown harbour. Marine stingers can be fatal. Accidental bites can be relieved with instant and continued application of vinegar and get medical help as soon as possible.</p>

<p>The road to the goldfields was extremely hazardous, the transportation of goods was expensive, difficult and time consuming. When officials refused to upgrade the road, pressure mounted for an inland railway. The Government, realising the richness of the Palmer fields and a large voting population, finally agreed to build a railway.</p>
<p>Alderman D’Arcy, Mayor of Cooktown ‘turned the first sod’ of the rail line on 4 April 1884. Due to labour shortages and the wet season the first section between Cooktown and the Palmer Road, 48 km (30 miles), was not completed until November 1885. In the first month of operation the section carried more than 570 passengers and 125 tonnes of goods!</p>
<p>Within three years the line was extended to Laura with stations at Sandown, Sandy Creek and Welcome. It was here construction ran into difficulty. There was a change of government and concern grew over escalating costs. It was estimated that the 75 km of line from Laura to Maytown would cost almost £lm sterling ($2m).</p>
<p>After much debate, Parliament decided that the Maytown line would be built when a feasible route was found and in the mean time agreed to build the Laura River bridge at the cost of 12,500 pounds.</p>
<p><b>Normaby</b><b> River Rail Bridge</b><b><br /> </b>The bridge, comprising five 80ft spans of iron lattice girders on concrete piers, was 536ft long and 55ft high. It took 17 months to build and was ready by October 1891. A locomotive and rolling stock were sent across it as a test – the maximum deflection at full speed being half an inch. That 90 ton train was the first and the last to cross the bridge. Although Cooktown people lobbied long and hard to have the line completed, the Cooktown Railway had effectively come to a full stop.</p>
<p>However, the railway was an important element of early Cooktown. By 1885, the landscape was dotted with related facilities – station and residence, carriage and engine sheds, wells, a coal stage, horse ramp, railway store, goods shed, weighbridge, double-tier tank-stand and a crane for the wharf.</p>
<p><b>RM6 ‘Captain Cook’</b><b><br /> </b>As passenger and cargo tonnage figures dropped and operating expenses rose, it was decided to close the line. The government offered a lease of the line and rolling stock to the Cooktown council for 1 pound per week. Council assumed control of the railway in September 1903.</p>
<p>The first motor on the Cooktown Railway, RM6, Captain Cook, was converted from a Napier motor car at Ipswich workshops in 1916, and went into service at Cooktown in November of that year. Captain Cook ran until 1924, travelling 80,000 miles on theCcooktown Railway, this is in addition to over 100,000 miles covered as a road vehicle.</p>
<p> <b>“Captain Cook” at Alderbury 1916-1930</b><b><br /> </b>After about 12 months – during which time the council made a profit – the government resumed control of the railway but it never really picked up again and by 1960 the government was ready to close the line again – this time for good.</p>
<p>After a stop/start history spanning 76 years to 1961, the Cooktown railway was sold for scrap. A sorry end for what could have been a major tourist drawcard to the area today. The station was sold and removed. However, the top section was relocated to Anzac Park and now houses the Cooktown Creative Arts Association.</p>
<p><i>Sources:</i><i><br /> <i>Knowles, J W, 1980, The Cooktown Railway, 2nd edition, Brisbane.</i><br /> <i>Cooktown Library, 1996, The Cooktown Railway.</i><br /> <i>Ruig, J L, 1991, Cooktown to Laura Railway.</i></i></p>

<p>The Queensland Government sent a representative to the Endeavour river to examine it as a potential site for the gold-field port.   Mr. G.E. Dalrymple arrived on October 24th, 1873 and camped in the exact spot Cook had selected 100 years prior. Although he had been sent by the Government to make a report on the port setting, the desperate need for facilities prompted the Government to forgo the report and they dispatched the A.S.N. Coysteamer ‘Leichhardt’ to convey Government staff to the Endeavour River.</p>
<p>Arriving one day after Dalrymple himself, they immediately started setting up the operation.  Among the staff about the ‘Leichhardt’ was the Gold Commissioner, an Engineer of Roads (sent to find the best route between the Palmer and Endeavour rivers), a lieutenant to survey the estuary, and a police party to keep law and order. Over seventy prospectors and miners also disembarked, all with dreams of becoming rich in these new gold fields.</p>
<p>The population of ‘Cooks-town’, as it was then known, was close to 4000 people by the middle of the following year.  The towns name was later changed to its present moniker of ‘Cooktown’ in June of 1874.</p>
<p>Gold flowed as freely as the water it was found in, and the population continued it’s increase, and by the turn of the century it was the second largest township in Queensland.  The population had reached in excess of 30,000 people, and the town was serviced by no less than 65 registered hotels, 20 eating houses, 32 general stores and a multitude of other businesses and outlets. People were drawn from far and wide, by the lure of gold, making a rich and complex tapestry of peoples.</p>
<p>Of the 2940 people reported to live in Cooktown by the 1883 census, 480 were Chinese.  The residents of Maytown (centre of the Goldfields) were listed at 481, and the maximum number of land-holders (people with legal title) during the rush was 1009.</p>
<p>Two Newspapers kept the people informed, three Banks supported the financial needs of the area and a bridge connected the township to rich pastoral and mineral lands to the north.  Gold was not the only alluvial deposit found, tin was also discovered south of the township and settlements began to spread even further afield.</p>
<p>Queensland’s most northern township had to cope with large movements of freight and people, to which five wharves serviced the transport vessels and a police station handled all local and overseas shipping. Custom’s House, the Quarantine Station and Immigration Hostel all helped control the movement of both freight and passengers, in and out of Cooktown.</p>
<p>The pearling fleet and beche-de-mer fishermen plied their trade between Bloomfield, Cooktown and Thursday Island.  By the late 1880’s when the Cook Monument was erected, transport services also included 250 bullock teams and over 200 pack horse teams to carry supplies, building materials, mining equipment and the Royal Mail.   These services all ran between Cooktown, Rossville, Maytown, Laura, Coen and the Wenlock River to the North.</p>
<p>Unfortunatly by the late 1880’s many of the established gold claims began to fail, which resulted in the return of many Chinese to their beloved homeland.</p>
<p><b>No Gold, No Men</b></p>
<p>With the gold deposits steadily falling, so did the population, services and facilities.  Many men, both young and old were drawn into the ranks of the Australian Army, and other armed services during the First World War. This had a devastating effect on the already failing township.  To further add insult to injury, with the close of the First World War in 1918, Cooktown was dealt another blow, with a number of commercial buildings in the main street burning to the ground.</p>
<p>Some say that the fire was a result of a long standing dispute between retailers, but no-one knows for sure. The town wells were quite limited for water and the pressure was too low for fire fighters to connect their hoses to.  So they dragged the fire truck to the edge of the river and tried to get the water pumping.  Although the pressure from the river was far greater than the wells, it proved too high and the hoses were all split in two.  There was no alternative but to let the buildings burn themselves out.  This tragedy lasted for several days, and the vacant sites remain a  reminder of what was even today.</p>

<p>The turn off is 68km north of Mount Carbine – turn/off coordinates from the bitumen <b>UTM</b> <b>55 256 946E  82 03 400N</b> . From the turn-off on the highway  a dirt track (Whites Creek Road) continues out to Maytown – this can be very  rough and slow going depending on when the road was graded last.</p>
<p>The northern access is via the Old Maytown-Laura Road which  is a legendary 4WD track only suited for experienced drivers with well-equipped, high-4WD vehicles. It is recommended to travel in convoy and some sections may require a winch.</p>
<p>Roads are impassable in the wet season from November to April when flash flooding can occur. Sidetracks are restricted access.</p>
<p>Today old mines, rusting machinery, Chinese alluvial workings and traces of the Maytown township are all that remain of the once thriving settlements which sprang up around the Palmer Goldfield over 100 years ago.</p>
<p>Mining does still occur at the Reserve and metal detecting is not allowed.</p>
<p>There are two designated camping areas in the reserve; one on the southern side of the north Palmer River and the other at Dog Leg Crossing on the north bank of the Palmer River. There are no facilities at either of these camping areas and campers need to be totally self-sufficient. Camping permits are required and fees apply.</p>
<p>See further information on the history of the <a href="https://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/do/history/gold-rush">Palmer River</a> Goldfields</p>