Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Grassy Hill
Be sure you get to the top of this 162m-high knoll come dusk/dawn: with 360-degree
views of the town, river and ocean, the view is spectacular! Cook himself climbed this hill
looking for a passage out through the reefs. Drive up or walk via a steep path from town
or bush trail via Cherry Tree Bay: walkers need minimum 20 minutes to ascend.
LOOKOUT
INTERPRETIVE CENTRE
Nature's Powerhouse
( 07-4069 6004;
www.naturespowerhouse.com.au
; off Walker St; admission by donation; 9am-5pm)
This en-
vironmental centre is home to two excellent galleries: the
Charlie Tanner Gallery
, with pickled
and preserved creepy-crawlies, and the
Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery
, displaying botanical illus-
trations of the region's native plants.
The centre doubles as Cooktown's official visitor centre and is at the entry to Cook-
town's 62-hectare
Botanic Gardens
(off Walker St;
, one of Australia's oldest.
24hr)
James Cook Museum
( 07-4069 5386; cnr Helen & Furneaux Sts; adult/child $10/3; 9.30am-4pm)
Built as a convent in
1889, Cooktown's finest historical building houses well-preserved relics from Cook's time
in the area, including journal entries and the cannon and anchor from the
Endeavour,
re-
trieved from the sea floor in 1971, plus displays on local Indigenous culture.
MUSEUM
Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park is home to the much- photographed bronze
Captain Cook statue
. Nearby,
the
Milbi Wall
is a 12m-long mosaic that spans creation stories to European contact with the
local Gungarde (Guugu Yimithirr) people, to recent attempts at reconciliation. Sitting just
out in the water from Bicentennial Park is the
rock
marking the spot where Cook ran
aground and tied up to a tree (part of the original tree is on display at the James Cook Mu-
seum).
Cooktown's
wharf
is one of Queensland's sweetest fishing spots.
PARK
Festivals & Events
Cooktown Discovery Festival
(
www.cooktowndiscoveryfestival.com.au
;
Queen's birthday weekend)
Commemorates Cook's landing
in 1770 with costumed re-enactment, grand parade and Indigenous events.
HISTORICAL
