There are so many things to do in Cooktown, Queensland. If you’re looking for a holiday destination in the far north, Cooktown is a delightful town with many things to see and do. This little far north Queensland town surprised us when we stayed there.
We visited and stayed in Cooktown on our way back down from our Cape York trip.
The population of Cooktown is only around 2,500 permanent residents, but there are many things to do in this little town. Especially in the dry season, it’s a hive of activity with visitors from all over Australia (and the world) to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fun activities like hiking, camping, visiting museums, and so much more.
Location: Where Is Cooktown?
Cooktown is a small town at the mouth of the Endeavour River on the Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland. It’s about 328 kilometres (204 miles) north of Cairns and approximately 857 kilometres (533 miles) south of Cape York.
Map Of Cooktown
Cooktown At A Glance
| Population | 2,631 (2016 Census) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2000 km from Brisbane 328 from Cairns 857 km from Cape York 264 km from Mareeba |
| Main economy | Tourism |
| Climate | Tropical Savannah |
| Summer temperatures | 32℃ |
| Winter temperatures | 26℃ |
| Average rainy days | 147 days |
History Of Cooktown
Cooktown has a long and fascinating history, starting with the native aboriginal inhabitants, who called the area Gangaar. Gangaar translates to the “Place of the Rock Crystals”, as many Quartz Crystals could be found there.
Captain Cook arrived ashore in the Endeavour in 1770, and the crew spent several months there. Over the last 250 years, Cooktown has been an important town in Australian history, with a fascinating gold-mining history and the placement of a vital base there during World War Two.
Cooktown has also been a town of great interest to botanists, and the plants growing in the area are a tourist attraction even today.
Weather In Cooktown
The Cooktown climate is described as a Tropical Savannah, with distinct wet and dry seasons. The wet season falls from November to April, and the dry season from May to November.
The best time to visit is the dry season, although, unlike the rest of Australia, you may still get light rain-showers in Cooktown.
Things to Do In Cooktown
No matter what kind of holiday or visit you’re planning, there are lots of fun things to do in Cooktown, QLD. The town is known for its interesting history, great hiking, brilliant beaches and forests, and some good hotels and pubs around the town.
The hardest part of organising your trip is often deciding what to see and do, so to help you get started, we’ve put together a list of the best things to do in Cooktown, including paid, free, and low-cost activities.
First, we’ll start with the paid things to do:
Paid Things To Do In Cooktown
1. Take A Sunset Cruise
Cooktown is located on the mouth of the Endeavour River, and one of the best things to do here is to take a sunset cruise on the water. Riverbend Tours runs a great tour in Cooktown, where you can see the river, the shores and harbours, and even spot some crocodiles!
2. Enjoy a Fishing Charter
A different way to enjoy the waters around Cooktown is by jumping on board a charter boat for some fishing. Gone Fishing, Cooktown, is one of the companies offering fishing packages, and you can choose whether you want to fish in the ocean, the river, or both.
3. Visit the Cooktown Museum
Another great thing to do in Cooktown is to visit the local museum. This area has so much history, and wandering around the museum is one of the best ways to take it all in. We spent half a day there.
One of the museum’s highlights we enjoyed was seeing Endeavour’s anchor. Caught on a reef on 11th June 1770, the anchor lay on the bottom of the ocean for over 200 years. In 1971, divers found the anchor and brought it to the surface.
It’s also an excellent way to stay dry on a rainy day. There’s an entry fee for children and adults, but learning about this exciting town is worth it.
| Address | Cnr Helen & Furneaux Street Cooktown |
|---|---|
| Phone | 07 4069 5386 |
| cooktownmuseum@nationaltrustqld.org | |
| Cost | Adults – $25 Concessions – $20 Child – $15 (3 -13 years) Under 3 years – Free Family – $65 (2A and up to 3 children) Groups – Groups of 10+ Discounts apply by prior arrangement National Trust Members – Free |
4. Explore on Horseback
To see a different side of Cooktown, you can book in to take a tour with Hidden Valley Trail Rides. No matter what your riding ability, there is a tour for everyone here, and this will allow you to have a lot of fun while you also experience the bushland around Cooktown from a different perspective. This is seasonal though, so best to contact them at the time of your visit.
5. 4WD Day Trip
If you are not travelling Australia in a
Because it’s only a few hundred kilometres away, this is a fun way to see Cooktown and many other sites along the way. Several different companies offer this type of tour as an option, so you can take your pick.
Free Things To Do In Cooktown
There are also many low-cost and free things to do in Cooktown, so it’s still a good holiday destination even if you’re travelling on a budget. Here are some of the best things to see and do around Cooktown:
6. Visit the Botanic Gardens
The Cooktown Botanic Gardens opened in 1878 and are some of the oldest in Queensland. They’re located only 1.5km from the centre of Cooktown. Visitors will see a variety of palms, lily ponds, and other interesting flora.
Plus, there is a great cafe, Nature’s Powerhouse. I can recommend their toasted sandwiches and coffee. We went to the cafe after we’d toured the gardens. The cafe is in beautiful surroundings.
The Botanic Gardens in Cooktown are definitely worth spending half a day wandering around and enjoying the flora and fauna.
| Address | 1 Walker Street, Cooktown |
|---|---|
| Phone | 07 4082 0500 |
| Cost | Free |
7. Hike in Kalkajaka National Park
Also known as the Black Mountains National Park, hiking in Kalkajalka is one of the best things to do near Cooktown.
The park is only 25 kilometres from the town and is home to huge granite boulders towering over hikers. It’s an important site to the local Kuku Nyungkal people, and its name translates to “Place of the Spear”.
It’s a fascinating sight, and we haven’t seen anything like Black Mountian in our travels.
8. Visit the Monuments Around Cooktown
With so many sites of historical importance, Cooktown is a great place to wander around and do some sightseeing! There are six different monuments to Captain Cook and one dedicated to Mary Watson, who died in the area in 1881.
The park with this statue is in the main street of town, just a short walk from where we were staying.
9. Relax at Finch Bay Beach
Finch Bay is just a 2km drive from Cooktown, with a well-paved road leading to the car park. This golden sandy beach is a great spot to walk or sunbathe. It’s also a great spot to fish. The blue ocean provides a great backdrop too, set against the forests on the edge of the bay.
10. Visit Grassy Hill Lookout
A trip to Cooktown isn’t complete without a trip to Grassy Hill Lookout. This spot is 500 metres above sea level, giving you a great view of the forests and beaches below. It gives you a bird’s eye view of the layout of Cooktown and its surroundings.
The day we visited was pretty windy, so be prepared for that if you are hoping to picnic there (picnic tables are available). It’s the best place in Cooktown to catch a sunrise or a sunset, so make sure you don’t miss that.
11. Enjoy Isabella Falls
Isabella Falls is a well-known waterfall near Cooktown, and it’s a fully sealed road there. While some people like to swim there, we don’t advise it, as there have been rumoured crocodile sightings.
You can pass Isabella Falls on the way into Cooktown via Endeavour Battlecamp Road, the main road leading to Cooktown.
12. Swim at Trevathan Falls
Trevathan Falls is another waterfall near Cooktown, and this one is more of a popular swimming spot. It’s a little harder to get to, and it’s a 45-minute drive along Mt Amos Road off the Mulligan Highway from Cooktown. It’s a steep walk, but the fresh water and the great views make it worth it.
13. Hike to the Top of Mount Cook
This hike isn’t easy, but we recommend it if you’re up for a big climb.
The trail to Mount Cook summit starts on the eastern edge of Cooktown. Over 3 kilometres, it will take you up to more than 430 metres above sea level. Then, of course, you have the 3-kilometre climb back down to the carpark.
There are multiple lookout points along the way, with incredible views.
14. Explore Quarantine Bay
This bay received its name after arriving ships came here to quarantine, keeping infectious diseases off the mainland.
However, it’s simply a beautiful beach for you to explore, approximately 8 kilometres from Cooktown. The long white sand beach and shallow blue water make this a perfect afternoon.
15. Visit The Musical Ship
You can ‘play’ the musical ship. There are various ‘instruments’ to play.
When we visited, I used a thong to play the tubes (on the left) in the photo. The sounds that came out of the tube played up and down the musical scale. This is great fun for kids, both small and big!
16. Visit The Lions Den Hotel
This iconic Queensland Pub is a must-visit not just for the quirkiness, the camping or the food but also to read the comments on the walls and ceiling or to soak up the atmosphere.
The day we visited, we also stayed for lunch. It’s good pub grub at a reasonable price. After chatting with the waitress, I found they could make anything on the gluten-free menu—a rarity in a country area.
We visited the Lion’s Den from Cooktown. However, you can also drive up from The Daintree and Cape Tribulation by taking the Bloomfield Track. We described our day trip driving the Bloomfield Track here.
17. Fish From The Pier
Fish from the local pier in any town can be a bit hit-and-miss. It was certainly hit-and-miss the day we wandered around the piers in Cooktown.
We chatted with a fisherman at the main pier, and he was catching nothing, not even a few bites. Then, we wandered back into town and stopped at a local cafe on the water. We witnessed two young kids celebrating as they’d just caught a huge cod there.
They excitedly told me they had only been fishing for half an hour, and the cod (above) swam by, and they snagged his gill as he swam past. Luck or clever fishing from these young boys?
Getting To Cooktown
You have many options when figuring out how to get to Cooktown. It is much easier than other holiday destinations in the far north, mainly because there’s an airport there. Driving to Cooktown can also be accessible, depending on where you’re starting.
1. Driving Inland from Cairns
If you’re coming from Cairns, you have two options for getting to Cooktown. You can take Highway 1, which is approximately 331 kilometres, or drive inland on sealed roads.
2. Flying from Cairns
While not the cheapest, flying into Cooktown from Cairns is certainly the quickest way to get there. Hinterland Aviation runs all the flights so you’ll often need to book in advance to ensure you get on the flight you want.
3. Driving the Coastal Road from Cairns
Alternatively, you can take the coastal route, which is 234km, but will require a four-wheel drive vehicle and is slow driving, taking up to 5 hours. The coastal route will allow you to pass through some of Queensland’s beautiful seaside towns, including Port Douglas, Mossman, and Cape Tribulation.
As mentioned in this post this road is unsuitable for towing trailers.
4. Taking the Bus from Cairns
You can also take a bus from Cairns to Cooktown, with a stopover in places like Mareeba. This is a beautiful journey, and taking the bus is an excellent way to see the area’s sights without driving. The Cairns Cooktown Express is one option, and Trans North offers another service. However, these buses don’t run several times a day, so plan your travel carefully.
5. Travelling from Brisbane
If you plan to travel from Brisbane, be prepared for a long drive. The distance from Brisbane to Cairns is more than 2,000 kilometres and passes through the Sunshine Coast and up through other small towns such as Rockhampton, Townsville, Atherton, and Mareeba.
If you’re driving that far, you should consider making a lot of overnight stops along the way or perhaps simply flying somewhere closer, like Cairns.
6. Driving from Other Directions
If you plan to head to Cooktown from other northern or western parts of Australia, you’ll find that highways and main roads will lead you all the way. Popular starting points are Laura and Coen when you drive down from Cape York.
We left Musgrave Roadhouse and drove to Cooktown after our Cape York trip. Seeing the bitumen again after all the red dirt and corrugations was a thrill!
From destinations like these, you can drive to Cooktown.
Cooktown Camping
If you like camping, then Cooktown has some great options for you. While you aren’t allowed to free camp anywhere you like, there are some excellent options for cheap camping near Cooktown.
The area has a range of holiday parks, including some of the Big4 campsites around north Queensland. For camping grounds closer to Cooktown, however, here are some of our favourites:
1. Cooktown Orchid Tourist Park
This is where we stayed in Cooktown. The friendliness and helpfulness of the owners far outweighed the small sites.
We chose this caravan park in Cooktown because it doesn’t take bookings and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
As we were on the last stretch of our drive back from Cape York, this was an ideal set-up for us. We tend to ‘wing it’ rather than book anywhere, as we have been known to change our minds on the way to a place!
The amenities were freshly updated and perfectly clean. Plus, it is right in Cooktown, making it an easy walk up and down the main street.
| Address | Cnr Charlotte and Walker Streets, Cooktown (Enter from Walker Street |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.cooktownorchidtravellerspark.com/ |
| Phone | (07) 4069 6400 |
| cooktownorchidtp@gmail.com |
2. Cooktown Caravan Park
The Cooktown
| Address | 14 Hope Street, Cooktown |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.cooktowncaravanpark.com/ |
| Phone | (07) 4069 5536 |
| hello@cooktowncaravanpark.com |
3. Cooktown Holiday Park
This camping ground is a few minutes walk from the centre of town, and they have a range of
| Address | 5-41 Charlotte St, Cooktown |
|---|---|
| Website | http://cooktownholidaypark.com.au/ |
| Phone | 07 4069 5417 |
| enquiries@cooktownholidaypark.com.au |
4. Archer Point Camping
For free camping, many travellers recommend heading about 25 kilometres away from town and going to Archer Point. This spot for camping near Cooktown doesn’t have many facilities.
There are no toilets or waste collection, but there are two small areas where free camping is allowed.
They’re close to a lighthouse and a beach and offer a sense of serenity.
| Address | Archer Point Rd, Cooktown |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.archerpoint.com.au/ |
| Phone | (07) 4069 6957 |
| coral.hale@archerpoint.com.au |
Places to Stay In Cooktown
We know that camping isn’t for everyone, and if you’re looking for accommodation in Cooktown, there are some good hotel and motel options for a range of budgets.
Top 3 Picks: Accommodation in Cooktown
LUXURY
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sovereign Resort Hotel
✔️ Central location
✔️ Room service/restaurant/bar
✔️ Lagoon-style swimming pool
MID-RANGE
BUDGET
1. Sovereign Resort Hotel
This 4-star hotel is located in the centre of Cooktown, and it’s a great place to stay if you’re looking for a bit of luxury. It offers a range of apartments and room sizes, so whether you’re travelling as a couple or with a family, you’ll be able to find something here.
2. The Seaview Cooktown
The Seaview Cooktown is set right by the water, and this is another good hotel to stay in. It boasts a sea view from each room and other great conveniences. There’s a store onsite offering snacks, drinks, food, and other necessary items, and you’ll also find Wi-Fi in each room.
3. Cooktown Motel
If you’re looking for something cheaper than a hotel but with some more comfort than camping, then the Cooktown Motel might be for you. The Cooktown Motel is centrally located, and it’s easy to walk around town and explore most local sites without travelling too far.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are lots of things to do in Cooktown, including paid, free, and low-cost activities. We hope you enjoy your stay in Cooktown as much as we did.
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With years of experience travelling Australia in a caravan, I’m passionate about helping others embark on their own unforgettable adventures. From off-grid camping tips to expert advice on planning the ultimate big lap of Australia, I share stories, practical hacks, and inspiration to make your journey stress-free and exciting. Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or just starting out, join me as I explore the beauty of Australia, one road at a time!
