Queensland Roadtrip Pt 3 – Cooktown

One of the attractions we wanted to see before reaching Cooktown’s coastal town is the Black Mountain, Kalkajaka, “place of the spear”, National Park. Kalkajaka is literally a disappearing mountain.

It’s steeped in myths and legends. This ominous mountain loomed over us as we entered Cooktown, which is a well-revered mountain for the Kuku Yalanji people.

Black Mountain formed about 250 million years ago when magma solidified under the Earth’s crust. Located 25 km south of Cooktown, it is filled with gigantic boulders of grey granite blackened by algae.

Black Mountain is also a natural wildlife park, not that we sighted much apart from a few geckoes.

Onward, we travelled via a road that is only 50 years old, which makes the lack of development in this area quite understandable. This, in my opinion, is not a bad thing, as the most memorable areas on our trip were the least developed.

Unfortunately, our only day requiring an umbrella coincided with exploring the beautiful Botanical Gardens.

The windy and showery weather enticed us to spend more time learning about Cooktown’s history, the follCooktown’s small snippet from that long, detailed history.

Cooktown is located at the southeastern edge of the Cape York Peninsula with a population of around 2000 people. A relatively unspoilt coastal town and one of Australia’s most historicallAustralia’snt townships.

This region’s history dates back many thousands of years. Waymbuurr was the place the local Guugu Yimithirr and Kuku Yalanji people used as a meeting ground.

On 17 June 1770, Cook sailed into Waalumbaal Birri, now known as the Endeavour River.

By chance, the Endeavour beached at a sacred spot [Waymbuurr] where disputes between bordering tribes were sorted out without bloodshed. It was the law that no blood was to be deliberately spilt on this land. Had that not been so, the crew would unlikely have survived.

Would Australia have the same story had Cook landed on the other shore of the Endeavour River? Perhaps it is a complete waste of time wondering how different our countries would have been had they not been colonised. Sometimes, it is interesting to ponder an unanswerable question.

Later, in 1873, Cooktown was established as the Endeavour River Port for the Palmer River Goldfields and developed almost overnight as the supply and administrative centre. Within six months, the town had 20 restaurants, 32 stores, 6 butchers, 5 bakers, 3 tinsmiths and chemists, fancy goods shops, watchmakers, bootmakers, and saddlers. Not surprisingly, 65 publicans licences had been issued for the Cooktown and Palmer River districts.

Further down the track, Cooktown in the early 19th century was less popular, and the buildings were in disrepair. In 1955, Hans Looser, originally from Germany, saw a tourist opportunity and soon brought and repaired the buildings and Cooktown’s reputation. Once Cooktown flourished and was shaped and influenced by other cultures. However, it still seems to be a sleepy, isolated coastal town with few businesses able to employ enough residents. It does have more than it’s share of pubs. This was so true in many of the small towns we visited. Attracting visitors by their past history.

A visit to the Cooktown Museum introduced us to The Endeavour Gallery.

Which not only explores the fight for survival Cook and his men faced on the reef. It also includes documents of the many discoveries made by the scientific team during their stay at the Endeavour River.

Integral to Australian history and identity is the interaction between Cook and the local Guugu Yimithiir people. The most extensive he experienced in Australia, and this story is told from both perspectives.

The stories weren’t new to us, though; we wouldn’t know in disbelief how humans could be capable of such barbaric behaviour. At the same time, a sad understanding of how hard it must have been for all those involved. I hope that the wrongs are continually being acknowledged and more respect is shown for one of our world’s longest-surviving world’s

What housed these collections is a stunning 19th Century convent building and the stories from those that lived and taught there are also shared. Must admit I did shudder a few times remembering “the good ole days” of convent school life” to a lighter subject that involved sampling the local food.

We indulged in good old fish and chips, though at $59 a kilo, it was slightly more upmarket than previous fish purchases. While googling, as you do when visiting new places, we came across reviews about munching out on this delectable fish. It was put on the list of must-dos.

Overlooking the sea at the end of a busy, thought-provoking day of exploring, we licked our lips, smiled, and exclaimed; it was a lovely way to finish our day.

Next stop and Part 3 – Atherton Tablelands.

For more photographs check out my Instagram account – Lifeatno.22