Cooktown

Cooktown is on the road to Cape York north of Cairns reached on the inland or coastal route. A gold rush started at Palmer River and a base named Cook’s Town was established to serve as a port for the mining community. However, it is mostly noted, and named after the grounding of Captain Cook's Endeavour on his 1770 voyage of discovery.

Botanical Gardens
Not just gardens but also home to Nature's Powerhouse, which has displays of reptiles and is also an art gallery. Walker Street (4069 6004).

Cook Monument
The Cook Monument, commemorates the landing in 1770. There is a cannon there too made in Scotland in 1803.

Grassy Hill Lighthouse
This Lighthouse on Grassy Hill was built in England in 1885 and shipped out.It is here that Captain Cook sat and worked out his route back to the open sea. Hope Street

James Cook Historical Museum
Captain Cook stayed in Cooktown for 48 days. Joseph Banks and David Solander the botanists on the ship used this time to learn Australian flora and fauna. All explained in this museum. A highlight of the museum is the HMS Endeavour's anchor and canon. Corner of Helen and Furneaux Streets (4069 5386).

Lizard Island
This is Australia's most northerly reef island and is located 27km off Cooktown. Most of the island is National park, and there are 24 tropical beaches and reefs that offer great diving and snorkeling opportunities. One of the famous water holes is Cod Hole that is known as an exceptional diving spot. There are several air and sea transportation charters from Cooktown

Webber Esplanade
This is Cooktown's popular waterfront precinct. The site of Captain Cook's landing is marked with a statue of the explorer at Bicentennial Park