Cooktown Walks

I used to think it's a small country town and there are probably not so many places to exercise, but I was surprised!

It is a hilly town, with some great slopes and mountainous terrain, but there are also easy and level Cooktown walks.


And on top of what's in town, there are more great walks both north and south of Cooktown (I will add those in the future).


In the town, there are the following fun walks that you can do separately, and together they are known as the Cooktown Scenic Rim Walk.

Historical Main Street Walk
The easiest walk is a stroll along Charlotte street, past the town's two old pubs, ANZAC park, the Old Railway Station, the Boat House, the Old Bank, Mrs Watson's Monument, and the town's post office. 

Do not miss James Cook Museum just one street back on Helen St.

Waterfront to Historical Cemetery
Further north on Cooktown waterfront are different monuments in Endeavour Lions Park, Bicentennial Park, at the boat ramp; and the popular Fisherman's Wharf. If you walk back south along Adelaide Street and follow the track through mangroves, you come to the Historical Cemetery.

Grassy Hill
While the two above Cooktown walks were easy, Grassy Hill is fairly steep so this walk requires some more fitness and motivation, as well as proper walking shoes or sand shoes. At the top is an old lighthouse, a nicely decorated viewing platform, and great views (you can also drive up here), particularly at the sunrise or sunset.


 
Scenic Rim Walk to Cherry Tree Bay
On the walk (drive) up to Grassy Hill, there is the start of the track to Cherry Tree Bay, which later continues to the Botanical Gardens and Finch Bay as part of the Scenic Rim Walk of Cooktown. The first section to Cherry Tree Bay first goes through some eucalypt forest, and later some beautiful rainforest before it comes to the beach.

Scenic Rim Walk to Finch Bay
From Cherry Tree Bay, the Scenic Rim walk continues to Finch Bay. Before you get to Finch Bay, you can turn into a side track to Botanical Gardens.
Most of this Cooktown walks is coastal and beautiful, with some great lookout points but also moderately hard steps. You need some fitness and proper walking shoes or sand shoes.

Mount Cook Walk
But highest than all of the hills is Mount Cook, and this walk is quite steep, requires good fitness, takes 3-4 hours, so needs to be done at the right time of the day and year. Drinking water and proper walking shoes necessary. The views are fantastic, most from granite boulders.

Cooktown History Walk

You can discover Cooktown history by walking along the main street.

It is an easy stroll, not too long, not too steep, and it goes past some great historical buildings, as well as many good places to eat and drink.

In the southern end of the main street, the first thing you pass by is the Top Pub - a great place to enjoy a lunch and a coldie.
   

And the next one is West Coast Hotel - another historical pub in town. UPDATE - this hotel lost the roof in cyclone Ita and and is currently closed (May 2014).
   

Across the street is Cooktown's ANZAC Park (update 2015 there is now a new entrance arc in black marble, and also the old toilet has been painted for the 100th anniversary of Gallipoly - well done locals :-)
   

The next one, on the same side of the street, is the Cooktown Old Railway Station - now the local Art and Craft Association, but once the Cooktown - Laura Railway ticket office.
   

Further down the street are the Boat House - the association for the Re-enactment of Cook's Landing on the Annual Cooktown Festival;
   

... the Old Bank (with quite an in-depth Cooktown history display inside),
   

... and a monument for Mrs. Watson, who tragically died near Lizard Island in 1883.
  

After a few other beautiful historical buildings, you come to the town's post office, established in 1880 and still in operation.
   

After that you pass by the historical Jackey Jackey Store, and the town's RSL and Bowls Club, before you come to the Endeavour Lion's Park, and can continue north along the waterfront of Cooktown.

Cooktown Waterfront Walk

Cooktown waterfront is full of history.

There are beautiful parks, statues and monuments, and great fishing at the boat ramp and Fisherman's Wharf.

There is even more than you discovered along the Cooktown history walk along the main street of the town - the Charlotte Street.

After most of the historical buildings, as well as the RSL and Bowls Club, Charlotte Street comes to the waterfront.
   

You first come to the Endeavour Lions Park, with toilets, BBQs and childern's playground,
   

... Captain Cook's monument, a cannon and a musical ship,
   

... and then you enter the Bicentennial Park ...
   

... with a Captain Cook's statue,
   

... a cairn that marks the exact location of Cook's landing,
   

... and the Aboriginal Milbi Wall.
   

Then you come to the boat ramp,
   

... where there are the Queen's Steps and a miner's statue,
   

... before you pass by Cook's Landing Kiosk (great for lunch),
   

... and come to Fisherman's Wharf (great for dinner),
   

... which is also very popular with fishing.
   

If you still want to keep going along the Cooktown waterfront, there is the town's Powder Magazine in the end of the Webber Esplanade.
   

It is where, in the days of Palmer River Goldfields, gunpowder (that was used in the mines) was stored. Just be aware it is a little walk away, just continue along the Cooktown waterfront.
  

If you turn back and turn into Adelaide Street at the waterfront, and follow the marked track through mangroves, you can continue the Scenic Rim Walk to Cooktown Historical Cemetery.

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