COOKTOWN Cooktown can be approached via Cape Tribulation or the Western route. The Western route is a relatively new highway and here are some photos of this trip. An amazing road that is superbly engineered. Cooktown has two attributes; the most northern Qld accessed via bitumen and more importantly the location Captain Cook ran aground on his escape from the northern eastern shores of terra australis in that era. Cooktown is a ‘museum in progress’ and will be that way for the future. Each new discovery will be an invitation to record and then optimize and the ‘official’ Museum gives a good insight into the official ‘Cook’ happenings. Here is some recorded history:- ‘The captain of the Endeavour, James Cook, wrote: “. . . it was happy for us that a place of refuge was at hand; for we soon found that the ship would not work, and it is remarkable that in the whole course of our voyage we had seen no place that our present circumstances could have afforded us the same relief". A semi paradise had been circumstanced. Cook named the river the "Endeavour" after his ship and the rugged Mount Cook (231 metres or 758 ft), forms a backdrop to the town and is now part of the Mount Cook National Park. In 1872, William Hann discovered gold in the Palmer River, and soon a party was dispatched to advise whether the Endeavour River would be a suitable site for a port. Shortly after, a new township was established at the site of the present town, on the southern bank of the river.’ Cooktown is a great place to visit. The Hotels are old with plenty a local tale to relate. The War Memorial is located mid town. The Catholic and Baptist Churches have a presence. The Anglican is being re-developed. Cooktown has a lot going for the town. Highly recommended an up to a week visit is recommended. Diary notes