Cooktown

[jjanes27]

We are docking in Cooktown on our Australian Cruise in December. I have not found much to do while we dock there. Any suggestions?

[Aussieflyer]

Cooktown will be hot in December. It is the wet season so it will be humid as well. It is where James Cook spent 7 weeks or so when the Endeavour was holed by the reef. I don't know much about the town - it is not particularly large and is not geared to large scale tourism. If you want to be active maybe you should see what the ship has organised. It is somewhere we have talked about visiting but somehow have not got there yet.

[OHCruisinDad]

We are docking in Cooktown on our Australian Cruise in December. I have not found much to do while we dock there. Any suggestions?

 

The best and most interesting history in Cooktown is the museum and believe it or not, the town's cemetery with the old pioneer gravestones and family markers. You can also explore the "top end" since you are at the base of the Cape York peninsula. Check these sites:

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/destinations/tropical-north-queensland/places-to-visit/cooktown/

 

http://www.cook.qld.gov.au/

[kerlors]

We wll be there on 4th October. We're not doing an organised tour but have been looking at Google Earth and measuring distances to see how far we would be walking. Plan to see the James Cook Statue - is just north of Bicentennial Park, only a few minutes from the wharf, the Milibi Wall (The Story Wall) - is a collage of Aboriginal art, James Cook Historical Museum - Open daily from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm, Natures Powerhouse & Botanic Gardens (there's a sculpture of a BIG PYTHON there - we are having our photos taken at all "big " things on all of our holidays!) and if we can the lookout. Hope the seas are calm and it's not too hot to walk this. Will let you know what we thought of it all when we're back.

[Flipper133]

I think we are privelidged to be able to visit place like Cooktown as part of a cruise.

We are visting as part of our Top end cruise next April.

 

I am not expecting too much from Cooktown as a City/Town but I am excited by the fact that local tours offer some fascinating insights to Autralian Indigenous culture.

 

I am torn between a vist to "The Other side of the Rainbow" which has been described as one of Australia's Must do experiences, and a visit to the Mystery of Black Mountain

 

I am sure that the Princess Land Tours will be well worth the investment.

 

Cheers

[ConnMom]

I have been in touch with Cooktown Tours ( www.cooktowntours.com.), who offer a few tours ranging from a 1 1/2 hour town tour to a full day tour. I don't know what they are like, but they are an alternative to the ship tours, which are sparse. The Rhapsody of the Seas offers only 2 brief tours at this port.

Cheryl

[kerlors]

I asked Cooktown Tours too about tours on the day that we will be there but they replied that they were all booked out by Princess. Their tour for 1 1/2 hrs was $25 compared to Princess' $149

[Pacific Sandy]

I asked Cooktown Tours too about tours on the day that we will be there but they replied that they were all booked out by Princess. Their tour for 1 1/2 hrs was $25 compared to Princess' $149

 

Yikes !!! That's quite a mark-up.

[jjanes27]

Thanks for these ideas! I'll look into some of them and see what I can find!

J-