LAURA

Laura, sixty kilometres up the road from Lakeland, marks the beginning of Cape York Peninsula. It's a small township with a general store, petrol station, post office and a pub.  Laura is actually the remnants of the last construction camp along the Cooktown to Laura Railway line.  This line was pulled up in 1962, but the remains of the old bridge can still be seen in Laura.    Another attraction in Laura is the Interpretative centre, opened in 2004 and well worth a visit.

Close by is Lakefield National Park, Queensland's second largest, renowned for its wetlands and abundant wildlife. The most accessible park on the Cape, Lakefield is also the only one where fishing is permitted. To the south of town is Split Rock and the Quinkan Aboriginal rock-art galleries, situated in the spectacular sandstone country. For more info and photos, go to

Aboriginal culture is still strong in Northern Queensland and a Dance and Cultural Festival, held every two years 15 km from Laura, is a wonderful celebration of this. The communities participating come mainly from the Cape York region, from Cairns to the Torres Strait, from Palm Island, near Townsville and Mornington Island, in the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria and even groups from the Northern Territory. The next Laura Festival is in June 2007. You’ll find heaps of tips for your trip at

SERVICES:  Clinic 07 4060 3320, General Store 07 4060 3238, Police 07 4060 3244, Post Office 07 4060 3235,  Roadhouse 07 4060 3419.

Old Laura - the blacksmith's workshop in the foreground and behind is the meatroom

Old Laura Homestead.  In the shade of the house are several historical information boards

THE PALMER RIVER GOLDFIELDS

The Palmer River goldfield was first gazetted on 27 November 1873. The main mining centers were in Maytown, Palmerville and Jessops Hill with the goldfield totalling an area close on 9000km square.  The Palmer and all of its tributaries were worked from the junction of Campbell creek (65km north of Maytown) to Strathleven. The most productive region was between Byerstown and Fish Creek Junction. Some of the creeks and gullies worked were Jessop's, Sandy, Cradle and Oakey Creek. Locations such as Revolver Point, Milkmans flat, McGann's and White Horse all yielded plentiful gold.

With a large population of Chinese diggers it was hard to tell what the total gold removed was, as the Chinese often sent their winnings home in burial jars. At the time, gold prices in Australia were around 3p 17s an ounce and the same gold in Hong Kong went for around 5 pound per ounce. The total estimated return was somewhere around about 1,333,893 ozs. of gold.

Today access is gained from Whites Creek turnoff on the Cairns road (Mulligan Highway).  Metal detectors are discouraged, with the area under the control of National Parks, and Maytown itself heritage listed.  If travelling into this area all supplies need to be taken as there are no shops or facilities at all. 

A Prospector on the Palmer                                                  

The Palmer River goldfield in north Queensland was one of the richest alluvial goldfields ever discovered. Miners from all over the world flocked to the fields, situated on the small river, north west of Cairns, hoping to make their fortune. And unlike at many goldfields, thousands did make a fortune. Here, in his own words, is the story of one such digger.

“I landed on the Palmer with ten shillings in my pocket. I started bush work and in five weeks managed to buy two horses and a rig. As soon as I was fitted out I made to Sandy Creek. I spent a week prospecting about and got good tucker gold; I prospected up as far as Edwardstown and from there to Cradle creek, where I got payable gold. I then returned to the Palmer River, where I found crowds of men getting provisions to start for new rushes which were on in all directions.
“After getting beef and every other necessary, three of us started for one of the rushes. The first gold we got was on Purdie Creek, here we spent a few days, found gold but nothing to make a rise. The next prospecting was done up Oakey Creek, everything there seemed very exciting when we arrived. I got a claim where I make 1 to 3 ounces of gold some days. Then I shifted up the left hand branch of Oakey Creek where I make 2 ounces of gold per day. When this was done I prospected further up the creek and found a small gully. I set to work here and got from 1 ounce to 1 pound weight of gold to the dish. In ten days I had 300 ounces. I had struck good gold.”  He certainly had. In today’s terms he had panned $160,000 worth of gold. Not bad for ten days work.    More Stories

COOKTOWN                                                                                          

LOCATION: 341 km north of Cairns   POPULATION: Approx. 2000

Cooktown is named for the spot where Captain Cook beached the bark "Endeavour" on the 17th of June 1770 following a collision with the reef near Cape Tribulation.  Captain Cook and his crew spent nearly two months as the continents first "white" settlement, camped on the then desolate banks of the Endeavour River exploring the native inhabitants, fauna and flora.
Gold fields need ports. For the field to succeed the port must be established immediately. Where there once was wilderness whole towns would appear literally overnight. The Palmer River goldfield created the port of Cooktown.

Cooktown sprang into existence in October1873 when the Leichhardt dropped anchor in the Endeavour River with government officials and 80 miners headed for the Palmer River.  Within just a few months, Cooktown had a population of about 2000 with two newspapers, shops butchers, chemists etc and about 25 hotels.  By its peak year in 1879, there were 49 hotels and 4000 population.

However, as the gold rush faded tin was discovered on the Annan River Field around Rossville, and Cooktown saw a small revival.  Not until WW1 did the townsfolk drift away. A total of 150 Cooktown men enlisted in WW1 with 38 not returning.  By WW2 the population was about 500.

Today Cooktown is an awakening town, very proud of its history. It is currently experiencing a land boom with the anticipated growth after the road to Cairns is finally sealed. It is approximately 330 kilometres of beautiful bitumen road from Cairns, the 4 hour trip includes just one half hour of well formed dirt road.  Main Roads is currently working on this last stretch of unsealed road, so please take care through the construction area. 

Tourists can still experience the tranquil, unspoilt beauty of the area which remains much the same as Cook and the Aboriginal inhabitants knew it 1770. They can also visit the other attractions such as walking trails, river cruises, botanical garden, freshwater swimming holes, beaches, mountains and rainforest.

POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND SERVICES

Grassy Hill Lookout with 360 degree views (Cook's Survey Mark), James Cook's Monument & Landing Place, James Cook Museum, Mt Cook Walking Track, Race Course, Mysterious Black Mountains & Annan Gorge, The Gallop Botanic Gardens and Natures Powerhouse, The Historical Society’s “Cooktown’s Old Bank”, Historic Cemetery, Lions Den Hotel at Helenvale, Charter Boats to Endeavour River & Great Barrier Reef .

Accommodation - Cooktown Lodge & Backpackers, Alamanda Inn, River of Gold Motel, Seaview Motel, Sovereign Resort, Hillcrest B&B, plus cabins at most van parks, as well as accommodation at the Commercial Hotel.

Van parks – Cooktown Caravan Park, Cooktown Holiday Park, Peninsula Caravan Park, Cooktown Orchid Travellers Park, and out of town on Endeavour Valley road,  Endeavour Falls Tourist Park                                         

SHOPPING FACILITIES -  Local Shops (Chemist, Newsagents etc), Supermarket (IGA) , 2 butchers, three bottle shops, two clubs (RSL and Bowls Club),  Service Stations (Caltex and Shell) & Post Office Available.  Mitre 10 Store, and also outdoor and camping supplies available from Top End Camping.  Gas bottles refilled here as well as the two service stations.  Cape York Tyres and Auto centre in Charlotte Street are recommended for repairs to tyres and cars.  They are also the RACQ reps.  Ice available at several locations in town.

Local art and crafts available from the Art and Craft Centre in the old railway building, and also at the School of Arts next to the RSL.

There is no Bank in Cooktown however there is a Westpac Instore, and ATM at the Post Office as well as EFTPOS at most stores. 

EMERGENCY SERVICES  Ambulance 000 or 13 12 33,  Police 000 or 07 4069 5320,  Hospital (Hope St) 07 4069 5433

A Tourist brochure can be downloaded   The Historical Society’s page can also be located on this site. The Cooktown contact for Pandanus, Vietnam Veteran John Shay, is the secretary of the Historical Society, so pop in and say hi to John and his wife Bev at “The Old Bank”.  

On April 10 1885 the Cooktown Council carried the following motion: “A wire be sent to the Premier in Brisbane requesting him to supply arms, ammunition and a competent officer to take charge of same, as the town is entirely unprotected against the threat of a Russian invasion.”  The Government sent this cannon, 3 cannonballs, 2 rifles, and 1 officer. Mal Johnston (104 Sigs) is checking the barrel, while his tent-mate from Vietnam days, Geoff Sanders, ‘observes’.

Sign at the door into the Lions Den

In 2002, Evelyn Colyer made it from Perth to Pandanus and home. In 2003, try as she might, the buses, trains and lifts could only get her as far as Cooktown by 18 August.  We happened across each other in the Captain Cook Memorial Park by Cooktown harbour, while she was waiting for her bus home.  Five minutes later we knew the face to go with her 2002 entry in the check-in book.