Cooktown capers

Cooktown is a frontier town – the last place where adventurers can enjoy a draught beer and clean sheets before heading into the north Queensland wilderness.

Morning tea en route to Cooktown.

It’s also where Captain Cook careened the bark Endeavour for repairs after stoving in hull planks on a reef just south off Cape Tribulation in June 1770, on his first voyage.

And 100 years later it was the entry point for the Palmer River gold rush that attracted 35,000 diggers and created 30 pubs (The population has since diminished to around 1,500).

The rock art at Laura featuring the Quinkan (good spirits) and animals was amazing.

So it was with more than passing excitement that we decided to team up with Carol’s sister Kay Bertini and cousin Pam Goldsworthy, and their spouses, to pay a visit.

We ditched the van and the Pajero, which needed a burnt out clutch to be replaced, hired an 8-seat Tarago and booked in two nights in cabins at a caravan park on the fringe of Cooktown.

The direct route to Cooktown is by 4WD on a dirt road up the coast from Cape Tribulation. We chose the bitumen, which sweeps in a westward arc and is a lot further, but safer.

After a beer at the historic Lion's Den just before entering Cooktown.


It also traverses some incredible countryside ranging from lightly forested savannah land to tropical wetlands and extraordinary mini mountains of black rock piled up eons ago by an angry volcano.

Stunning hill of volcanic black rock.

On the way we visited the tiny hamlet of Laura, which is a bit off the beaten track, to view some Aboriginal rock art. This was well worth the effort and we have to thank Kay for insisting on the
diversion.

Anchor and cannon from the Endeavour at Cooktown museum.

We found Cooktown to be a laid back, friendly and interesting, with a mixture of modern and colonial architecture. We had dinner at the local bowling club and did our own cook-up (no pun intended) the next night.

The Endeavour River from Grassy Hill.

In the meantime Paul ran into some old work mates in port on a State Government survey voyage and arranged for us to visit the ship -- it's a small world.

North-east to Lizard Island from Grassy Hill.

The two other highlights for me were the lookout at Grassy Hill and a visit to the local museum established in a restored Sisters of Mercy Convent.

Downtown Cooktown.

From Grassy Hill, 250 metres above sea level, we could stand at the spot where Cook climbed up to survey the coastline for a safe way out after the Endeavour’s smiths and carpenters had done their repairs.

You have to be there to understand how difficult it must have been for him to navigate through the reefs and shoals.

Carol, Kay and Pam with a cannon set up to keep out the Russians in an anxious past.

The museum dramatically showcases Cook’s encounter with the Aborigines, both from his own written notes and from the perspective of the Aborigines in an oral narrative handed down through the generations.

The last and only other time I was in Cooktown was as a reporter for the Sydney Daily Telegraph in 1970 as part of the press corps covering a Royal Tour.

I was pleasantly surprised this time to see in the museum a photo of Badu Islanders who came down by boat to perform for Her Majesty the Queen. It took me back to when I gave one of them a message to deliver to my old school mate Kevin Noonan who was then a teacher on Badu.

The message got there! Kev and I met up again in Brisbane May and recalled that time (see May blog archive).

Our trip to Cooktown was enormous fun as our group are around the same age and all were keen to make the most of it.

Kids and more kids

Just before the Cooktown escapade we connected with more of Carol’s relatives when Les (Carol’s first cousin) and Norma Maunder had their family over for a dinner party.

Norma and grandson Patrick.

It was at this event that I found myself totally confused (especially after a few beers) in figuring out who was who among the many babies, toddlers and teens.

It was part of Les and Norma’s ongoing 55th wedding anniversary celebrations. They now have five children, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and
another grandchild
Natasha is about to be married.

Carol homed in on the babies, which is only natural seeing as we haven’t seen our own grandkids for six months.


Carol and Emma Grace Kelly -- daughter of Sonya and Ben.












Les and Norma's grandchildren Patrick and Mathew -- two of David Maunder's four children who tragically lost their mother recently in a car accident.













Cousins Paris and Anthony Maunder.






















Lyn Pecotich with her grandchildren, Sonya and Ben's boys Jack and Lachlan.

























Lyn and Gordon Pecotich's daughters and grandchildren: Anita with Sonya's Emma and Sonya with Anita's Ryan.







Barra barby

We were also guests at a barbecue hosted by another of Carol’s cousins Pat Conlan and her husband Brian, one of Cairns’ colourful and legendary characters.

It was great to be able to catch up with them, their daughter Karen and her husband Trevor Jackson, whom we hadn’t seen for years, and their son Kevin and his partner Rebecca, and their children.

Brian cooked several kilos of barramundi and reef fish that he had caught himself on one of his regular fishing expeditions.

It was an unforgettable night.

Our next blog will talk about an enthralling visit to the Atherton Tableland – and our stay with yes, another of Carol’s cousins, and a quick trip to Cape Tribulation where we found ourselves euchred by the weather.