The (low gear) Road to Heaven

One of the best things about living in Cooktown is the many different environments to explore right on our doorstep and one of these is Mount Dickson.

The road up the escarpment to Alkoomie Station is a 4WD adventure in itself – “I’m too young to die” was the cry from the back seat – but if you think your car may not make it call ahead and the owners will come down and drive you up to the top.

The views from the homestead looking over the Endeavour Valley to Cooktown and the Coral sea are genuinely breathtaking – however playing footy on the edge of the escarpment is not advised as it’s a long way down to fetch the ball.

Alkoomie is a natural playground and hosts Merilyn and Alan personify true Aussie outback hospitality even down to cooking their guests dinner on a campfire under the stars.

With animals strolling near the homestead you are very aware that this is a working cattle station and guests have the option to go out on a cattle muster however our kids contented themselves with patting the horses and tormenting the chickens.

I have a policy of only sitting on a moving object with an engine attached so declined the offer of a horse riding safari and we spent the day on foot exploring the escarpment and swimming under waterfalls in the stunning natural swimming pools.

What a beautiful day – pristine bush, the chatter of birds, butterflies flitting around our heads, wallabies watching us watching them, constant children’s laughter and those incredible views.

The homestead offers comfortable accommodation and has a fully equipped kitchen, and there’s an annexe which can accommodate a gang of kids so this is a great venue to celebrate special occasions with a group of friends. Further along the escarpment are more basic safari tents again with views to die for.

Words cannot describe what the eye can see but if you enjoy the outdoors and want an adventurous getaway with warm outback hospitality I can guarantee this will be a destination that you find hard to leave.

(But when you do drag yourself away make sure you engage low gear!)

http://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/stay/cooktown/accom/alkoomie

Hog Hunting in Cooktown, FNQ

When you arrive in Cooktown, it is hard not to miss the number of ute's and trucks driving around with big cages on the back filled with large hunting dogs.  Pig hunting and the dogs associated with it is a big thing up here and good hunting dogs are coveted and their breeding lines carefully managed. In the newsagent you will find at least 8 magazine titles for Pig Hunting with names like Boars and Babes, Pig Hunting weekly and Boar it up Ya.

First lets get this out in the open - Pig hunting is a necessary activity in Far North Queensland. There are feral pigs everywhere and they increase in numbers at an alarming rate.  They destroy the countryside and eat the natural vegetation of the wildlife.  Not everyone agrees with it and many question the method of dispatch where the dogs hold the pig until the hunter can get there with his knife. This is what makes the 'sport' and where the abillities of the pig-dogs come into play.

Three years ago some of the locals who enjoy this sport decided to make an event of it and allow those that already eradicate wild pigs to enjoy a competition in doing so. This year over 34 teams entered the Cooktown Hog Hunt, heading out on the Friday afternoon to return dirty, smelly and exhausted with more than 5 tonnes of dead pig for the weigh in on Sunday lunchtime.


So far the Cooktown Hog Hunt has put away (that means killed and buried) 14 tonnes of feral pig from the in three years. That's a good amount of dead pig and we hope this helps control this feral pest as well as providing the men from the stations and bush around these parts enjoy a little bit of competition and a get together at the end of the weekend.

Cooktown Races

It has been over two years since Cooktown held her annual Amateur Race meeting at the pretty race track that sits at the foot of Mt Cook. Last year there was some problem with dates and finding country meet horses to race. Normally held in July which provides a cooler day, there was no stopping most of the town from fronting up in their fascinators, frocks and akubra's for a stunning spring day.

In usual Cooktown style, the women outshone the men and the standard of dress was just amazing. The line up of local ladies in the Fashions on the Field attests to either not having enough opportunities to dress up or to just stunning good taste. Local lady Bronwyn had created many of the fascinators walking the course and it was great to see so many people had made the effort. That included the kids as there were a number of young girls dressed up and hoping to enter a young fashions section. Maybe next year.
After the five races and some great horse power bounding up the track, it was time for the humans to show their mettle with a 100 metres dash. And all that before the sun went down and the stayers settled in for a night of entertainment from the local band Rough and Ready. There might be a few sore heads around town today but it was a great weekend and lets hope we don't have to wait another two years before getting that fascinator out of the cupboard.

Sun, sweat and sand - the Croc Trophy

Crossing the Isabella Creek

The infamous Croc Trophy Mountain Bike Ride finished its 10 days of gruelling competition in Hope Vale and Cooktown on Thursday 27th October. Slated as the Hardest, Longest and most Adventurous Mountain Bike race in the World, it is organised by Austrian, Gerhard and his team. The Croc trophy has been competing in the Far North for 17 years but this was the first year they finished in Cooktown, having ridden across much of Cook Shire's rugged landscape.

After months of glorious sunshine, the Far North suddenly dumped a record breaking amount of rain over a week - just as the Croc Trophy riders were ready to leave Cairns. The first three days of the competition were muddy and difficult, resulting in swift changes to the route. Luckily the rain stopped and as the riders headed into Cook Shire the freshly washed countryside glistened green and the dust wasn't as bad as it could have been.

The country from Laura to Kalpower to Munberra and into Hope Vale is stunning and remote - these are traditional lands belonging to local Aboriginal Traditional owners and they use them for personal fishing and pig hunting mainly. There are a few shacks but certainly no amenities - just beautiful raw Australian bush.  Bush fires can rage at this time of year as the traditional burns take place before the wet to allow for timely germination of the plants and the riders kept a watch out as smoke rose to the north of their route.

Talking to some of the teams from Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand, I was intrigued by the fact that they had seen very little of the wildlife during their ride. No snakes or crocs - just a few bewildered cattle watching as they sped past. The support team numbered several 4wd's and many trucks that drove ahead each day to set up camp for the exhausted riders.  Water was important to carry as most of the rivers out here are home to both saltwater and freshwater crocs.

When the riders finally arrived in Hope Vale on the morning of the 27th October they were met by a glistening swimming pool which was a welcome site at the end of more than 1200 kms of mud and dust.

And you know the funny thing was that the 'Croc Trophy' awarded, was actually a wooden boomerang with an engraved plaque glued onto it. I would have thought that after all those miles and all that hardship, something with a bit more bite could have been handed out!

Winner - Jeroen Boelen, Nederlands

Sundays in Cooktown - Cape Bedford

Despite the terrifying weather warnings being splashed across the TV last weekend, and a deluge south of Cooktown, we were in the mood for a trip. Looking directly west from our verandah it looked promising so we thought we would risk it and head North of Cooktown to Cape Bedford.

We were blessed with the most glorious day as we drove over the white sand dunes to Elim Beach at Cape Bedford.  A beautiful beach, it sits at the southern end of the beach leading to Cape Flattery where silica is mined.  No-one else was around except for a tinny out in the bay doing a bit of fishing. After a sandwich and wander on the beach we too tried a bit of fishing off the shore while watching a hermit crab wander by.

Then we drove over more sand dunes to another one of the Cape Bedford beaches and again, apart from a few locals fishing, there was no-one around. In the distance we could see the elegant Mount Cook and the kids explored the beach for driftwood, sea shells and other things washed up by the sea.  It is still a magical thing to wander along a beautiful beach and find perfect Nautilus shells.

At the northern end of the beach was the site of the first Lutheran mission in the Cape Bedford area and we were shown the basic cave where the German Lutheran minister, known as Muni, lived for some years.  We met some friends and watched them bring in lots of trevally and perch.  The dog discovered the vagaries of swimming in the shallows when he came across a large mudcrab with very fast pincers!  Homeward bound sun kissed, tired and happy.

Cooktown - we are open for business!

Cooktown was one of the lucky Far North Queensland towns spared by Cyclone Yasi. It is also one of the most picturesque towns in Queensland, sitting at the foot of Mt Cook and overlooking the magnificent Endeavour River. 

Despite the fact that this is known as the ‘wet season’, Cooktown has a lot to offer and is open for business. The crystal creeks are full of fish, the birds are in abundance and you may even be lucky enough to spot the elusive Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo in its natural habitat.  With the Barramundi season open again, those with a passion for fishing will find Cooktown a wonderful place to ‘bag a barra’.

Cooktown provides something for everyone including a unique history that began in 1770 with Cook’s arrival and expanded 100 years later with the Palmer river gold rush. There are museums, traditional old pubs and an Historical society that houses a fascinating display from the early days. There are the exquisite Cooktown Botanical Gardens, home to the Cooktown Orchid, beaches, waterfalls and magnificent bushwalking trails.

For the adventurous there are fishing trips up rivers, a chance of croc spotting or visit some original Aboriginal rock art sites. Or simply relax, sit back and watch the sunset over the Endeavour River from Grassy Hill.

Come and explore the beauty of Cooktown, only 4 hrs from Cairns by car or 45 mins by plane. For more information go to www.cooktownandcapeyork.com or call the Visitor Information Centre 1800 174 895.