Cooktown and Cape York: An Innocent Assault by a Masked Avenger

Cooktown and Cape York: An Innocent Assault by a Masked Avenger: I was attacked on my walk to work this week. I was aware of my assailant who was masked and proudly strutting as part of a pair of obviou...

An Innocent Assault by a Masked Avenger

I was attacked on my walk to work this week. I was aware of my assailant who was masked and proudly strutting as part of a pair of obviously disturbed youths. I tried to avoid eye contact but this did not help. I changed my direction to avoid their personal space but to no avail – the first attack was direct and purposeful aiming for my head, my innocent but provocative actions had obviously pushed them over the edge.

I should have known better really as there are many similar gangs in Cooktown who defend their space without hesitation, it’s just a natural reaction to being born a masked lapwing (also known as the spur-winged plover). The Guugu Yimithirr people call the spur-wing plover Milgaandurr and it is known as the alarm bird. It is a friendly messenger, bringing tidings of births and deaths within families.

To be fair I reckon he or she was bluffing and it was just a warning attack as the swoop over my head only required an instinctive duck not the embarrassment of a prostration on the ground. As a ground nesting bird they are only protecting their nests and they usually produce two chicks which is when they are at their most aggressive. They can also use cunning diversionary tactics to protect their chicks including defending ‘fake’ nests and somewhat amusing distraction tactics like hopping around on one leg to divert attention away from their nest.

It is easy for the unsuspecting passerby to inadvertently impose on a nest, so if you are walking along or mowing the grass and see an agitated plover try to give them a bit of respect.

And if you do come under attack just hope that no one else is watching you make a spectacle of yourself.

Find out more about the Guugu Yimithirr culture HERE

Wet, Clean and Green!

Wet, Clean and Green!

If you live in the tropics you expect a bit of rainfall at this time of the year and can appreciate the revitalization that the seasonal cycle brings to the environment.

Forgotten flowers reappear like long lost friends, new bird calls add to the morning chorus, the insects seem louder and nature just seems to have an extra spring in it’s step.

The most noticeable aspect is the lush green vegetation sprouting all around which makes you stop and think about the massive diversity of plants living on your doorstep  – easy to take for granted in the dry months. 

The best way to see the weird and wonderful species surrounding us is to take a hike in the rainforest – sure you get wet but wow what an experience at this time of year, you can almost see the growth happening before your eyes and it feels like you can taste the smells - a real assault on the senses.

There’s some great walks around Cooktown including through the Botanic Gardens or head out towards Helenvale, Rossville and Bloomfield for an incredible rainforest experience. Stay at Mungumby Lodge or Lion's Den Hotel in Helenvale or further down the Bloomfield Track near Bloomfield camp at Haley's Cabins.

The waterfalls are also in majestic form at this time of year. We are spoilt for choice with stunning cascades in the vicinity, take a guided tour with the Walker family at Bloomfield Falls, hike up to the remote Home Rule Falls (but be careful when the track is slippery), discover the locals’ favorite at Trevethan Falls or head out to Endeavour Falls on the road to Hope Vale.

So don’t be blue, be green and enjoy the amazing forces of nature in our tropical wonderland.

Have a look at www.cooktownandcapeyork.com for ideas on accommodation, tours and attractions in the Cooktown region

Family Fishing in Cooktown

How long were the school holidays?! Thankfully we were blessed with the most glorious weather in Cooktown so the kids could get outside and expend their endless energy.

Numerous wharfies indicated that the entire population of Cooktown was out on the water which triggered an impressive ‘let’s go fishing’ campaign from my sons. It didn’t really take much to loosen my resolve so I finally caved in and agreed to a fishing trip. Great concept hampered by completely useless knowledge of the sport.

Enter Mollo of Cooktown Dinghy Hire who kindly offered to take us out on one of his family friendly fishing and glass bottom boat trips. Having two energetic boys of his own, Mollo not only knows where to find the fish but also can judge the attention span of the kids so we moved around the harbour whenever attention spans waned stopping at different spots.

Whilst the adults kept a steady flow of baited hooks coming the boys leapt around the boat looking for the perfect spot and ended up pulling in a healthy collection of queenies, garfish, marks, pufferfish, mangrove jack and an excellent cod. Shame about the one that got away – whatever snapped Mollo’s line was probably best not to be on the end of one of the kids lines!

Happy with our catch (all of which was released) we then motored off around the headland to Cherry Tree Bay and Finch Bay and the kids glued their faces to the glass bottom pointing out the corals, fish and even a turtle. 

Satisfying the children on holiday is no easy task so if you want a family friendly fishing trip under expert local guidance this is really pretty hard to beat for a morning’s entertainment.

http://www.cooktownandcapeyork.com/tours/local-tours/cooktowndinghyhire

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.