Day 61: Sat 25 Jun - Cooktown

Day 61: Sat 25 Jun - Cooktown

21 – 27°. An overcast morning, clearing to a mostly sunny day. Winds still annoying at 26km/h, gusting to 41km/h (but it felt much stronger at times). Another huge day starting with a challenging 2 hr morning walk to the top of Mount Cook with Greg, then we all went for a 32km drive out of town to the iconic Lions Den Hotel, stopping at the Black Mountains on the way. On our return we stopped for a walk at Keatings Lagoon, a wetland 5 km out of Cooktown just off the Mulligan Highway. We got back to the van at about midday, had some lunch and a snooze, then I set off on a bike ride to a few more local sites around Cooktown and along the foreshore. When i returned, I carried out a few checks on the van in preparation for our departure to  Mareeba tomorrow morning (We'll be pleased to see the back of these strong gusting winds). We topped of another great day with lovely dinner at the RSL. 


Views over Cooktown and Endeavour River from the climb up Mount Cook

Climb up Mount Cook

View along the coast on the way up Mount Cook

View from the top of Mount Cook - a Helipad is in the bottom right corner

On the way back down

The elevation over 5.4km. Signs say it's takes 3hr 30min to walk; we did it in 1hr 41min


Greg and I with Mount Cook in the background - a more challenging walk to start the day

The Black Mountain National Park (Kalkajaka), originally formed from magma that slowly solidified under the Earth's crust about 250 million years ago, located 25km south of Cooktown on the Mulligan Highway.  

The mountains consist of huge grey granite boulders, which have been blackened by algae growing on the exposed surfaces.

The mountains are a place of cultural significance for the Kuku Yalanji people, who call them Kalkajaka

The historic Lions Den Hotel. 

Artwork is by Roy Smith, a self taught painter with 40 years experience, lives permanently on the road painting his way around the country.

Established in 1875 and  made of timber and iron, the Lions Den Hotel is famous for its quirky decorations and walls covered with visitor’s signatures. 

Lions Den Hotel artwork 

Lions Den Hotel artwork 

DILLIGAF... 

More Roy Smith artwork

I had a great chat with this local guy (in front of some more of Roy Smith's amazing artwork), who is a caretaker on a nearby Sandelwood tree farm. The trees take 20 years to mature before they are harvested. He loves his simple life doing what he does and living in the area.

More Roy Smith artwork

Walls adorned with visitor’s signatures

More artwork

Set on the banks of the Little Annan River, surrounded by 100 year old mango trees and tropical landscapes, it just felt right to have a beer at 10:30am.

Little Annan River

On the way back to Cooktown, a stop at Keatings Lagoon where there were warning signs of a recent crocodile sighting - needless to say we stayed well away from the waters edge.

Keatings Lagoon 

Back in Cooktown a last ride along the foreshore before we leave tomorrow morning

The Gunpowder Magazine built in 1874, a significant Cooktown landmark, built for storing blasting powder for the Palmer Goldfield

Old Cooktown Hospital - a heritage-listed former public hospital and now Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall 

Another fabulous tasty meal at the RSL - Thai Beef Stack with Asian Salad

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