Cooktown, Queensland - Saturday 25th June 2011

Our trip from Cairns to Cooktown was a really good day through the Daintrees Rainforest (separate posting), the Bloomfield Track (Separate posting), Lions Den Hotel (separate posting) and Black Mountain (separate posting). 

Our accommodation at Cooktown was the lovely Sovereign Resort which was central to town.  We had queensize rooms with balconies, ensuites and modern resort facilities such as swimming pool, guest laundry, restaurant and bar.  It was a very comfortable place to stay over. 

We had time to have a look around the town including the museum and waterfront which of course highlighting Captain Cook and the Endeavour Ship.  We also took a drive up to Grassy Hill lookout which has spectacular views of Cooktown.  It was a very historical place & interesting to visit.

When we left Cooktown the next day heading for Musgrave, we stopped at the Cemetery to view some very historical graves of the early settlers.  Some of the monuments were very large but there was one that we noticed that was a simple metal tool pushed into the ground with a tin plaque scratched in hand (not readable through age) & sitting on the top was a set of false teeth.

Split Rock, Queensland - Sunday 26th June 2011

On the way from Cooktown to stopped off at Split Rock on our way to Musgrave.

Split Rock is an Aboriginal Art site where rock art can be viewed by walking 1300 odd metres up a steep incline.  It was worth the effort to get there as much of the art work is very old and it is considered one of the sacred places for the Aborigines.  We were not encouraged to take photos there so I minimised my photos just to give an idea of what it was like. 

On the way up to see the art our guide Dean showed us some of the plants like "soap" bush that aborigines use for soap and to make a poultice for infections.  We saw a green ants nest and plenty of black cockatoos.

Lakeland Coffee House and Store - Sunday 26th June 2011

The Lakeland Coffee House & Store was one of our refreshment breaks on the way from Cooktown to Musgrave. 

As we were leaving one of the travellers were resting there and bought "Vicki" the ecclectus Parrot to our bus where we could get a close look at this beautiful bird.  Vicki was very tame and was quite happy to lodge on anyone willing to take her.

Little Annan River - Sunday 26th June 2011

Travelling between Cooktown and Musgrave - Little Annan River was our morning tea break & Dean boiled up the billy while we had the opportunity for some photo shoots and the boys tried their hand at fishing.  The boys did not have any bait & the fish did not respond to Mandarin peels which was all we had to put on the hooks. 

It was a lovely spot to have a break but no swimming was allowed as the river does have crocodiles from time to time.  There was a small waterfall and some pretty little streams flowing into the river and the other side of the bridge the water fell into a gorge with was a spectacular view.   We had to be careful when walking on the road as the traffic came through that area at speed and without a lot of warning.

We did not get any fish but enjoyed the morning tea break.