Cooktown and beyond

This is a view of the Endeavour River and inlet that Lieutenant James Cook saw on 18 June 1770 from the Grassy Hill when he landed in the Endavour. The town that bears his name was a bustling town servicing the Palmer Goldfields in the last century. It is now a charming little town that provides the gateway to the north of Australia. Many travellers go only as far as Cooktown before heading back south and across to the Gulf of Carpenteria. We are venturing north a little way in order to meet up with Peter, Andrew's son and his wife Toni, at Hann Crossing at Lakefield National Park.

Is this the beginning of the red centre? Andrew tells me that parts of Australia are redder than this but this is as red as I have seen and I thought I would share it with everyone, especially our overseas followers.

This is a shot if a fairly typical creek crossing in a 4WD. It is taken at Isabella Falls, just north of Cooktown. We had just crossed ourselves and took this shot of the next car.

The coloured sands at Elim Beach. In order to reach this, driving 78 kms from Cooktown, we detached Priscilla and drove with Max. It is a long drive but the coloured sands are quite spectacular.