Cook Shire is the largest land area shire in Queensland, encompassing 115,000 km2. Cook Shire occupies some 80% of the Cape York Peninsula Region of far north Queensland. Our southern boundary comprises in part the Bloomfield River, while to the north the Shire extends to the 11th parallel of latitude, found slightly beyond the Jardine River.
Cook Shire is an extremely diverse environment, encompassing freehold lands and various types of lease hold lands, World Heritage areas, including Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, National Parks, protected areas, and other types of conservation zones.
Our Shire is a truly dynamic mix of township residents, pastoralists, miners and small rural landholders. Our significant industries include cattle, tourism, mining, fishing and horticulture. At the last collection of census data, being 2001, 4570 people lived in Cook Shire.
The Shire's major township is Cooktown with smaller population centres established at Marton, Laura, Lakeland, Coen, Ayton, Rossville and Portland Roads and offshore islands, including Lizard Island. There are also significant rural communities spread through the Bloomfield and Endeavour Valleys. The rural sections of the Shire consist mainly of large pastoral holdings. Our occupied islands include Haggerstone and Hicks.
The Shire's place in modern history is assured with Captain James Cook being the Shire's namesake. European history aside, the shire has a vast wealth of indigenous history, including one of the top ten indigenous rock art sites in the world.
This sense of history, combined with our unique living environment and lifestyle underpin one of the Shire's identified growth industries, tourism. Other established industries and economic sectors include cattle, large and small scale mining, fishing and horticulture which continue to seek innovative ways to secure a relevant and competitive place in todays economic climate.
Cook Shire Council was established in 1919 as a result of the amalgamation of the Divisional Boards of Hann and the Daintree. At that time, however it did not include the township of Cooktown. Cooktown was declared a local government area in 1876 with the formation of the Cooktown Town Council. In 1932 it was amalgamated into the surrounding Cook Shire Council area.
