Media Releases
Stay updated on Cook Shire Media Releases.
Council invites community to 2025-26 Budget and update session
Cook Shire Council is inviting community members to attend a special 2025–26 Budget and Community Update session on Wednesday 16 July from 5:30 PM at the Cooktown Events Centre. This event is an opportunity for the community to gain valuable insight into how Council’s...
Cook Shire’s Connor Morgan named finalist in Apprentice of the Year Awards
Cook Shire Council is proud to celebrate the achievements of Connor Morgan, our talented Apprentice Diesel Fitter, who has been named a finalist in the Apprentice of the Year category at the 2025 Cairns Trade Excellence Awards, hosted by TAFE Queensland. With more...
Bin stickers are coming: Here’s what they mean.
From Tuesday 1 July 2025, Cook Shire Council’s bin labelling program will officially come into effect. That means from tomorrow, if your bin isn't compliant or clearly labelled, it may not be collected on your next scheduled kerbside collection day. Now is the perfect...
June Moment with the Mayor
Mayor Robyn Holmes provided important insights and updates from this week's Ordinary Council meeting. The agenda can be reviewed with the meeting minutes available in the coming days. You can find them here
Cook Shire show day public holiday | Office closures
Please be reminded that a number of Council offices, buildings, and venues will be closed on Friday 27 June 2025 Council Administration Building Cooktown Works Depot All Cook Shire Libraries The Cooktown Swimming Pool The Cooktown Events Centre Nature's Powerhouse All...
Temporary Water Outage – Lakeland Area
Cook Shire Council wishes to advise residents and businesses in Lakeland of a planned water supply interruption as part of our ongoing water main replacement program. Date: Tuesday 1 July 2025Time: 3:30 PM to 6:30 PMDuration: Approximately 3 hours Affected Properties...
Taylor joins Coen team for the school holidays
Cook Shire Council is pleased to welcome Taylor Wright as our temporary Sports and Recreation Officer in Coen, stepping in while Sam is on maternity leave. Taylor is a valued member of Council’s pool team at the Cooktown Swimming Pool and will now be lending her...
Help protect Australia’s citrus trees
Cook Shire Council is helping spread the word on behalf of Citrus Australia, who are calling for volunteers to join the Citrus Watch program and help protect the future of our citrus industry. Citrus Watch is a national early warning system looking out for the Asian...
Cook Shire Council opens tender for strategic sale of undeveloped Cooktown land
Cook Shire Council is inviting tenders for the purchase of four parcels of undeveloped freehold land within Cooktown, signalling a proactive step toward encouraging economic development, residential growth, and community revitalisation. The land, located on Boundary...
A brighter future for John Street Oval
Cooktown’s John Street Oval is one step closer to a brighter future, thanks to a fantastic show of community spirit and teamwork. A special thank you goes to Crossy’s Crane Hire from Cairns, who volunteered their time, expertise, and crane to assist with the removal...
Cooktown Discovery Festival unites community in celebration of history and culture
Hundreds of locals and visitors gathered in Cooktown over the weekend for the 46th annual Cooktown Discovery Festival, celebrating the region’s rich culture, community spirit, and place in Australian history as the site of the first recorded act of reconciliation...
Young stars shine at Cook Shire’s Got Talent
To kick off the 2025 Discovery Festival, Council hosted Cook Shire’s Got Talent on Tuesday 17 June. The show lit up the Cooktown Events Centre with an incredible display of local talent. It was fantastic to see so many young performers take to the stage with...
Bin theft in Cook Shire? It’s not just rubbish—it’s a crime.
You read that right. Since the launch of our new bin labelling program, we’ve seen a rise in wheelie bin theft across Cooktown. And while we’ve all had a laugh at the “Bin Grinch” caught on camera, this is a serious issue with serious criminal consequences....
Special Council Meeting Notificiation
Under Section 258 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the community is being advised of a Special Meeting of Council to be held at: 9 AM Tuesday 8 July, at Council's Main Administration Building located at10 Furneaux Street, Cooktown. Business to be conducted...
Public notice | Coen aerodrome resealing and temporary closure
Cook Shire Council advises the Coen community of scheduled maintenance works at the Coen Aerodrome scheduled from Monday 30 June - Friday 4 July 2025. The works involve a single coat reseal of the runway, including mechanical sweeping and chip sealing. These upgrades...
Temporary partial road closure | Ida Street
Cook Shire Council advises residents that a section of Ida Street, between May Street and Garden Street, will be partially closed to traffic from Tuesday 17 June to Wednesday 18 June 2025, with works possibly extending to Thursday 19 June, dependent on weather...