Latest News

That cupboard you’ve been avoiding? The clothes you haven’t worn in years? The kids’ gear they’ve outgrown and the perfectly good stuff taking over the shed? This is your sign to clear it out – and maybe make some cash while you’re at it. Spring into the Markets is...

The wait is over! After a few weeks closed, the Cooktown Swimming Pool is getting ready to welcome the community back — and what better way to reopen than with a BIG day of free fun! On Saturday 19 September, the Cooktown Swimming Pool will officially reopen its...

Free afternoon workshop, live local music and a whole lot of country fun are coming to the Cooktown Shire Hall. Dust off your dancing boots and get ready to kick up your heels — Bootz n Beatz is bringing a foot-stomping night of line dancing, live music and country...

Please be advised that the Cooktown Splash Park is back open. Thank you for your patience while repairs were carried out. 

Handrails are being installed on the Finch Bay beach access track, with works starting today. The installation is expected to take approximately three to four days, weather permitting. Finch Bay access will remain open to the public throughout the works, with crew in...

Grab your creative spirit and come along for a series of free Women’s Creative Recovery Workshops, bringing women together to create, connect and unwind. The workshops will provide a welcoming space to explore arts and crafts while supporting recovery, wellbeing,...

Cook Shire’s Stronger Together Community Choir is back this August, with a free weekend of singing, choir leadership and community connection in Cooktown. Held at the Cooktown Events Centre on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August, the workshop weekend will bring new and...

Gather the family and head to Cooktown Library this Indigenous Literacy Day for an afternoon of stories, creativity, culture and connection. On Wednesday 2 September, families are invited to come together to discover books and stories celebrating the voices, languages...

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) will undertake a hazard reduction burn on the Endeavour River National Park and on the eastern section of the Cooktown Airport land. This burn is likely to occur today or tomorrow, weather and conditions pending. Smoke may...

Critical thinking was on the agenda at Cooktown Library last week as community members of all ages came together for the Truth Be Told misinformation and disinformation session. With 20 attendees at the free session, including members of the 60s and Better Group...

Grab your little pirates and prepare for a morning of stories, songs and seaside adventure when Pirate Playtime drops anchor at Cooktown Library. Families with children aged 0–5 years are invited to climb aboard the library's Musical Ship on Wednesday 16 September for...

Missing your weekly aqua aerobics class? Waterless Workouts are a fun, low-impact way to stay active until you're back in the pool. Join Peta for a friendly one-hour group fitness class featuring the same gentle style of movement you know and enjoy from aqua...

Cook Shire residents are being encouraged to help build a more accurate picture of the region by taking part in the 2026 Census on Tuesday 11 August. Held every five years, the Census counts people and households across Australia and provides important information...

Council's Biosecurity team is encouraging the community to remain vigilant and report sick or dead wild birds as part of ongoing surveillance for avian influenza (bird flu). H5 bird flu has recently been detected in Queensland, however there are currently no known...

It starts with dedication, perseverance and the people who make sport part of our community. Across Cook Shire, athletes, teams and sporting contributors achieve remarkable things every year. Now it's time to celebrate them. Nominations are now open for the 36th North...

Community members are advised that contractors will be using the Marton Boat Ramp from Tuesday 4 August for approximately two days to remove derelict vessels from the Endeavour River. The boat ramp will remain open to the public, but the area may be busier than usual...

THESE BURNS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED Residents are advised that several planned hazard reduction burns will take place across Cook Shire from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August 2026. Smoke may be visible in and around the affected areas. All burns are planned and controlled...

Looking for a fun day out while learning more about how you can support your community? The SES Open Day is coming to Lakeland on Saturday, 22 August 2026, inviting families, residents and anyone interested in volunteering to come along, meet the local SES team and...

PLEASE BE ADVISED: This event has been cancelled due to low registration numbers, despite speakers travelling from Cairns and Atherton to present in Cooktown. Property owners, landlords and renters are invited to join local fire and land management experts for a...

A contractor will carry out a single helicopter lift tomorrow morning to deliver large, heavy finishing pieces to the Scenic Rim project site. Because the work area is reached only by a walking trail through steep bushland, the materials cannot be safely carried in by...

Get ready for an afternoon of curiosity, creativity and discovery. What happens when you mix curious young minds with a room full of science experiments, engineering challenges and creative problem-solving? You get an afternoon where learning feels like an adventure....

Looking for a fun after-school activity? Young people aged 6–12 years are invited to join a free six-week drumming program at Rossville Hall. Running throughout August and September, the free after-school workshops will give young school-aged children the chance to...

Please be advised of a planned burn to take place near Mulligan Highway. Residents and motorists are advised that the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Yuku Baja Muliku Rangers will be conducting planned burns within Annan River (Yuku Baja Muliku)...

Access to Finch Bay has reopened, with the new boardwalk now ready for residents and visitors to use. The boardwalk structure provides a more accessible, stable and reliable route to the beach than the previous sand track. Designed to improve access for a wider range...

Important upgrade works at Cooktown Swimming Pool will begin on Friday 24 July 2026, requiring the pool to close temporarily. The first stage will involve upgrading the pool’s chlorination system. Subject to the works progressing as planned and the system being...

Whether you want to feel more confident using technology, learn how to spot misleading information, meet other families or simply give the kids space to create, there is something for everyone at Cook Shire Libraries during Library and Information Week 2026. Libraries...

Losing important personal documents during a disaster can make getting back on your feet far more difficult than it needs to be. Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Jasper, many residents lost essential documents including driver licences, passports, bank...

Professional puppetry, storytelling and hands-on creativity captivated local families during Catbird Theatre's two-day visit to Cooktown, with 63 people taking part across live performances and interactive workshops. Held on Wednesday 8 July and Thursday 9 July as...

Cook Shire Council has been advised that the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) will be carrying out inspections of the Hann River bridges on the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) in Laura on Wednesday 22 July and Thursday 23 July 2026. These inspections...

This Library and Information Week, Cooktown Library is inviting the community to sharpen their critical thinking skills at Truth Be Told—a free information session exploring the growing world of misinformation and disinformation. Held on Wednesday 29 July at 10:30am,...

From new sporting equipment and upgraded community facilities to local events and business initiatives, great ideas often start with one challenge—finding the funding to make them happen. That's why free Grant Writing Workshops are being offered this August, giving...

Please be advised of a planned burn to take place near Mulligan Highway. Residents and motorists are advised that the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Yuku Baja Muliku Rangers will be conducting planned burns within Annan River (Yuku Baja Muliku)...

The first week of the school holidays has been packed with creativity, adventure, sport and plenty of smiling faces, with children and families making the most of a fantastic line-up of free activities across the region. From library craft sessions and pool games to...

When disaster strikes, local knowledge can make all the difference. Residents of Portland Roads and Coen are invited to help strengthen their community's disaster preparedness by sharing their local knowledge and experiences at upcoming Local Area Disaster Plan...

Community drop-in sessions announced as Cook Shire's Childcare Business Case enters its final stage of consultation. Community members are being encouraged to take one final opportunity to help shape the future of childcare in Cooktown and surrounding communities,...

Laura was buzzing with excitement on Tuesday 30 June as families came together for a deadly Laura Family Fun Day, packed with laughter, adventure and plenty of school holiday fun in Cape York. Held in the heart of Laura, the community event brought children, parents,...

Please be advised that the Cooktown Splash Park is back open after the essential maintenance took place.  Thank you for your understanding and patience while these works took place.  

Free mulch will be back with residents able to collect mulch throughout an entire week this July. The giveaway will take place at the Cooktown Waste Transfer Station during normal operating hours from Tuesday 14 July for a whole week. Residents are encouraged to take...

Get ready for another term of stories, songs, smiles and fun as First 5 Forever Storytime returns for Term 3! Designed for children aged 0–5 years, Storytime is a fun-filled session where little ones can sing, listen to stories, explore books, play and learn in a...

Developers of the new IGA supermarket have notified Council of planned controlled minor blasting works at the construction site on the corner of Charlotte and Walker Streets, Cooktown. The controlled blast is expected to occur later this week or early next week as...

Please be advised that the Cooktown Splash Park remains closed while essential maintenance works are carried out.  Updates will be provided once the maintence is complete and the Splash Park is ready to reopen.  Thank you for your understanding and patience while...

Cook Shire Council advises that the speed limit on Quarantine Bay Road will be reduced to 60 km/h following an independent road safety assessment. The new 60 km/h speed limit will apply from the Mulligan Highway intersection through to Walker Bay Road, where the speed...

The Cooktown community is preparing to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2026 with one of the biggest and most diverse programs in recent years. Bringing together cultural workshops, family activities, community celebrations and opportunities to honour the strength, resilience...

Coen residents are reminded that there is still time to provide feedback to the Queensland Department of Education on proposed future improvements to Coen Kindergarten and the Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy (CYAAA) Coen campus. The Queensland Department of...

The community is being advised of a special Council meeting for the purpose of adopting councils 26—27 Annual Budget. Matters to be tabled at this meeting are considered confidential under Section 254C of the Local Government Regulation 2012, this meeting will occur 9...