Latest News

Our local cast is ready, the stories are waiting and the first performance is tonight. Now is your last chance to book tickets for The Spirits of Cooktown. Cooktown Pioneer Cemetery becomes the stage tonight and tomorrow evening, as local performers join Box Jelly...

Santa is making his list, checking it twice and heading for William Daku Park on Saturday 5 December 2026 for Cooktown’s much-loved Sunset with Santa celebration. Families are invited to pack a picnic, bring a chair or rug and settle in for a festive afternoon by the...

The community is being advised of a special Council meeting for the adoption of Cook Shire Council's Financial Statements in the 2025/2026 Financial Year. Under section 254C of the Local Government Regulation 2012, this meeting will occur 10 AM Thursday 15 October...

The William Daku Splash Park has reopened following this week’s contamination incident. Council's team has extensively cleaned and treated the water system, and the results of water testing confirm the park is safe to use. Thank you to the community members who helped...

Every community has people who make a difference. They lend a hand, bring people together, share their talents and give their time to the places and people they care about. The 2027 Australia Day Awards are an opportunity to celebrate those contributions. If you know...

We know families enjoy the splash park, especially during the school holidays. Unfortunately, it’s closed until further notice following a contamination incident. Our team is working as quickly as possible to clean the system and test the water. We’ll reopen the park...

Make this Christmas a little more local. Cook Shire Council is inviting local stallholders, craftspeople and artisans to be part of the Twilight Christmas Markets at Sunset with Santa, held at William Daku Park on Saturday 5 December 2026. As families gather for an...

There’s a lot you can do with a couple of hours after school. Make something. Learn something. Have a laugh. Try something new. Maybe even discover you’re surprisingly good at juggling. Play and Yarn – Activities for Kids is an eight-week after-school program coming...

Senior housing unit available at Endeavour Lodge Looking for independent senior accommodation in Cooktown? Expressions of interest are now open for one unit at Endeavour Lodge on Howard Street. Eligible Cook Shire residents are invited to register their interest by...

A planning green light for the Cooktown Hospital redevelopment, new opportunities at Cooktown Airport and upcoming school holiday activities feature in the latest Moment with the Mayor. Cook Shire Council unanimously approved the development application for the staged...

Get ready by clearing the clutter, Cook Shire! We know extreme weather does not always follow the calendar. Clearing loose and unwanted items now is a simple way to reduce potential hazards and help make homes, yards and the wider community safer. To help residents...

Technology is always changing. Just when you’ve figured something out, along comes another update, a new app or a button that’s moved somewhere else. Sound familiar? From keeping in touch with family and friends to accessing services, finding information and managing...

Our community has a story to tell, and you're invited to help paint it. This October, the community is invited to pick up a paintbrush, get creative and help bring the Ayton Community Mural to life through three community painting workshops at the Tin Shed. The...

Cooktown is getting ready to welcome the Cardiac Challenge to town on Monday 21 September, and the community is encouraged to get out and cheer on the riders as they roll in.The Cardiac Challenge will bring cyclists into Cooktown as part of the Far North Queensland...

This October, the cemetery will once again become the stage for an atmospheric journey through Cooktown’s rich and colourful history, with local stories brought to life through theatre, music and performance, and tickets are now on sale! For the third year in a row,...

Far North Queensland has no shortage of stories to tell, and this October, some of the region’s best will be screening right here in Cooktown! The 2025 Understory Film Festival finalist selection brings together 24 outstanding short films created across Far North...

Cook Shire Council is inviting the community to help shape planning for more housing and future residential growth in Cooktown, with consultation now open for the Cooktown Residential Masterplan. The project is looking at how future housing could be supported by the...

An Australian Government Mobile Service Centre Desert Rose will be visiting Cooktown soon. Australian Government Mobile Service Centres travel to rural and regional communities to provide community members with information and access to government services. They offer...

There’s a rare splash of turquoise appearing in the Cooktown Botanic Gardens this week and it is worth stopping by to see. The spectacular Jade Vine, or Strongylodon macrobotrys, has begun to flower, giving you the chance to see one of the plant world’s most striking...

For the third year in a row Box Jelly Theatre Company is returning to Cooktown with The Spirits of Cooktown, a unique community theatre experience inspired by the true stories, characters and lives connected to the Cooktown Pioneer Cemetery. This October, the cemetery...

Some of Cooktown’s littlest readers celebrated the magic of books, stories and imagination at Cooktown Library, with a special Storytime session marking Children’s Book Week. Council’s Library team hosted a free morning of hands-on activities designed to encourage...

All 120 tickets to An Evening with Dr Karl: The Science of Survival were snapped up in just two and a half hours, setting a new record as the fastest Cook Shire Council event to sell out. It turns out there are plenty of curious minds and science lovers around...

Last week, Cooktown Library turned into a mini science lab for Science Week, with children and carers joining in a science-themed First 5 Forever Storytime and an after-school activity session packed with hands-on fun. There were electronic circuits to build, magnets...

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and Council will undertake a hazard reduction burn on the Endeavour River National Park and on the eastern section of the Cooktown Airport land. This burn will occur Wednesday 26 August, weather and conditions permitting....

Sweat Session regulars, there’s time for one more workout before the classes take a short break! The final Sweat Session Fitness Class will be held Thursday 27 August 2026 before classes wrap up for the time being. While the classes take a pause, there are still...

Get ready to plant some creativity, get crafty and let imaginations grow! Cook Shire Libraries are bringing a garden full of FREE school holiday fun to Cooktown, Lakeland and Bloomfield this September and October. Across both weeks of the school holidays, young...

Make a splash these school holidays at the Cooktown Swimming Pool! Ready to swap the school routine for pool time? The Cooktown Swimming Pool is turning up the fun these September–October school holidays, with Splash N’ Play and weekday free introductory swim lessons...

Ready to take centre stage? Young performers can spend four action-packed days creating characters, trying new things, building confidence and discovering the magic of theatre with Box Jelly Theatre Co. these September school holidays. Back by popular demand, Box...

Blankets, snacks, and a big-screen movie – what better way to spend a Friday afternoon these upcoming school holidays? There’s no better way to spend a school holiday Friday than kicking back with a movie, your favourite snacks and the people you love. So, grab your...

Grab a racquet and get ready to hit the court — experienced tennis coaches are making the trip from Cairns to Cooktown for three huge days of FREE school holiday tennis! This September school holidays, the Cooktown Tennis Courts are the place to be, with Baseline...

Racquets, movies, theatre, pool days, and plenty of creativity — the September school holidays are anything but boring! School’s out from Monday 21 September to Friday 2 October, and families across Cooktown, Lakeland and Bloomfield will have plenty of reasons to get...

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 nearly 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...

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...