Cow Bay is a coastal

locality Locality may refer to: * Locality (association), an association of community regeneration organizations in England * Locality (linguistics) * Locality (settlement) * Suburbs and localities (Australia), in which a locality is a geographic subdivis ...

in the

Shire of Douglas The Shire of Douglas is a local government area in Far North Queensland. It is located on the coast north of the city of Cairns. The shire, administered from the town of Mossman, covers an area of , and existed as a local government entity f ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. In the , Cow Bay had a population of 220 people.

Geography

''Hutchinson Creek'' forms most of the northern boundary. The waters of the '' Coral Sea'' form the north-eastern boundary and most of the eastern. Cape Tribulation Road enters the locality from the south ( Kimberley) and exits to the north ( Diwan). There are many sections of the

Daintree National Park The Daintree rainforest is a national park in Far North Queensland, Australia, northwest of Brisbane and northwest of Cairns. It was founded in 1981 and is part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. In 1988 it became a World Heritage Site. The p ...

within the locality, particularly in the north-east, south and west of the locality. Bailey Point is a headline half-way along the Cow Bay coastline (). It was named by Commander

John Lort Stokes Admiral John Lort Stokes, RN (1 August 1811 – 11 June 1885)Although 1812 is frequently given as Stokes's year of birth, it has been argued by author Marsden Hordern that Stokes was born in 1811, citing a letter by fellow naval officer Crawford ...

HMS Beagle HMS ''Beagle'' was a 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, one of more than 100 ships of this class. The vessel, constructed at a cost of £7,803 (roughly equivalent to £ in 2018), was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on t ...

on 30 July 1841, but the origin of the name is unknown. Offshore from the southern part of the locality's coastal is the waterbody Cow Bay, part of the Coral Sea () from which the locality presumably takes its name. Although the bay was not officially named until 1984, the name was in common use locally for many years, referring to the many

dugongs The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...

(also known as sea cows) in the waters of the bay. Alexandra Bay is offshore from the locality's northern coast (). Just inland from Bailey Point is Bailey Hill () at above sea level, while Flat Peak is in the south of the locality () at . Daintree Airstrip is at 1506 Cape Tribulation Road in the flatter northern part of the locality ().

History

The area was named Cow Bay on 17 March 1984, becoming an official locality on 8 September 2000. In the , Cow Bay had a population of 202 people. In the , Cow Bay had a population of 220 people.

Education

There are no schools in Cow Bay. The nearest government primary school is Alexandra Bay State School in neighbouring Diwan to the north. The nearest government secondary school is Mossman State High School in Mossman to the south.

Attractions

The Daintree Discovery Centre is on Cape Tribulation Road (). Jindalba Boardwalk is nearby on Tulip Oak Road (). A number of walking tracks commence at the Daintree Airstrip.

References

{{Shire of Douglas Shire of Douglas Coastline of Queensland Localities in Queensland