The Shire of Cook (The Shire) is a

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

Far North Queensland Far North Queensland (FNQ) is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. Its largest city is Cairns and it is dominated geographically by Cape York Peninsula, which stretches north to the Torres Strait, and west to the Gulf Co ...

, Australia. The Shire covers most of the eastern and central parts of

Cape York Peninsula Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupación ...

, the most northerly section of the Australian mainland. It covers an area of , and is the largest LGA in the state. The shire was established in 1919. The Daintree and Hann Divisions were created on 11 November 1879 as two of 74 divisions around Queensland under the ''Divisional Boards Act 1879''. With the passage of the ''Local Authorities Act 1902'', they became the Shires of Daintree and Hann on 31 March 1903. On 16 January 1919, they merged to form the Shire of Cook. The Borough of Cooktown was proclaimed as a separate municipality on 3 April 1876 under the ''Municipal Institutions Act 1864''. On 24 August 1932, the Town of Cooktown (the successor to the Borough of Cooktown) was absorbed back into Cook Shire. Prior to 2005, a number of Aboriginal communities administered under Deed of Grant in Trust by community councils were part of the Shire's area, but they were formally excised and given a new status as Aboriginal Shires. This formed part of the ''Meeting Challenges, Making Choices'' strategy developed in response to the Cape York Justice Study undertaken by Justice Fitzgerald QC in November 2001. The Local Government Reform process in July 2007 concluded that amalgamation of the Shire would not result in any benefits to service delivery and management for the area, noting that it was (and is) the largest local government by area and had no community of interest with any neighbouring areas. The council was, however, reduced from seven to six councillors with an additional elected mayor.

Towns and localities

The Shire of Cook includes the following settlements: *

Cooktown Cooktown is a coastal town and locality in the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. Cooktown is at the mouth of the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland where James Cook beached his ship, the Endeavour, for re ...

(pop 1,336) * Laura (pop 570) * Coen (pop 253) * Archer River * Ayton * Bloomfield¹ *

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cove ...

* Ebagoola *

Edward River Edward River, or Kyalite River, an anabranch of the Murray River and part of the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales, Australia. The river rises at Picnic Point east of Mathoura, ...

* Helenvale *

Holroyd River The Holroyd River is a river located on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. Course and features The headwaters of the river rise south of Mount White in the McIlwraith Range in the Great Dividing Range. It then flows ...

* Hope Vale² * Iron Range *

Jardine River The Jardine River is the largest river of the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. Course The headwaters of the river rise southwest of Helby Hill in the Great Dividing Range and flow in a north westerly direction parallel t ...

* Lakefield * Lakeland *

Lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia altho ...

Lizard Island Lizard Island is an island on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland (Australia), northwest of Brisbane and part of the Lizard Island Group that also includes Palfrey Island. It is part of the Lizard Island National Park. Lizard Island is withi ...

* Lockhart River³ *

Mapoon Mapoon is a coastal town in the Aboriginal Shire of Mapoon and a locality split between the Aboriginal Shire of Mapoon and the Shire of Cook in Queensland, Australia. In the , Mapoon had a population of 317 people. History Pre-European settlem ...

⁴ * Marton * Merapah * Mission River * Moojeeba * Palmer *

Port Stewart Portstewart () is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,003 people in the 2011 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an Atlantic promenade leadin ...

* Portland Road * Rossville * Shelburne * Starcke * Wenlock * Yarraden ¹ – shared with 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 ...

² – shared with the

Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale The Aboriginal Shire of Hope Vale is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, north of the town of Cooktown. The majority of the Shire consists of Deed of Grant land that is held for the benefit of Aboriginal peop ...

³ – shared with the

Aboriginal Shire of Lockhart River The Aboriginal Shire of Lockhart River is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia. Geography It is on the east coast of the Cape York Peninsula and consists of a single locality, Lockhart River (which is shared with the Shi ...

⁴ – shared with the

Aboriginal Shire of Mapoon The Aboriginal Shire of Mapoon is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is on the western coast of Cape York Peninsula on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Geography Most local government areas are a single contiguous area ...

And also a number of islands in the

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...

, including: *

Raine Island Raine Island is a vegetated coral cay in total area situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef off north-eastern Australia. It lies approximately north-northwest of Cairns in Queensland, about east-north-east of Cape Grenville on t ...

(in the locality of

)

Libraries

The Cook Shire Council operate public libraries at Bloomfield and

Chairmen and mayors

* 1901–1904: John HargreavesHargreaves, John Henry
– Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 15 May 2016. * 1927: H. L. Lee * 2008–present : Peter Hugh Scott

Population

The population of the Shire of Cook, along with Torres, Aurukun and Mornington, have been singled out by the

Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the independent statutory agency of the Australian Government responsible for statistical collection and analysis and for giving evidence-based advice to federal, state and territory governments ...

(ABS), who conduct the quinquennial census, as particularly difficult to measure accurately. Reasons for this include cultural and language barriers, transport and geographical spread of the population, who are mostly located in isolated communities. As such, all figures are likely to be lower than the actual population on the census date. Additionally, prior to 1971, Aboriginal people who form a majority of the population were not counted in census statistics. Until 1 July 2002, the Australian Bureau of Statistics included the Island and DOGIT councils within the Shire of Cook statistical local area. Information for the reduced Shire back to 1996 has been provided on the ABS website through the Time Series Profile.

Indigenous languages

Guugu Yimithirr (also known as Koko Yindjir, Gugu Yimidhirr, Guguyimidjir) is an

Australian Aboriginal language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...

of Hope Vale and the

area. The language region includes the local government area of the

and the Shire of Cook, particularly the localities of

Cape Bedford A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. T ...

, Battle Camp and sections of the

Normanby River The Normanby River, comprising the East Normanby River, the West Normanby River, the East Normanby River North Branch, the East Normanby River South Branch and the Granite Normanby River, is a river system located in Far North Queensland, Aust ...

and

Annan River The Annan River ( Kuku Nyungkal: ''Yuku Baja'') is a river located in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia. Course and features The river rises in the Yorkey Range below Mount Romeo near , north-northwest of . The river flows g ...

Kuku-Thaypan Kuku-Thaypan is an extinct Paman languages, Paman language spoken on the southwestern part of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland in Australia, by the Kuku-Thaypan people. The language was sometimes called Alaya or Awu Alaya. Koko-Rarmul may hav ...

(also known as Gugu Dhayban, Kuku Taipan, Thaypan) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in Hann River, Laura and Musgrave River and on Mornington Island, within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire. '' Kuku Yalanji'' (also known as ''Gugu Yalanji'', ''Kuku Yalaja'', and ''Kuku Yelandji'') is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Mossman and Daintree areas of

North Queensland North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland. Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has been ...

. The language region includes areas within the local government area of

and Shire of Cook, particularly the localities of Mossman, Daintree, Bloomfield River, China Camp, Maytown, Palmer,

Cape Tribulation Cape Tribulation is a headland and coastal locality in the Shire of Douglas in northern Queensland, Australia. In the , Cape Tribulation had a population of 118 people. Geography The locality is north of Cairns. It is within the Daintree Na ...

and

Wujal Wujal Wujal Wujal is a rural town and locality in the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire, Queensland, Australia. In the , Wujal Wujal had a population of 282 people. It is an Aboriginal community. The community of Wujal Wujal is located in the Cape York ...

. Yupanguthi (also known as Yuputhimri, Jupangati, Yupangathi, Nggerikudi, Yupungati, Jupangati) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken on Yupanguthi country. The Yupanguthi language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Shire of Cook. '' Linngithigh'' (also known as ''Winda Winda'' and ''Linginiti'') is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Linngithigh people. The Linngithigh language region includes landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire Council: Western Cape York, Winda Winda Creek, Mission River, and Archer River. '' Luthigh'' (also known as ''Lotiga'', ''Tepiti'' and ''Uradhi'', see also '' Uradhi'' related languages) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Luthigh people. The traditional language area for Luthigh includes landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire: Eastern Cape York, Ducie River, Northern Peninsula, New Mapoon, Injinoo, and

Cowal Creek Injinoo (formerly Cowal Creek) is a coastal town in the Northern Peninsula Area Region and a locality split between Northern Peninsula Area Region and the Shire of Torres in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is on the north-western coast of ...

. '' Yalanji'' (also known as ''Kuku Yalanji'', ''Kuku Yalaja'', ''Kuku Yelandji'', and ''Gugu Yalanji)'' is an Australian Aboriginal language of

. The traditional language region is

Mossman River The Mossman River is a river located in the Cape York Peninsula of Far North Queensland, Australia. The headwaters of the river rise under Devils Thumb on the Mount Carbine Tableland in the Great Dividing Range. The river flows through a dee ...

in the south to the

in the north, bordered by the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

in the east and extending inland to west of Mount Mulgrave. This includes the local government boundaries of the

, the Shire of Cook and the

Aboriginal Shire of Wujal Wujal The Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is managed as a Deed of Grant in Trust under the ''Local Government (Community Government Areas) Act 2004''. Geography It is on the east coast of ...

and the towns and localities of

, Mossman, Daintree,

and

. It includes the head of the

Palmer River The Palmer River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The area surrounding the river was the site of a gold rush in the late 19th century which started in 1873. Course and features The headwaters of the Palmer River rise in ...

, the Bloomfield River,

China Camp China Camp State Park is a state park in Marin County, California, surrounding a historic Chinese American shrimp-fishing village and a salt marsh. The park is located in San Rafael, California, on the shore of San Pablo Bay. It is known for it ...

, Maytown, and Palmerville. ''Yir Yiront'' (also known as ''Yiront'', ''Jirjoront'', ''Yir-yiron''t, and ''Kokomindjan'') is an

. Its traditional language region is in Western Cape York within the local government areas of Aboriginal Shire of Kowanyama and Shire of Cook, in the catchments of the Coleman River and Mitchell River. Following the removal of Aboriginal people from their traditional lands, it is also spoken in

Pormpuraaw Pormpuraaw (pronounced ''porm-pure-ow'') is a coastal town and a locality in the Aboriginal Shire of Pormpuraaw, Queensland, Australia. Pormpuraaw is an Aboriginal community situated on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula approximately halfwa ...

and Kowanyama. Kuuku Ya'u (also known as ''Gugu Yau, Yao, Ya'o, Koko Ya'o'' and ''Koka-yao'') is an

. The traditional language area of Kuuku Ya'u includes landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cook Shire: Eastern Cape York, Uu'ungun south to Claudie River and hinterland. '' Kuuk Thaayorre'' (also known as ''Koko-Daiyuri, Kuku Yak, Thayorre'', and used as a generic name for several related languages/dialects) is an

Australian Aboriginal Language The Indigenous languages of Australia number in the hundreds, the precise number being quite uncertain, although there is a range of estimates from a minimum of around 250 (using the technical definition of 'language' as non-mutually intellig ...

spoken on Western Cape York, particularly in the area around Pormpuraaw (

). The Thaayorre language region includes the landscape within Pormpuraaw Community Council and the Cook Shire Council.

References

External links

University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Cook Shire
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook Shire Local government areas of Queensland 1919 establishments in Australia