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The history is just the beginning...
cooktown
By the end of 1875 there were an estimated
15,000 miners on the Palmer
, of which ten
thousand of those were Chinese.
The cost of cartage was high and many have
concluded that the only people to make a
fortune on the Palmer were the hotel keepers
and carriers. Thousands of hopeful miners
made their way to Cooktown, whose resident
population hovered between 3000-4000
,
and its port saw so many vessels it was said
only Brisbane had more. With a pub literally
on every corner, a large floating population
and only shipping as transport out, the town
had
a very colourful early life
.
The Cooktown Cemetery
The Cooktown cemetery is the final resting
place for people of many nationalities,
religions and cultures that lived in this remote
pioneering town. The stories that unfold within
its boundaries bear witness to the
tragedies,
triumphs and mysteries
experienced by the
people in the times of the
gold rush era
, and
early settlement of the township.
The many headstones show the
diversity
of architectural styles
using a wide range
of materials. The styles reflect the religious
groups, with the most elaborate headstones
being found in the Roman Catholic and
Church of England sections and don’t miss
the Chinese Shrine and memorial Chinese urn.
Virtually no Chinese or Aboriginal graves are
marked, despite many burials of both races
being recorded.
The oldest graves date back
to 1874
.
history and culture
A tour of the Cooktown Cemetery
The old Courthouse
Historical Railway