Cooktown & the Endeavour River

Cooktown sits on the east side of the Endeavour River entrance at the foot of Grassy Hill, about 91 miles north of Cairns. MSQ calls it the most northerly port on Australia's east coast. It's a community port managed by the Far North Queensland Ports Corporation (Ports North), used mainly by fishing vessels, small passenger vessels and recreational craft. MSQ says it gives a safe anchorage inside the harbour, though that's often crowded. NGA is blunt about the entrance: vessels without local knowledge are strongly advised not to enter.

At a glance

Getting in

Local knowledge. NGA says vessels without local knowledge are strongly advised against entering. MSQ says Cooktown isn't a compulsory pilotage area. MSQ sets a minimum under-keel clearance of 0.5 m in the entrance channel and the smooth waters of the river.

From the south-east. MSQ recommends approaching by the inner route outside Cowlishaw and Dawson reefs. Cowlishaw Reef, 2.7 miles ENE of Grave Point, has a sand cay at its north end that dries 2.4 m. Dawson Reef, drying 1.5 m, lies 1.7 miles north-west of it (NGA), with a Q(9) 15s west cardinal (MSQ). Blackbird Patches, south-east of the entrance, have only 1.1 m at LAT. From about 4.5 miles east of Grassy Hill, head west-north-west towards the pilot boarding ground (MSQ).

Marks and lights. No 1 is the fairway buoy, then lateral buoys No 2 to No 6 lead in. Grassy Hill light is Fl(2) 6s, 162 m, 9 miles, visible from south-east to north-north-east. Archer Point light is Fl(4) WRG 20s (MSQ).

Current notices. MSQ had no current notices for Cooktown on 30 October 2026. On the way up, a partly submerged pontoon near the Ayton public ramp on the Bloomfield River is marked by a Fl Y 2.5s special buoy (MSQ NtM 301(T)-2024).

Anchorages and berths

• Inside the harbour. A safe anchorage, often crowded (MSQ).
• Outside. The external anchorage is about 2.25 miles ENE of the Grassy Hill lighthouse, at 15°26.6'S 145°17.5'E, with at least 10 m (MSQ).
• Wharf and pontoon. The public wharf, plus a Cook Shire Council pontoon and jetty on the south bank of the Endeavour River off Webber Esplanade (MSQ; TMR facilities list).
• Ramps. Charlotte Street, with a floating walkway (TMR CO13, CO14); Marton, Ida Street, upriver (TMR CO27).
• Waste. You can't dump rubbish, sewage or any waste in the port except into approved facilities (MSQ).

The coast from Cape Tribulation

• Weary Bay and the Bloomfield River. The river is navigable only by boats (NGA). Lake Reef, 0.7 m, lies off the south entrance point of the bay.
• Hope Islands. Two sand cays on drying reefs 4.2 to 6 miles ENE of Obree Point. NGA doesn't recommend the passage between them. Anchor in 15.8 m in the lee, 1 mile north-west of the north-east island, out of the current.
• Archer Point. A prominent rocky point, 61 m high, with Rocky Islet 0.7 mile SSE (NGA).

Tropical North Queensland in brief

• Marine park. Almost all of this water is in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the matching Queensland marine park. Check the zone on the Reef Authority zoning map before you fish or anchor.
• No-anchoring areas. These are mostly marked by white pyramid buoys with a blue label. Don't anchor inside them; use the public moorings (blue buoys), which have time limits and vessel-size classes (Reef Authority).
• Crocodiles. The Queensland Government says crocodile habitat starts near Gladstone and runs north, and no waterway in their range is crocodile-free. Keep arms and legs inside the boat, use the boat or trailer as a barrier at ramps, avoid small craft like kayaks, never clean fish at ramps, and stay more than 10 m from any crocodile. They're more active at night and in the September to April breeding season (Be Crocwise).
• Stingers. Marine stingers are present all year, with higher risk from November to May. Swim at patrolled beaches and in stinger nets and wear a full-body lycra suit. If someone is stung, call Triple Zero (000) and pour vinegar on the sting; Irukandji symptoms can take 20 to 40 minutes to show (Queensland Government, page updated 2 October 2019).
• Cyclones. The official season runs from 1 November to 30 April, though cyclones can form outside it (Bureau of Meteorology). On 30 October 2026 the Bureau had not yet published its 2026–27 tropical cyclone outlook. Have a cyclone plan before you leave a boat here in summer.

Ashore

What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 30 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.

From Charlotte Street ramp / Webber Esplanade pontoon (boat ramp / dinghy landing, marina)

Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 30 October 2026.

About this page

These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the official chart, current MSQ notices to mariners, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.

Official links

Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.

• MSQ notices to mariners: Cape Flattery and Cooktown
• MSQ notices to mariners: Far North Queensland outside pilotage areas
• MSQ Cape Flattery, Cooktown and Port Douglas port procedures (February 2026)
• Reef Authority zoning Map 4: Cooktown (PDF)
• Queensland notices to mariners, all areas (subscribe)
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland coastal waters forecasts
• Bureau of Meteorology: Queensland warnings (incl. marine wind warnings)
• Bureau of Meteorology: tide predictions
• Bureau of Meteorology: tropical cyclones in Australia
• Reef Authority (GBRMPA): zoning maps, all areas
• Queensland Government: boating in crocodile habitat
• Queensland Government: dangerous marine life (stingers)
• Marine Rescue Queensland: rescue units

Sources & credits

Need a delivery skipper for this coast? Get a quote from Garry Hartshorne, AMSA Master <45.