Endeavour River National Park
Located on both sides of the Endeavour River's lower reaches, immediately north and northwest of Cooktown, the2200-hectare Endeavour River National Park was gazetted in November 2006. The park contains coastal dunes, wetlands, mangrove forests, seasonal melaleucas swamps, heathlands and tropical woodlands.
After the Endeavour struck reefs off Cape Tribulation, James Cook beached the vessel in the estuary the local Guugu Yimithirr people called Wabalumbaal, which subsequently appeared on Cook's charts under the vessel's name
The current National Park covers the estuary plus parts of the river's catchment and, despite its proximity to a population centre, is relatively inaccessible. Access is largely restricted to boats using Cooktown's two waterfront boat ramps, with limited vehicular access along Starcke Street or via a turnoff on Endeavour Valley Road, three kilometres west of the townn.
