The Shire of Cook (The Shire) is a local government area in

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 ...

, 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 A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle ...

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 Town of Cooktown is the former local government area for Cooktown in Far North Queensland, Australia. It existed from 1876 to 1932. History On 3 April 1876, Cooktown was established as a separate municipality, the Borough of Cooktown. On ...

(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 A Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) is the name for a system of community-level land trust established in Queensland to administer former Aboriginal reserves and Mission station, missions. They came about through the enactment by the Queensland Gove ...

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 (pop 1,336) *

Laura Laura may refer to: People * Laura (given name) * Laura, the British code name for the World War I Belgian spy Marthe Cnockaert Places Australia * Laura, Queensland, a town on the Cape York Peninsula * Laura, South Australia * Laura Bay, a bay on ...

(pop 570) * Coen (pop 253) * Archer River *

Ayton Ayton may refer to: Places * Ayton, Ontario, Canada * Ayton, Scottish Borders, Scotland England * Great Ayton, a village and civil parish, Hambleton district, North Yorkshire * Little Ayton, a village and civil parish, Hambleton district, North Yo ...

* 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 * Helenvale * Holroyd River * Hope Vale² *

Iron Range The term Iron Range refers collectively or individually to a number of elongated iron-ore mining districts around Lake Superior in the United States and Canada. Much of the ore-bearing region lies alongside the range of granite hills formed by ...

* Jardine River * 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 al ...

* Lizard Island * 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 settleme ...

⁴ * Marton * Merapah *

Mission River The Mission River is a river located in Texas, in the United States of America. It is formed by the confluence of Blanco and Medio creeks in central Refugio County (at 28°19' N, 97°19' W) and runs southeast, past Refugio, for to its mou ...

* 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 leadi ...

* Portland Road * Rossville * Shelburne * Starcke *

Wenlock Wenlock may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Little Wenlock, a village in Shropshire * Much Wenlock, a town in Shropshire ** (Much) Wenlock (UK Parliament constituency) ** Wenlock Priory, a 7th/12th-century monastery * Wenlock Basin, a canal basi ...

* Yarraden ¹ – shared with the Shire of Douglas 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 peopl ...

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 S ...

⁴ – shared with the Aboriginal Shire of Mapoon 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 Fren ...

, including: * Raine Island * Lizard Island (in the locality of

)

Libraries

The Cook Shire Council operate public libraries at Bloomfield and Cooktown.

Chairmen and mayors

* 1901–1904: John HargreavesHargreaves, John Henry
–

Queensland Parliament The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. As provided under the Constitution of Queensland, the Parliament consists of the Monarch of Australia and the Legislative Assembly. It has been the only unicameral ...

. 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 (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 Cooktown 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. The ...

, 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.

Kuku-Thaypan Kuku-Thaypan is an extinct 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 have been a dialect ...

(also known as Gugu Dhayban, Kuku Taipan, Thaypan) is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in Hann River,

and Musgrave River and on

Mornington Island Mornington Island, also known as Kunhanhaa, is an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Shire of Mornington, Queensland, Australia. It is the northernmost and largest of 22 islands that form the Wellesley Islands group. The largest town, ...

, 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 Shire of Douglas and Shire of Cook, particularly the localities of Mossman, Daintree, Bloomfield River, China Camp, Maytown, Palmer, Cape Tribulation and Wujal Wujal. 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,

, 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. '' 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 in the south to the Annan River 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 contine ...

in the east and extending inland to west of Mount Mulgrave. This includes the local government boundaries of the Shire of Douglas, the Shire of Cook and the Aboriginal Shire of Wujal Wujal and the towns and localities of Cooktown, Mossman, Daintree, Cape Tribulation and Wujal Wujal. It includes the head of the Palmer River, the Bloomfield River, China Camp, 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 Mitchell River may refer to: Australia *Mitchell River (Queensland) *Mitchell River (Victoria) *Mitchell River (Western Australia) Canada *Mitchell River (Cross River) *Mitchell River (Quesnel River tributary) United States *Mitchell River (Mass ...

. 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 halfway ...

and Kowanyama.

Kuuku Ya'u The Pakadji people, also known by the southern tribal exonym as the Koko Yao (Kuuku Yau), are an Aboriginal Australian group of Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland. The ethnonym ''Koko Yao'' is said literally to mean " talk, speech" (''koko ...

(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 ( Edward River). 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