croc tours cooktown

THE 5 BEST Cooktown Tours & Excursions

Tours in cooktown.

• Fishing Charters & Tours
• Sightseeing Tours
• Scuba & Snorkeling
• Nature & Wildlife Tours
• Private Tours
• Multi-day Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Adventurous
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Couples
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Riverbend Tours

2. Cooktown Barra Charters

3. Great Northern Tours

4. Gone Fishing - Cooktown

5. Cooktown Bluewater Charters

6. Cooktown Bluewater Charters

7. Daintree Air Services

8. Mark Mollison

9. Extreme Fishing Barrier Reef

What travellers are saying.

• Riverbend Tours
• Cooktown Bluewater Charters
• Mark Mollison
• Cooktown Barra Charters
• Gone Fishing - Cooktown
• Great Northern Tours

Far North Escapes

Cooktown day tours

Home to two of Australia’s most famous natural attractions, the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest, Cooktown welcomes travellers with its tropical weather, relaxed vibe and wealth of things to see and do. Our Cooktown tours take you to discover the amazing array of life that exists underwater and on land, exploring top spots including the Daintree rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and much more. Below you find an overview of Day tours from Cooktown.

Private 1 Day Chillagoe Caves Tour

$ 1,200.00 AUD

Join us on a day trip to vast landscapes. From the mountains and rainforest of the Atherton Tablelands to the dry country, home to the famous Chillagoe Caves. Enjoy a full day experiencing some of the best natural scenery of Far North Queensland.

Private 1 Day Daintree Tour

$ 1,350.00 AUD

Explore the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation on this immersive Private Tour. Take a Crocodile Cruise on the Daintree River, look for wild Cassowaries, and learn more about the Kuku Yalanji people - traditional owners of this region. With its dense Rainforest and pristine Great Barrier Reef fringed coastlines, the Daintree is one of Australia's most stunning natural landscapes.

1 Day Cooktown & Daintree Tour

$ 999.00 AUD

Experience a Private and immersive Cooktown & Daintree Tour that showcases Far North Queensland’s natural beauty and culture in an adventure of a lifetime. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Daintree Rainforest, sacred Wujal Wujal, and historical Cooktown. Highlights include an Indigenous interpretive walk to Wujal Wujal Falls, 4WD the iconic Bloomfield Track, James Cook Museum, pitstop at the Lions Den Hotel and explore the Cooktown Botanical Gardens.

Private 1 Day Cairns Waterfall Tour

$ 1,100.00 AUD

Atherton Tablelands Waterfalls Day Tour leaves Cairns on an Adventure, visiting the best waterfalls rainforest from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands. Join us on the best Cairns Waterfall Tours in the region.

Private 1 Day Undara Tour

$ 1,065.00 AUD

Explore the natural landscapes of rolling savannah plains with the award-winning Undara Lava Tubes. Walk around the Kalkani Volcano Crater and see amazing views of the Undara lava Tube line in the Gulf Savahhna Country. Adventure through Undara volcanic national park and let our Far North Escapes guides show you one of Australia's geological wonders.

Mount Sorrow Full Day Walk - Private Charter

$ 599.00 AUD

The Mount Sorrow walking tour takes you through the lush and tropical Daintree Rainforest, providing stunning, panoramic views of the coastline, Great Barrier Reef, Snapper Island and beyond. Along the track, you’ll encounter unique plant species, beautiful natural scenery, and if you’re lucky, elusive wildlife. At the mountain summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views – creating a memorable experience for adventure and nature lovers.

Dubuji & Marrdja Boardwalks Half Day Tour - Private Charter

Combine two of the most immersive boardwalks in the Cape Tribulation area – Dubuji & Marrdja Boardwalks – in a half day experience unlike any other in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Our local, experienced guide will take you on a journey through the depths of the ancient rainforest to the heights of its cultural significance. Accessible for all fitness and mobility levels, you’ll leave with a profound understanding of how nature and humanity intertwine, all within the captivating backdrop of the Daintree Rainforest.

Day tours from Cooktown

Day tours from Cooktown are a great way to discover Cooktown. We offer a wide range of tours from Cooktown, from half day snorkelling tours to multi-day discovery tours. Have a look at our tours and accomodations and enjoy your stay in Cooktown.

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• 10 things to do in Cooktown

Hannah Statham

Welcome to Cooktown, the Tropical North Queensland town whose history and heritage draws 25,000 visitors to it each year.

It’s not just the story of Captain James Cook that you’ll find here, but a rich Indigenous history and plenty of evidence that Cooktown was booming in its gold-rush glory days. For a town that sits on the Cape York Peninsula, what surprises most visitors to Cooktown is its accessibility. All roads lead to Cooktown, whether you take the fully sealed road (the Mulligan Highway from Cairns) in just four hours, choose to four-wheel drive the coastal Bloomfield Track or take the 45-minute flight connection from Cairns. If you find yourself yearning to explore Cooktown yourself, chart your course with this guide to 10 things to do in Cooktown.

Botanic Gardens & bite to eat at the Visitor Information Centre

Guided tour of Cooktown Botanic Gardens

Nature's Powerhouse visitor information centre

Grab a bite to eat at the onsite cafe

Not all Visitor Information Centres are bloomin’ beautiful, but this one backing onto Queensland’s oldest regional botanic gardens (est. 1878) certainly is. Spend the morning exploring the heritage listed Cooktown Botanic Garden’s 62 hectares, which house five major botanical collections including those species collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander in 1770.

After wandering the Cooktown Botanic Gardens, fuel up with a bite to eat at the onsite café, whose open veranda is the perfect vantage spot to watch the world go by. The café is open seven days a week, dishing up coffee, cake breakfast and lunch. The menu rotates based on seasonality, so you can be assured no two meals will be the same.

If you’d like to work up an appetite for your meal here, step it out along the scenic rim walking track which links the Botanic Gardens to Finch Bay and Cherry Tree Bay – two of the beaches in the area.

Make your pub crawl progressive

Sovereign Resort

Lions Den Hotel

With five pubs in the main street, one thing is for certain, Cooktown won’t let you go thirsty. Make your night progressive, working your way through a beer at each of Cooktown’s establishments, across a one-kilometre pub crawl taking in the Top Pub , West Coast Hotel, Sovereign Resor t, Cooktown RSL and Cooktown Bowls Club . No chance of getting lost since they’re all on Charlotte Street, but make sure dinner is a consideration for your crawl, with plenty of options to choose from for a bite with your brew.

For an iconic pub experience, on your way back to Cairns, down a coldie at the Lion’s Den Hotel , a 30-minute drive out of Cooktown. As soon as you cross the threshold, you’ll realise this is no ordinary pub – with memorabilia lining the walls and signatures from thousands of other ‘pilgrims’ to Cape York Peninsula who have left their mark on the Lion’s Den.

Turn back the pages of history at the Cooktown Museum

HMB Endeavour's anchor and cannon at the Cooktown Museum

For a town named after James Cook, it makes sense that you’ll want to visit the museum named after him to get a taste of this chapter of Australian history. As a member of the national trust, the Cooktown Museum packs plenty of history within its former-convent walls.

Price of your admission will earn you a ticket to James Cook history, local indigenous history and the gold rush period which saw Cooktown flourish between 1873-1890. The 1888 building and architecture itself is worth the $15 entry fee to see, and that’s before you get to the real anchor and cannon rescued from the Endeavour.

Enjoy sunset at Grassy Hill

Grassy Hill Lookout Cooktown

Sunset across Endeavour River from Grassy Hill

View from Grassy Hill lookout

For scenic sunset views over Cooktown, it pays to get elevation above it. In fact, that’s exactly what Captain Cook did back in 1770 to navigate a safe passage out of the surrounding reef, when he made for Grassy Hill. We’d suggest you follow his cue, driving to the top for 360-degree views out to the Great Barrier Reef, Endeavour River and over Cooktown’s CBD. Of course, if you’re feeling eager, you can take to it by foot – walking the 1.8km from the town’s centre to the top, via a steep track.

Spot a croc in Cape York country

Explore crocodile country on a guided tour

Snap a photo on a croc spotting tour

See other natural wonders on your tour

You’re in Cape York country now, which means you’re in saltwater crocodile territory. To see these living dinosaurs, you’ll want to get out on the water with a croc-spotting tour. Join Riverbend Tours , aboard their 30-seater vessel for a croc-spotting tour down the Endeavour River. Timed for sunset, you’ll have the chance to see these apex predators in their natural habitat, along with the other flora and fauna that inhabit this tidal river system.

BYO drinks because Riverbend Tours provide the gourmet cheese platter for this afternoon of crocodiles and cruising.

Drop a line near Cooktown & you're bound to reel in something good

What we know for sure – where there are crocodiles, there’s a food chain to sustain them. For proof the fishing game is good, cast off from the Cooktown wharf or join a local fishing charter to get the insider tips. Bait up for the chance to reel in Spanish Mackerel, Barramundi, Mangrove Jack, Fingermark and Perch, among other species. If you want to up the ante, join one of the local fishing charters which leave from the Cooktown boat ramp for the choice of both river and reef fishing.

To find out who is running tours and intel on what fish are biting, pop into the Visitor Information Centre next to the Botanic Gardens for more details.

Purchase local Indigenous artwork

Pop into an Indigenous art gallery for the ultimate souvenir

For the ultimate souvenir, pop into Cooktown Cultural and Aboriginal Tours, Kuku Bulkaway Gallery and CR Arts Tracks on Charlotte Street. The galleries are owned and operated by the Traditional Owners with artworks inspired by the Cooktown location – combining land and sea. It’s not uncommon to see the artists at work at CR Arts Tracks from their back studio, where you can see the art come to life before your eyes.

Retrace the town’s colourful and diverse history

The Cooktown History Centre

It might seem like Cooktown just has James Cook to its name but dig a little deeper and there’s more to Cooktown than just this early explorer. To find out its past, retrace the town’s history at the Cooktown History Centre and The Boathouse, which sit side-by-side in Charlotte Street. Inside, the historical society will walk you through Cooktown’s footsteps with exhibitions that change every six months or so.

Soak up the laid-back waterfront atmosphere at William Daku Park

William Daku Park waterfront fishing platform

Chill like a local with an afternoon spent relaxing at William Daku Park. You’ll find it on the waterfront and there’s plenty to do from cooling off at the splash pad, cooking a family BBQ, getting the heart rate up on the fitness equipment or casting off from one of the three fishing platforms. The viewing platform is also a great spot to watch the sunset – just DIY cheeseboard for the perfect magic hour.

Take an Indigenous tour

Explore ancient rock art sites with Culture Connect

For a town rich with Indigenous history, you’ll want to join a guided tour from Cooktown to see it in action. Two operators run from Cooktown – Culture Connect  and Guurrbi Tours . With Culture Connect Tours, you’ll be taken to a private property, Normanby Station, where you’ll meet Traditional Owners of the Balnggarrawarra people. Willie Gordon leads Guurrbi Tours, taking visitors to his ancestral rock art sites in the hills near Hope Vale.

With full and half day formats to choose from, on either tour, you’ll have the opportunity to explore rock art and traditional sites with Indigenous guides.

There’s more to explore

Every day is an adventure in one of Australia’s last true wilderness areas.

8 Cooktown and Cape York waterfalls to discover

Refresh yourself in nature’s swimming pools, sliding into these waterfalls and waterholes across Cooktown and Cape York.

Cooktown accommodation guide

Considering exploring is in Cooktown’s DNA, you’ll want to spend a night or two in the capital of Cape York to discover what’s on offer for yourself. This Cooktown accommodation guide will help you choose your perfect home away from home.

Add these beautiful Cooktown beaches to your bucket list

Craving sun, sand and salty air? There’s plenty of beautiful beaches to explore in Cooktown. With nothing but wide-open space, it’s easy to let your mind and adventurous spirit wander here.

Cape York is calling: Planning a trip to The Tip

Ready to tackle one of Australia’s most remote landscapes, Cape York? Just you, a car and 1,200km of untamed, World Heritage-listed, 180 million year-old rugged rainforest beauty – aka The Tip.

Fishing from Cairns to Cape York

Cairns to Cape York is an angler’s Nirvana: a pristine environment that is both challenging and inspiring. With the largest diversity of fish species in Australia and the ability to fish all year round, a visit to Tropical North Queensland should be on everyone’s bucket-list.

Cape York’s big three national parks

If you’re looking for the ultimate national park experience, there’s no better place in the world than the tip of Australia. With ten national or regional parks to choose from, here’s a closer look at three of the most popular.

No car, no worries – try these Cape York Tours

Where else but Cape York can you stand on the tip of Australia, discover one of the world’s oldest rainforests in the world and travel on roads few even dare to tread? Just because Australia’s last frontier is calling, doesn’t mean you need to travel it alone.

For the adventure of a lifetime, without any of the ‘going solo’ stress, join one of these guided Cape York tours.

Escape to the cape

The drive to Cape York is an iconic Australian adventure. Craig Tansley ticks this epic journey off his bucket list on a tag-a-long tour with Adventure Trek and Tours.

Cargo ship your way to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands

We’ve rounded up the top reasons why you need to get your ship together and get on the MV Trinity Bay to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands.

5 Unmissable sights in the Torres Strait Islands

Between Cape York and Papua New Guinea, there’s a fascinating world of unforgettable adventures to be had. Journey to this culturally unique part of Australia and you’ll find vibrant Indigenous communities celebrating their strong connection to land and sea.

Discover the top-end

Jump into a 4WD and head off on an unforgettable journey to the most northern point in Australia.

Privacy Overview

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Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Accessibility Statement

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• tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au
• April 25, 2024

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• Gulf Savannah

Private Tours

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Gulf Savannah & Cape York Tours 2024

We honestly believe our tours are some of the best camping tours in Australia and our 5-star rating on Google proves it! Our Cape York & Gulf Savannah tours are extensively researched and field tested to bring you the best outback holiday you could imagine! We are adventurers and travellers at heart but also perfectionists. We want you have to have the holiday of a lifetime! They are relaxed tours, not tick-n-flick! We believe our tours are the most comprehensive, best value tours for these regions!

With Cockatours owner & ecologist leading an exceptional team of guides and cooks, these tours are jam-packed with experiences and tasty food! We hate to say, but our job isn’t letting you go home skinny! Being owner-operated we can be very flexible on the road, making for a fun, stress-free tour! Our tours are camping orientated to be more authentic and our camp gear is high quality. Our tour trucks, ‘Zeus’ & ‘Herc’, are equipped with comfy seats, fridges and powerful AC! We are super excited with the tours we’ve produced for 2024 & we can’t wait to share the adventure with you! We aim to make our tours accessible for everyone. We are senior friendly and we craft each tour with different needs in mind!

See our tour dates in an easy to read calendar here.

2024 Outback Tours

Private Tours: Cape York

Isuzu 4WD Ute Heli Flight over Pajinka Secret locations & great food Laura Split Rock, Aboriginal Art Site Starcke Cultural Experience & Welcome to Country Thursday & Horne Island Cooktown Fruitbat Falls & Taste of Tele Track Kutini-Payamu NP Wildlife Day Bloomfield Track & Daintree NP 2024: View the tour & enquire! Absolute private tour, 1-on-1: $19,900 2 people: $10,900 pp 3 people: $8,900 pp Click above image to see more details!

Best of Cape York Tour

4WD Bus-Truck BBQ at Tip of Australia Secret camps & incredible food Laura Split Rock, Aboriginal Art Site Welcome to Country & Culture Thursday Island Tour Weipa Croc & Bird Boat-Tour Cooktown Fruitbat Falls & Taste of Tele Track Iron Range NP Wildlife Day (T1 & T2) Lakefield NP Wildlife Day (T3 & T4) Cape Tribulation & Daintree Bloomfield Track 2024 Dates: T1: 12-26 May 1 seat has become available! T2: 2-16 June Fully booked! T3: 23 June – 7 July 2 seats have become available! T4: 14-28 July Fully booked! 2025 Dates: T5: 31 Aug – 14 Sep, 2025 Only 6 seats left! T6: 21 Sep – 5 Oct, 2025 Booking open! Please email us if your ideal tour is fully booked and we can let you know when seats free up due to cancellation. Click above image to see more details!

Tour Routes 2025

2025 Outback Tours

Gulf Savannah (Cairns to Darwin)

4WD Bus-Truck Incredible value, jam-packed tour! Airboat & heli tour + croc-feeding! Kakadu & Yellow Water Cruise Litchfield NP & Waterfalls Nitmiluk Gorge & Dinner Cruise Culture, Painting & Spear Throwing Hot Springs & Elsey Homestead Limmen NP & The Lost City Burketown & Salt Pans Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP Riversleigh Fossil Site Undara Lava Tubes 3 water cruises, 2 flights T1: 15-31 May, 2025 Only 8 seats left! T4: 27 July – 12 Aug, 2025 Only 8 seats left! Click above image to see more details!

Kimberley Tours

4WD Bus-Truck Most comprehensive, best value Kimberley tour Willie Ck Pearl Farm Tunnel Ck & Windjana Gorge Kimberley Rock Art Bell, Galvans, Manning Gorges Gibb River Road Mitchell Plateau & Falls Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) El Questro Kununurra & Lake Argyle 2 water cruises, 2 heli flights T2: 7-23 June, 2025 Fully booked! T3: 3-19 July, 2025 Fully booked! Click above image to see more details!

>>> Or...go on a Private Cape York Tour with Rossy!

How we release tours.

Unlike the big companies, we generally don’t announce tours 2 years in advance. We like to review the year past and do our best to improve our itineraries. 

If you are wanting to go on a tour that is not yet released, we have a waiting list which you can put your name on.  When tour dates for that season are finalised, we contact people on the waiting list in the order they contacted us.

2026 tours have not been released yet, but will likely be ONLY Cape York tours, between May-October.

If you would like to be put on the waiting list for a future tour please email us and provide:

• Preferred tour & month of tour
• A contact mobile phone number
• Full names of all travellers
• City and state of all travellers

Top Reviews 2022

“A wonderful experience and tour. Everything is well thought out and it all runs so smoothly. Joe and Kody our guides were professional, knowledgeable and very friendly. They made the trip so enjoyable. We are asked to choose a highlight, but everyday had a new one. If you like the great outdoors then don’t hesitate to book your tour with Cockatours. The tour is excellent value and you won’t be disappointed.” Charlene, 2022

“Rossy takes so much care to ensure you are going to have a great trip! I went to Cape York on the MAN truck with Joe and Kody and you can just tell that Rossy chooses his guides and cooks with such thought and care to know you will have a great time! Yes it is real camping, yes there are mattresses and good linen, yes they really do have everything on the truck! Highly recommend pre-buying the souvenir shirt, they keep you warm in the water and cool in the sun!” Catherine, 2022

“A trip to The Tip with the amazing Joe and Kody was definitely a life changing and very memorable experience. They were fun, knowledgeable guys who made every day exciting and different to all the other days. Joe handled the 12-ton truck admirably, so that, coupled with his knowledge of the tricky road conditions and the comfort of the truck, made our travel something we could eagerly anticipate each time we boarded. Kody’s main role was to cook our meals, which he did superbly. Each meal was delicious, different every day, and served hot and plentifully. But he also took great care of us in many other ways, and had a fantastic sense of humour. Nothing was too much trouble for these chaps and they made every day a true delight.

The trip itself was superb. I’m sure we saw many sights, and heard much information that other travellers might not, especially if they did the trip on their own. I can’t recommend Cockatours highly enough and have put my name on the wait list for next year’s Gulf Savannah trip. There were too many exceptional experiences and places visited to pick a favourite, so I’d prefer to leave that for future travellers to discover for themselves.” Brodwyn, 2022

Other Tours We Offer

We love camping and the outdoors, so we run leadership camps in the outdoors to challenge and help our young leaders grow!

Photography Tours & Lessons

Full-day photography tours in the Tablelands or 90-minute lessons to help you find your feet faster in photography! You’ll be amazed at your improvement!

Want to see Cape York, but with a smaller group and with a little luxury? Join Rossy and travel in style in a brand new Isuzu setup for 4WDing in Cape York’s most remote places.

Client Testimonial

We were made to feel like part of the family right from the start and Rossy’s banter as we covered the bumpy dusty roads was interesting and very informative and I began to feel like I was with Steve Irwin himself. This was further enforced as he got such pleasure in catching flora and fauna to show to us city people… … The miles passed by easily as we were shown crocodiles, swam in wonderful streams, and had friendly and interesting communal talks around the campfire as the evening meal was prepared. These people who were strangers to me in the beginning became friends to me by day 2 … …The money I paid was about the best value dollar for dollar that I’ve ever had . I will pass on how much I enjoyed it to all my friends and would recommend this trip to anyone who asks for the rest of my life . The photograph’s we took at the tip of Australia are about my proudest possessions and have centrepiece on my mantelpiece. One of the best 14 days of my life , who knows? You may hear from me again in the future to ask you to fit me in for another 14-day trip!!!

Video Newsletter 2020-2021

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Home » Cooktown

Operating May to November

1 day fly drive & 3 day 2 night experiences.

Operated by our experienced partner Adventure North Australia , take the exciting journey to Cooktown; one of Australia’s frontier towns. With an extensive history dating back to Captain Cook in 1770 and even further with the local Indigenous people, Cooktown is must do for everyone interested in history, botany and culture.

Between Cairns and Cooktown lies the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest along the coast, as well as a unique Outback terrain that borders it inland. Choose between our 1 or 3-day tour options to immerse yourself in the history of Cooktown and the unique environments that surround.

Our experienced local driver-guides are passionate about sharing their extensive knowledge of the region with our passengers from around the world, making your experience even more memorable.

Download the Cooktown 2023 brochure

3 Day Cape Tribulation & Cooktown Wanderer

For those who want more free time to immerse yourself in the experience, our 3 day tour is for you. Travel north from Cairns and enjoy a Daintree River Cruise and walk on Cape Tribulation beach before your journey up the 4WD only Bloomfield Track to Cooktown via the Lions Den Hotel. Spend 2 nights in Cooktown and you will also visit a number of historic attractions. Travel back to Cairns on Day 3 via the Outback Mulligan Highway.

Scenic Cooktown & Outback

1 Day (Fly/Drive)

Enjoy a scenic morning flight over the picturesque Daintree Rainforest to Cooktown. Meet your driver-guide and visit Grassy Hill Lookout and discover the historic foreshore before visiting the Heritage listed Cemetery, James Cook Museum and the Cooktown Botanic Gardens (est. 1875). Journey home via the Mulligan Highway where you will see iconic savannah outback land.

• Cape Tribulation
• Aboriginal Tours
• Wildlife Experiences

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• Cape York Peninsula
• Hope Vale and Elim Beach
• Lakeland and Laura
• Rainforest Coast
• Getting Here
• Black Mountain Picnic
• Weipa Fishing Classic
• Cooktown Discovery Festival
• Laura Races and Rodeo
• Cook Shire Public Holiday
• Black Mountain Unplugged BMUP
• Cardiac Challenge
• Wallaby Creek Festival
• Conquer the Corrugations
• Bloomfield Cultural Bazaar

Northern Peninsula Area

The northern tip of Australia

The NPA comprises five indigenous communities - Injinoo, Umagico, Bamaga, New Mapoon, and Seisia. These communities are home to approximately 3,500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Bamaga is the main town of the Northern Peninsula Area, with post office, supermarket, takeaway food, bakery, fuel and government services.

About 8km from Bamaga is Seisia, overlooking the Torres Strait, which has camping areas, fuel, supermarket, kiosk and a small industrial area. Ferries depart from Seisia wharf to Thursday Island.

There is a choice of accommodation at Bamaga, Seisia, Loyalty Beach and Punsand Bay. Serviced camping grounds are located at Injinoo, Umajico, Seisia, Loyalty Beach and Punsand Bay, and there are also a number of unserviced camp sites in the area. Guided day tours, hire cars and fishing trips are available within the area. There is great fishing in a variety of different environments - fresh and salt water creeks, mangrove estuaries, sandy beaches, rocky headlands and coral fringed islands and several charter fishing companies operate in the NPA.

On the way to the Tip don't miss The Croc Tent possibly one of Australia's most unusual souvenir 'tents'.

The most northerly point of mainland Australia is at "The Tip". The walk through the rainforest to Frangipani Beach and over the headland takes about 20 minutes.

Natures Powerhouse

Walker st, cooktown, call us at 07 4069 6004.

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Croce brings 50th anniversary tour to robins theatre.

WARREN — A.J. Croce brings his Croce Plays Croce 50th anniversary tour to the Robins Theatre at 8 p.m. Sept. 10.

He is the son of singer-songwriter Jim Croce, whose hits include “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” “TIme in a Bottle” and “I’ve Got a Name.” He was killed in a plane crash on Sept. 20, 1973.

Tickets range from $39 to $75 plus applicable fees and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

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The Deadly Moscow Concert Hall Attack in Photos

Images show the scene of what could be the deadliest attack in Russia in decades. Multiple gunmen killed at least 133 people in an assault in the capital’s outskirts.

A memorial near the Crocus City Hall concert center on Saturday. Credit... Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times

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By The New York Times

• Published March 22, 2024 Updated March 24, 2024

A group of gunmen stormed a concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow on Friday night, killing at least 133 people and wounding more than 100, Russia’s top security agency said , according to state news agencies.

The authorities in Russia have yet to identify who was behind the attack, though U.S. officials said they believed that a branch of the Islamic State, Islamic State-Khorasan , or ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan , was responsible for the attack.

The assault also led to explosions and an enormous fire at the venue, Crocus City Hall, which is one of the largest and most popular concert halls in Moscow and the site of a shopping mall.

The Russian authorities said Saturday that they had arrested the four people who carried out the mass killing and arson. Russia’s Investigative Committee, the country’s equivalent to the F.B.I., said it had opened a criminal case into a terrorist act.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukraine’s presidential office, said in a video statement that “Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do” with the attack.

On March 7, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert warning that its personnel were “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.”

Below, a billboard in central Moscow on Saturday reads, “We mourn 22.03.24.”

Damage to the Crocus City Hall seen on Saturday morning.

People lined up on Saturday outside a medical facility in Moscow to donate blood for the injured.

Crocus City Hall in Moscow on fire Friday night.

A still image taken from a video obtained by Reuters shows gunmen walking through the concert hall and firing on people.

The attack took place within a sprawling shopping and entertainment complex on the outskirts of Moscow.

Firefighters worked on putting out the blaze at the concert hall.

Security personnel directed people outside the concert hall.

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Moscow concert attack: More than 60 reported dead; ISIS claims responsibility

This live blog has ended. For the most recent updates, please click here .

What we know about the Moscow concert attack

• Men in camouflage broke into a Moscow concert hall and opened fire, shooting an unknown number of people, Russia’s prosecutor general said.
• The terror group ISIS has claimed responsibility but did not provide proof of the claim, which was made on ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.
• Russia's Investigative Committee said that more than 60 people are dead after the attack at Crocus City Hall. Officials have said more than 100 others were injured.
• A fire also started inside Crocus City Hall, a large concert venue northwest of central Moscow. Firefighters have evacuated about 100 people from the basement of the building and efforts are underway to rescue people from the roof, Russian emergency officials said.
• Russia officials said they were investigating the attack as a terrorist act.
• A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the venue, which has a maximum capacity of more than 9,000 people.

Three children among those killed, state media reports

Chantal Da Silva

Three children were among the more than 60 people killed in yesterday's attack at Crocus City Hall, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Health.

Officials have warned that the death toll connected to the deadly incident may increase as the investigation continues.

Xi sends condolences to Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday after a deadly shooting at a concert hall near Moscow, saying China opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns terrorist attacks.

China firmly supports the Russian government’s efforts to maintain national security and stability, Xi said, according to CCTV state television. 

Moscow bloodshed comes two decades after some of worst attacks in Russia

Phil Helsel

The shooting attacks in Moscow are the latest in a series of deadly terror attacks in the country since the 2000s.

In 2004, militants from Chechnya and elsewhere took hostages at a school in Beslan in southern Russia.

The militants demanded a withdrawal from Chechnya. Hostages were kept in a gymnasium, and 334 died — half of them children — when gunfire and explosions erupted when it was stormed. Hostages’ families were critical of the rescue operation. Russian prosecutors later cleared authorities .

Two years prior, in 2002, Chechen separatists attacked the Dubrovka Theater in Moscow and took more than 700 people hostage. Russian forces used gas, and 129 hostages died. The attackers were killed.

More recently, in 2017 a suicide bomber from Kyrgyzstan killed 15 people as well as himself in an attack on a St. Petersburg subway. In 2013, two bombers killed a combined 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus in Volgograd.

The group Islamic State, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attacks Friday at the Crocus City Hall venue.

Putin wishes victims well, deputy prime minister says

President Vladimir Putin is thinking of those injured in today’s attack and thanked doctors, a Russian government official said according to state media.

State media TASS reported that “Putin wished all those injured in the emergency at Crocus City Hall to recover and conveyed his gratitude to the doctors, Golikova said,” referring to Tatiana Golikova deputy prime minister for social policy, labor, health and pension provision.

More than 60 dead, and death toll could grow, Russian agency says

Russia’s Investigative Committee said Saturday that more than 60 people have died in the attack, and warned the number may increase.

“The bodies of the dead are being examined. It has been previously established that more than 60 people died as a result of the terrorist attack. Unfortunately, the number of victims may increase,” according to the Investigative Committee, which is a federal state agency.

Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs and the security agency FSB are continuing to investigate, the committee said in a statement, and weapons and ammunition have been found.

U.S. warned Russia about planned terrorist attack in Moscow, NSC says

Monica Alba

The United States shared information about a potential terrorist attack in Moscow with Russia’s government earlier this month, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

The U.S. Embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds and said it was monitoring reports that extremists might attack large gatherings in Moscow.

“Earlier this month, the U.S. Government had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow — potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts — which prompted the State Department to issue a public advisory to Americans in Russia,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

“The U.S. Government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy,” Watson said.

Putin recently dismissed ‘provocative’ warning about potential attacks

In remarks that aired three days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of “provocative statements” about potential terror attacks in Russia, and dismissed them.

“I’ll remind you of recent, let’s say directly, provocative statements of certain official Western structures about potential terror attacks in Russia,” Putin said.

“All of this looks like obvious blackmail and an attempt to intimidate, destabilize our country,” he said before the state security agency FSB.

Putin in those remarks did not specify a country or warning. The U.S. embassy in Russia on March 7 warned U.S. citizens to avoid crowds .

“The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the U.S. embassy warned.

Guards at concert hall didn't have guns, state news says

The Associated Press

Guards at the concert hall didn’t have guns, and some could have been killed at the start of the attack, Russian media reported.

Some Russian news outlets suggested the assailants fled before special forces and riot police arrived.

Reports said police patrols were looking for several vehicles the attackers could have used to escape.

U.S. had been gathering intelligence that ISIS could attack Russia

Ken Dilanian

The U.S. had been gathering intelligence for months that ISIS could mount a mass casualty attack in Russia, two U.S. officials confirmed to NBC News.

That information led to a March 7 warning issued by the U.S. embassy in Russia about possible extremist attacks, including at concerts, urging people to stay away from large gatherings, one of the officials said.

That official said the claim of responsibility today by ISIS appears to be genuine, though no final assessment had been made about who was responsible.

Some Moscow concertgoers filmed events as they unfolded Friday night, when gunmen opened fire inside a theater and people ran to take cover in fear for their lives.

Witness says gunfire was first thought to be construction noise

A witness to today’s armed attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall told a state news agency that they first mistook the gunfire for sounds of an installation being dismantled.

“First, we started hearing typical loud pops, but it was impossible to understand that they were gunshots. We thought that something was falling, as exhibitions were being dismantled at that moment, and someone seemed to be dropping something large,” Mikhail Semyonov told TASS .

“Then, the bangs were getting more and more frequent. Suddenly, there was a scream, and the bangs started to be heard as bursts. Then it became clear that it was shooting,” he said.

ISIS claims responsibility for attack but does not provide proof

The terror group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in Moscow.

The group, also known as ISIS, did not provide any proof of its claim, which came from ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram.

The group’s members have carried out a number of terror attacks, including the 2015 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Children among the victims, Russia's children commissioner says

Yuliya Talmazan

Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, said children were among the victims of tonight's attack.

"Information about their condition is regularly updated," Lvova-Belova said on Telegram. "Any additional assistance will be provided immediately."

She later told Russia 24 TV channel that at least two children had been injured, including one boy with a gunshot wound.

Earlier, Russian officials released a preliminary casualty toll of at least 40 people dead and more than 100 injured.

France, U.K., Germany condemn attack

Officials from France, the U.K. and Germany were among those who expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack at the Crocus concert hall.

"The images of the terrible attack on innocent people in Crocus City Hall near #Moscow are horrific," Germany's Foreign Office said on X . "The background must be investigated quickly. Our deepest condolences with the families of the victims."

"We condemn the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow," the U.K.'s embassy in Russia said . "This is a terrible tragedy."

Meanwhile, France's foreign ministry called for "full light" to be shed on "these heinous acts."

Public events across Russia called off after attack

Several regional leaders across Russia, including in the annexed Kherson region of Ukraine, have canceled public events this weekend over security considerations after the deadly concert attack in Moscow.

Shortly after the attack, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend. State news agency TASS also quoted Russia's cultural ministry as saying that mass and entertainment events in federal cultural institutions have been canceled in the coming days.

Zelenskyy adviser speaks out about attack

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser denied that Ukraine was involved in the deadly Crocus concert hall attack.

“Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia),” Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on X. “It makes no sense whatsoever.”

No evidence has emerged to suggest Ukraine may have been involved, but Ukrainian officials may be trying to pre-empt accusations, as some Kremlin hawks have already started pointing at Kyiv. 

Asked whether the shooting was at all tied to the war in Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said: “There is no indication at this time that Ukraine, or Ukrainians, were involved in the shooting, but again, this just broke. We’re taking a look at it, but I would disabuse you at this early hour have any connection to Ukraine.”

Videos posted to social media appear to show chaos inside Moscow's Crocus City Hall during and after a terrorist attack.

Some videos include what sound like gunshots and show men with rifles, as concertgoers frantically try to exit the venue.

State Department issues warning to Americans in Moscow

Jason Abbruzzese

The State Department said that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow is aware of the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall and that U.S. citizens should avoid the area and follow the instructions of local authorities.

"The U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the U.S. embassy in Moscow, due to Russian government limitations on travel for U.S. embassy personnel and staffing, and the ongoing suspension of operations, including consular services, at U.S. consulates in Russia," the State Department said in a message posted to its website .

'What a nightmare in Crocus,' Widow of opposition leader Alexei Navalny condolences about concert attack

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who died in prison last month, expressed her condolences about the attack Friday.

"What a nightmare in Crocus," Navalnaya wrote on X. "Condolences to the families of the victims and quick recovery to the injured. Everyone involved in this crime must be found and held accountable."

320 firefighters, 3 helicopters working to put out fire

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said the number of rescue crews responding to the attack is growing and now includes more than 320 firefighters, 130 emergency vehicles and three helicopters dumping water on the burning concert venue.

Moscow regional governor says 40 dead, more than 100 injured

Moscow Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram that at least 40 people are dead and more than 100 injured in the terrorist attack, confirming figures previously reported by Russian state news.

Putin informed about concert venue attack 'in the first minutes,' Kremlin spokesperson says

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin was informed about the shooting at the Crocus concert hall "in the first minutes" of the attack, Russian state news agency RIA reported.

The president is receiving information about what is happening and the measures being taken through all relevant services and is giving necessary instructions, Peskov said according to RIA.

Russian journalist was inside concert venue when gunmen entered

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that one of its reporters was inside the venue when gunmen entered and began shooting concertgoers.

The journalist said that at least three unmasked gunmen in camouflage entered the hall a few minutes before 8 p.m. Moscow time. They shot people point-blank and threw incendiary bombs, according to the journalist.

Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson calls incident 'bloody terrorist attack'

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's foreign ministry, called the Friday night incident at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow a "bloody terrorist attack" as she called for "strong condemnation" from the international community.

"Now, as the Russian authorities have stated, all efforts are being devoted to saving people," Zakharova said. "The entire world community is obliged to condemn this monstrous crime!"

U.S. national security spokesperson says embassy has told Americans to avoid large gatherings in Moscow

Kyla Guilfoil

National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby addressed the attack in Moscow at a White House press briefing Friday afternoon, calling it a “terrible, terrible shooting attack.”

“The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously are going to be with the the victims,” Kirby said.

Kirby added that the U.S. embassy has notified all Americans in Moscow to avoid large gatherings, concerts, shopping malls, etc., and “stay put where they are” for their safety.

Russian media says 40 dead, more than 100 injured at concert attack

TASS, Russia's state-owned news agency, and RIA Novosti are reporting that Russia's FSB security agency has put the preliminary casualty count at 40 dead and more than 100 injured by a terrorist attack on a Moscow-area concert venue.

NBC News has not confirmed those casualty numbers.

Roof of concert venue at risk of collapse, Russian media says

Russian news agency RIA Novosti said on Telegram that the roof of the building near the concert venue's stage has begun to collapse.

Video posted to Telegram by RIA Novosti showed fire continue to blaze inside the venue.

Moscow area governor says more than 70 ambluances at scene of attack

Andrei Vorobyov, Moscow's regional governor, said on Telegram that more than 70 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene of concert venue attack.

“Everything is being done at the scene to save people," he wrote in the Telegram message. "The Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR) has been deployed. There are over 70 ambulance carriages near Crocus, doctors provide the necessary assistance to all victims."

Nigel Chiwaya

Russia’s prosecutor general office says number of victims still being determined

Russia's prosecutor general said on Telegram that officials are working to determine how many people have been killed or hurt in the concert attack.

“On behalf of Igor Krasnov, the prosecutor of the Moscow region has gone to the scene of the incident at Crocus City Hall to coordinate the actions of law enforcement agencies," the prosecutor general's Telegram account posted. "Tonight, before the start of the event in the concert hall in Krasnogorsk, unknown men in camouflage clothes broke into the building and started shooting."

"The number of victims is being determined, a fire started in the entertainment center building, and citizens are being evacuated."

Moscow's mayor cancels weekend events

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that he was canceling all public events in Moscow this weekend.

"I have taken the decision to cancel all sports, cultural and other public events in Moscow this weekend," he said. "I ask of you to treat this measure with understanding."

Popular rock band was to play sold-out venue that can hold 9,500

Tim Stelloh

A popular rock band was scheduled to play what appeared to be a sold-out show at the Moscow concert hall where there were reports of gunmen in combat fatigues opening fire.

Picnic, formed in 1978, was to play at Crocus City Hall, west of central Moscow.

The multilevel facility in Krasnogorsk has a maximum capacity of 9,527 people. Booking sites show the event was sold out.

Russia's aviation agency says additional security added to Moscow airports

The Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsiya said that additional security measures are being introduced in Moscow airports

"Due to increased security measures, we ask passengers to arrive at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports in advance," the agency said on the Telegram messaging app.

Moscow's emergency ministry says it is working to extinguish fire

Moscow’s emegency ministry said it was working to extinguish a fire that began at the music venue.

The ministry said about 100 people were evacuated from the building, and it was working to rescue people from the roof.

Russian media says state security taking action

Russia's news outlet RIA Novosti said that the country's security agency, the FSB, is taking measures to respond to the shooting at a concert hall near Moscow.

Videos posted by Russian media show men with rifles moving through area

Extended rounds of gunfire could be heard on multiple videos posted by Russian media and Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through a concert hall. Another one showed a man inside the auditorium, saying the assailants set it on fire, with incessant gunshots ringing out in the background.

Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said he was heading to the area and set up a task force to deal with the damage. He didn’t immediately offer any further details.

Russian media reports said that riot police units were being sent to the area as people were being evacuated.

Russian news outlets report gunman opened fire at Moscow concert hall

Several gunmen in combat fatigues burst into a big concert hall in Moscow on Friday and fired automatic weapons at the crowd, injuring an unspecified number of people, Russian media said.

Russian news reports said that the assailants also used explosives, causing a massive blaze at the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow. Video posted on social media showed huge plumes of black smoke rising over the building.

Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency reported that at least three people in combat fatigues fired weapons. The state Tass news agency also reported the shooting.

U.S. warned of imminent Moscow attack by ‘extremists,’ urges citizens to avoid crowds

Patrick Smith

U.S. citizens in  Moscow  had been warned to avoid large gatherings earlier this month because of heightened fears of a terrorist attack.

The U.S. Embassy in the Russian capital said it was “monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours.”

U.S. citizens should avoid crowds, monitor local media for updates and “be aware of your surroundings,” it said in a brief  online update .

Read the full story here.