Hope Islands National Park
Hope Islands National Park Queensland | |
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IUCN category II (national park) | |
Hope Islands National Park | |
Nearest town or city | Cooktown |
Coordinates | 15°43′53″S 145°27′26″E / 15.73139°S 145.45722°ECoordinates: 15°43′53″S 145°27′26″E / 15.73139°S 145.45722°E |
Established | 1939 |
Area | 1.74 km2 (0.7 sq mi) |
Managing authorities | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
Website | Hope Islands National Park |
See also | Protected areas of Queensland |
Hope Islands National Park is a national park in Queensland (Australia) 1,521 km north-west of Brisbane. The park consists of four islands: East Hope and West Hope, Snapper Island and Struck Island.
- The Hope islands are situated approximately 37 km south-east of Cooktown and about 8 km offshore
- Struck Island is a rocky outcrop just off Thornton Beach and south of Cape Tribulation
- Snapper island is about two km long and is at the mouth of the Daintree River. It is about 20 km north of Port Douglas
Access is via private vessel or by permitted commercial operators.
The Hope islands were named by Lt James Cook in June 1770, as his ship HMS Endeavour edged its way northward along the eastern Australian coastline during his first voyage in the Pacific. Cook had hoped to put ashore on the islands when they were first sighted 10 June 1770, but found the surrounding water too shallow to bring Endeavour close. Later that night Endeavour struck a reef and narrowly avoided sinking; Cook then stood her offshore while he searched for a point on the mainland upon which to beach her for repairs. Cook named them on 12 June as Endeavour headed further north, because "we were always in hopes of being able to reach these Islands."[1]
See also
References
- ↑ Beaglehole, J.C., ed. (1968). The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages of Discovery, vol. I:The Voyage of the Endeavour 1768–1771. Cambridge University Press. pp. 343–347. OCLC 223185477.