Endeavour River

Course and features

The river system comprises three branches that are sourced by runoff from the Henderson and Audaer Ranges. The river flows generally east from the Great Dividing Range to the Coral Sea. The Right Branch of the river rises northwest of at an elevation of 335 m and flows generally south by east for 48 km before reaching its confluence to join with the Endeavour River northwest of , and west of the river mouth.

In recent years, tilapia fish, which are considered an "invasive species" in Australia, have infested the river, causing concern that the stocks of native fish will suffer.

The river basin remains largely unmodified and the water quality is rated as good.

History

James Cook named the river in 1770 after he was forced to beach his ship, , for repairs in the river mouth, after damaging it on Endeavour Reef. Joseph Banks named the river the Endeavours River but the form Cook used, Endeavour River, has stuck.

Cook and his crew remained for almost seven weeks and made contact with the local Guugu Yimithirr people. The naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander made extensive collections of native flora, while Sydney Parkinson illustrated much of the flora and fauna of the region. Botanical specimens were also collected by Allan Cunningham after he arrived on , captained by Philip Parker King on 28 June 1819.

Modern Cooktown which has a population of about 2,000, is located at the mouth of the Endeavour River. It is one of the northernmost towns on the east coast of Australia and was founded in 1873, around the site of Cook's landing, as a port to service the newly discovered Palmer River goldfields. Some of the relatively undisturbed natural features near the mouth of the river have been reserved in the Endeavour River National Park.

References

Bibliography

References

1. "East Coastal Watersheds".
2. "Map of Endeavour River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
3. "Map of Endeavour River Right Branch, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
4. "Map of Endeavour River South Branch, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
5. "Map of Endeavour River North Branch, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia.
6. (March 2012). "Annan and Endeavour River Freshwater and Estuarine Water Quality Report: An Assessment of Ambient Water Quality and Effects of Land Use: 2002 - 2009". Cape York Marine Advisory Group Incorporated.
7. (6 May 2009). "Assessment of River Condition - Endeavour River". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
8. "The Endeavour at the Endeavour: Cook's and Bank's journals from 11 June to 4 August 1770". Cooktown and District Historical Society.
9. Collingridge, Vanessa. (February 2003). "Captain Cook: The Life, Death and Legacy of History's Greatest Explorer". Ebury Press.
10. [http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0501141h.html#jun1770 The Endeavour Journal of Sir Joseph Banks]