Lieutenant James CookPrint Page

The cairn commemorates Lieutenant James Cook who landed in Queensland at Bustard Bay in May 1770.  It stands on the site where one of Cook's crew carved the date on a tree near where they came ashore.

On Wednesday 24 May 1770, Lieutenant James Cook anchored the Endeavour about 3 kilometres off this part of the coast near Round Hill Head. Cook went ashore near Round Hill Head with botanist Joseph Banks and his assistant Daniel Solander. It was only the second time during the voyage that he had set foot on Australian soil and his first venture on dry land at what is now called Queensland.

The party landed within the south point of the bay where they found a channel leading into a large lagoon. One of the party shot a bustard weighing 6.8 kilograms, which Cook and his officers later said was the best meat they'd eaten since they left England in 1768. Before leaving next day, Cook named the area Bustard Bay. Every May since 1991, a re-enactment of Cook's landing has been staged as part of the annual 1770 Festival.

The University of Queensland will be represented at the unveiling of the Captain Cook memorial at Bustard Bay next Saturday by the Garrick Professor of Law (Dr. Cumbrae Stewart), who is president of the Historical Society of Queensland and secretary to the joint committee of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (Queensland branch), and the Historical Society of Queensland, by whom the memorial was erected. 

It is expected that there will be a number of visitors from Bundaberg and Gladstone. H.M.A.S. Sydney will arrive in Bustard Bay on Friday, and the unveiling ceremony will be performed by Commodore Hyde, R.A.N., on Saturday morning. The Sydney will be the first man-of-war to anchor in Bustard Bay since H.M.S. Investigator (Captain Matthew Flinders) anchored in 1802, under Round Hill Head, which separates Hervey Bay from Bustard Bay. The memorial is placed high on Round Hill Head, above the spot where Captain Cook landed. It is visible for a considerable distance, and will remind all who see it that on May 24th, 1770, the British first set foot on Queensland soil.
The Brisbane Courier (Qld), 10 June 1926.
 

Note: When Cook set sail in 1768 on his first voyage of discovery aboard Endeavour he held the rank of lieutenant. Soon after his return to England in 1771 he was promoted to the rank of commander. He never actually held the rank of captain, but in 1775 was promoted to the higher rank of post-captain. Any person in charge of a ship is known as its captain, and so it was quite natural to refer to him as Captain Cook.

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