Height
4 meters
Year Built
1972
Address
The Esplanade, Cairns, QLD 4870
The Lowdown
The Big Captain Cook at Cairns stands as a monument to the British explorer who first charted Australia's east coast in 1770. Captain James Cook's voyage on HMS Endeavour brought European knowledge of this vast southern land, eventually leading to British colonization. This statue depicts Cook in his naval uniform, gazing across the waters that were once unknown to Europeans. While Cook's legacy is complex - representing both exploration achievement and the beginning of profound changes for Indigenous Australians - the statue marks a pivotal moment in Australian history. Cairns, in tropical North Queensland, sits in waters Cook navigated as he carefully charted the dangerous Great Barrier Reef.
Did you know?
"He was killed in Hawaii in 1779"
History
Captain Cook sailed HMS Endeavour along Australia's east coast in 1770, naming many features and eventually claiming the land for Britain. His navigation through the Great Barrier Reef was a remarkable feat of seamanship.
More Fun Facts
- •Cook's Endeavour ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef in 1770
- •The ship was repaired at what is now Cooktown
- •Cook made three voyages to the Pacific
- •He was killed in Hawaii in 1779
- •Many Australian places bear names Cook gave them
Visiting Tips
- 💡Visit the Cairns Museum for more local history
- 💡The Great Barrier Reef is accessible from Cairns
- 💡Cooktown, where Endeavour was repaired, is worth a visit
- 💡The Cairns Esplanade is great for walks
- 💡Consider the complex history from Indigenous perspectives
Opening Hours
Outdoor monument accessible at all times.
More Big Things Nearby
Big Barramundi
A 6-metre long fibreglass barramundi celebrating Normanton's status as the 'Barramundi Capital of Australia'.
Big Golden Gumboot
A 7.9-metre tall golden fibreglass gumboot celebrating Tully as one of Australia's wettest towns.
Big King Neptune
A giant King Neptune statue at Two Rocks, WA, originally from the defunct Atlantis Marine Park.