Cape York Peninsula, Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia
Cape York Peninsula forms the northernmost landmass of the Australian continent, stretching between the Gulf of Carpentaria to the west and the Coral Sea to the east. The region displays dense rainforest on the eastern flank, wide savannas inland and sprawling mangrove forests along the coasts.
Dutch seafarer Willem Janszoon reached the peninsula in 1606, becoming the first European to set foot on mainland Australia. Cook later named the northern tip after the Duke of York, giving the whole region its present name.
The peninsula carries a name given by James Cook in 1770 during his voyage along the eastern coast, honoring the Duke of York. Visitors today see settlements and communities where Indigenous people maintain their relationship with the land through gardens, fishing grounds and meeting places.
Travel to the region is best during the dry season from April to November, when tracks and river crossings become passable. Hikers and drivers should carry plenty of drinking water, sun protection and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
The peninsula hosts more than 260 plant species found nowhere else on Earth, scattered across rainforests, wetlands and uplands. This biodiversity thrives in the 19 nationally important wetlands, which draw water buffalo, crocodiles and migratory birds.
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