Nearest town or city Cooktown Established 1939 | Area 174 ha | |
Managing authorities Website Hope Islands National Park See also Protected areas of Queensland Management Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service | ||
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.
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."