By Cook, she brought history to life
YEARS of planning celebrations to mark 250 years since Captain James Cook arrived at Cooktown had to be postponed, but a Far Northern historian’s efforts got the run they deserved.
Mareeba’s English and history academic Irene Shanks last year adapted all 130 days of Cook’s journal into a book called On Board the HMB Endeavour with its Captain James Cook.
The book was then narrated by Ken Cotterill and broadcast on ABC Radio throughout North Queensland for 130 days, on the same days as Cook penned his journal in 1770, with the final episode airing on August 24.
“The whole plan was for the HMB Endeavour Replica to sail from Sydney to Cooktown,” Ms Shanks said.
“There was to be a big Cooktown expo and it was to anchor to places on the way, and it was all cancelled due to COVID. But our part of the celebrations – the journal went on.”
Ms Shanks said she enjoyed all of Cook’s journal during her three-month project, but there were pages that stood out.
“He had managed to get out of the Great Barrier Reef beyond Lizard Island and he sailed for about two days in deep water. But he realised he had to go back in to the Reef, because one of the points he had to prove was that this continent and New Guinea, are separate – that had not been proved.”
She embarked on this project after a trip to Cooktown in the ’80s drew her to the history.
“When I got up there, I noticed the library had a glass case, with his journal open and they changed (the page) every day. We fluked being there, when Cook was there. We’ve only got 250 years of history and we don’t value it. One of my really big pushes is to get Australian history on the curriculum of our schools.”