Captain Cook Memorial

The Captain Cook Memorial is a Grade II listed obelisk erected in 1934, located on the east side of Bridge Street in Great Ayton. This memorial features a rusticated granite low obelisk set on a base of two square steps and includes two bronze plaques. The first plaque on the shaft commemorates Lieutenant James Cook of the Endeavour, noting that he first sighted Australia at this location, which he named Point Hicks, on April 19, 1770, according to the ship's log, with the calendar date being April 20. The second plaque on the base states that the monument is made from stones hewn from the rocks of Cafe Everard near Point Hicks, Victoria, and is a facsimile of the memorial erected there. It also marks the site of Captain Cook's cottage, which was removed to Melbourne in 1934, the centenary year of Victoria. The memorial was presented by Russell Grimwade and is included for its historical interest.