Coen

The small historic township of Coen is approximately 110km km north of Musgrave. The town was founded as a fort on the Coen River and expanded with the gold rushes which followed.

Coen came into existence because of the discovery of gold. The Coen goldfields were proclaimed in 1892 with an area of 43 sq km miles which later increased to 187 sq miles in 1898. The great northern mine produced 52,000 ounces of gold.

In 1895 the population of Coen was 367.

Today Coen has a population of around 300 and makes the perfect rest stop for travelers in Cape York Peninsula. The town has lovely camping spots both in town and outside along the Coen river, a waste disposal site, public toilets and some shady parks which make great picnic sites.

Coen has a variety of facilities for travelers with shops to stock up on groceries, ice and beverages, a guest house and a popular pub with rooms, Coen Corner Café, a post office and a vehicle repair workshop.

The Exchange Hotel is the focus of social life in the town, look out for the alternative spelling of the pub name on the roof.

Entering town take time to stop at the quirky Charlies mine where you can try your hand panning at a working mine. Charlie is one of the Cape’s real characters and allows camping at the mine in lovely surroundings.

There is also a campsite next to the Post Office in the town centre and just north of the township you can enjoy relaxing bush camping by the river.

The Coen Heritage House is a must for anyone interested in the history of the region. The Heritage House contains an outstanding display of items from the past, photos and interpretive signs relating to the history of local families, the gold rush and building the telegraph line.

The building is made from the original materials of the Mein Telegraph Station. A local landowner, Fred Kepple, bought the building from the government, dismantled it and it was rebuilt in Coen by local builder Alf Colman.

The House is staffed by volunteers.

In 2007 the Cook Shire Council was given a collection of former Cape York mining equipment held as the basis of the Cape York Mining Museum, Weipa. The collection had been acquired in the late 1970′s and progressively restored and conserved until the museum group disbanded.

This equipment now represents the Coen Mining Equipment Display adjacent to Cape York Heritage House, where over a period of time the collection has been installed to complement the history story surrounding the adjacent Coen Heritage House and early mining methodology.

The collection consists of a random selection of mining equipment derived form several Cape York mines including: Claudie River, Iron Range; Wenlock Goldfield; Blue Mountains Mine; Hamilton Goldfield; Ebagoola; Pascoe River and from Evans Landing Powerhouse, Weipa.

It includes a Mcdonald and Co. ‘Imperial’ engine, berdan pans, a trolley, a kibble, several sets of stampers, a winding engine, a Robey portable engine, a Crossley gas engine, pumps, boilers, a diesel engine, and ancillary mining equipment of varying condition and vintage.

Did you Know? Coen was the last town in Australia to receive it’s mail by packhorse.

Coen Image Gallery: