Cooktown — Endeavour's Lost Contact Secrets
Uncover the hidden codes and betrayals from James Cook's 1770 beaching of the Endeavour. Decode signs left by Guugu Yimithirr people and crew to expose what really happened during 48 tense days of first contact.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In June 1770, Captain James Cook's Endeavour struck the Great Barrier Reef and limped into the Endeavour River mouth at what is now Cooktown
Cooktown — Endeavour's Lost Contact Secrets
You are a junior naturalist aboard HMS Endeavour, assigned by Joseph Banks in 1770 to document the mysteries of an unknown land.
Your mission begins at the Captain Cook Memorial on Walker Street,
Dive into James Cook's history in Cooktown, where the Endeavour landed in 1770 for a repair that would change Queensland's destiny.
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at the Captain Cook Memorial, erected in 1887 for the bicentennial of James Cook's arrival in 1770. This monument, located on Walker Street, offers a breathtaking view of the Endeavour River, named by Cook in honor of his ship. It is here, near the site where the Endeavour was repaired after hitting the Great Barrier Reef in June 1770, that you will decipher the first clues. On October 4, 1887, during its inauguration, this memorial became the guardian of the explorer's memory, an essential landmark of Queensland's heritage.
Continue to the James Cook Museum, housed since 1970 in the former Sisters of Mercy convent, a building constructed in 1885. This museum, listed on the Queensland Heritage Register since 1992, holds invaluable treasures: the anchor and cannon of the Endeavour, recovered in 1969 from the wreck site in Newcastle, NSW. As a naturalist, you will study artifacts from James Cook's 1770 expedition and discover the history of Cooktown, a town intimately linked to this maritime adventure.
The Cooktown Wharf, a historic pier built in the 1870s, is your next stop. This main arrival point for ships to Cooktown, founded in 1873, bears witness to the Palmer River gold rush. Located on the Endeavour River, near the ship's repair site in 1770, this wharf was restored in 2010 to preserve its heritage importance. Here, clues mingle with memories of the thousands of prospectors who disembarked, transforming Cooktown into a major economic center of Queensland.
The Cooktown Botanic Gardens, created in 1875 by botanist Edmund Kennedy, span 62 hectares, including rainforests and themed gardens. Your naturalist's eye will appreciate the more than 300 endemic plant species of North Queensland. These gardens, accessible via Charlotte Street from the town center, are a place for historical walks, offering a striking contrast to the bustle of the wharf. You will find information here about the botanical discoveries of Cook's expedition, revealing the natural riches of the region.
Your journey concludes with an ascent to Grassy Hill Lookout, a 168-meter summit offering panoramic views of Cooktown and the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981. It was from this hill that Cook, on July 23, 1770, mapped the coast after his ship's repair. A commemorative plaque, installed in 1970 for the bicentennial, marks this site, accessible by a 1 km pedestrian path from the town center. This final stage allows you to contemplate the extent of Cook's discoveries and gauge the impact of his expedition on Queensland's heritage and the history of James Cook 1770.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Maritime Archaeology
Authentic remains of Endeavour's repair camp
Guugu Yimithirr Rock Art
Petroglyphs witnessing first intercultural contact
Birth of a Word
Place where 'kangaroo' entered the English language
Two Worlds, One Shore
The encounter that shaped modern Australia
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play endeavour et le premier contact? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Dive into James Cook's history in Cooktown, where the Endeavour landed in 1770 for a repair that would change Queensland's destiny.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Australie
View Australie→More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country
Explore other cities in Australie
Cairns
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef
Palm Island
Aboriginal island with ancient traditions
Townsville
Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef
Brisbane
Modern metropolis in the heart of Queensland
Uluru
Spiritual heart of the Red Centre
Broken Hill
Mining city in the heart of the Australian Outback