Who would have expected to read about a community of Wends and Germans at Cooktown in North Queensland in the 1800’s?

Kevin Zwar knew about the Hope Vale Lutheran Mission near Cooktown, but was completely surprised when Gaye Gibbs sent him the history she was compiling for her son-in-law on the community of Wends and Germans in the Cooktown District. Her work is a good example of the local history one can find with the help of the Trove old Newspapers and Wendsonline. The Family Names include ROSELER, MAROSKE, SCHIPKE, SAPIATZER, HOLZAPFEL, HEIN, SCHIPKE.

Click on the following link to download the article: Roseler and Richter