Lakeland is a relatively recent settlement, built to service the agricultural activities in Laura Valley. Lying at the junction of the Mulligan Way to Cooktown and the Peninsula Development Road, the business community caters for passing traffic with two petrol outlets. One is situated at the intersection with a large roadhouse where you can buy food. The other is at a coffee shop behind the hotel which has accommodation.
If you visit the coffee shop, have a cappuccino and stock up on ground coffee or beans grown locally at Lakeland coffee plantation. There are also limited groceries, maps and books specialising in Cape York history. Other accommodation options include the caravan park.
Lakeland's name does not relate to the terrain. The settlement was named after Billy Lakeland who first marked trails to Coen and Batavia (Wenlock). Not a bad chap to know - he found gold and wolfram on the Peninsula as well.
