▁Pen ins ula ▁north ▁of ▁C air ns , ▁including ▁the ▁resort ▁town ▁of ▁Port ▁Douglas ▁and ▁the ▁Tor res ▁Stra it ▁Islands . ▁It ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁British ▁navig ator ▁James ▁Cook , ▁who ▁chart ed ▁the ▁coast ▁and ▁land ed ▁on ▁Poss ession ▁Island ▁– ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Tor res ▁Stra it ▁islands ▁– ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 0 . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁election ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁election , ▁there ▁were ▁four ▁candidates ▁for ▁the ▁( then ) ▁two - member ▁elect or ate . ▁They ▁were : ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Campbell ▁ ▁Frederick ▁Cooper ▁( one ▁of ▁the ▁sitting ▁members ) ▁ ▁John ▁Hamilton ▁ ▁Charles ▁L um ley ▁Hill ▁( a ▁former ▁member ▁in ▁Gregory ) ▁ ▁Cooper ▁and ▁Hamilton ▁were ▁elected , ▁but ▁there ▁were ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁" ball ot ▁stuff ing ", ▁specifically ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁too ▁many ▁votes ▁cast ▁at ▁the ▁California ▁Gul ly ▁and ▁Hal pin ' s ▁Creek ▁pol ling ▁stations ▁given ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁elect ors . ▁The ▁un success ful ▁candidates , ▁Campbell ▁and ▁Hill , ▁pet ition ed ▁to ▁over turn ▁the ▁ball ot . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁arr ests ▁were ▁made ▁in ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁ball ot ▁stuff ing . ▁On ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁the ▁E lections ▁and ▁Qual ifications ▁Committee ▁determined ▁that ▁Frederick ▁Cooper ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁elected ▁and ▁that ▁Thomas ▁Campbell ▁should ▁be ▁elected ▁instead . ▁▁ 1