Agnes Water and the Town of 1770Twin Towns on the Capricorn Coast in QueenslandAgnes Water is one of the smallest and most unspoilt seaside resorts I have ever visited and I love it. The beach is absolutely beautiful and often almost deserted and the sea is wonderful but you should be aware of the possibility of stingers.The Town of 1770 is 5km from Agnes Water and is even smaller with not much more than a very small marina, a caravan park and a small general store and bar that is only open at weekends. The Town of 1770 is so named because Captain Cook landed here in 1770 and not surprisingly quite a few streets and so on are named for him and his ship. We had not originally planned on visiting these towns but since I had never been in a town whose name was a number it was just too much to resist! Agnes Water is located on the Capricorn Coast approximately 120km south of Gladstone and 130km north of Bundaberg and about a 90 minute drive from each. It is famous for being the most northerly surf beach in Queensland and many people come here because of that. There is a small visitors centre in the public library at 3 Captain Cook Drive and they have information on Agnes Water accommodation and tours in the area. AttractionsTourists come to here mainly for the beach and the surfing although there are other activities do do in the area. The beach stretches for about 5km and you can walk all the way along it from Agnes Water in the south and then cut through to the Town of 1770 in the north.You can do surf lessons with Reef 2 Beach Surf School which is linked with the Reef to Beach Surf Shop located at 1/10 Round Hill Road. You can just show up at the shop at 10am to sign up for a lesson or you can phone them in advance. There is a nice cycle or drive from Agnes Water to the Town of 1770 along Captain Cook Drive. It is only 5 or 6km and goes past the small marina where you can stop to feed the fish from the jetty or feed yourselves at the small but excellent cafe there. Continuing on from there along Captain Cook Drive through 1770 you get to the lovely Round Hill where you can walk up to a headland and get some great views of Bustard Bay which is where Captain Cook anchored the Endeavour in 1770. There are a few short tracks on the headland leading to different viewing platforms giving wonderful views along the beach as far as the Bustard Head Lighthouse. Bustard Bay was named by Captain Cook because when he and a few others went ashore there they shot a large Bustard, which is a species of bird resembling a large turkey, and ate it declaring it the best bird they had eaten since they left England. You can hire kayaks, canoes and catamarans from the beach in 1770 but I think these may only be available in the summer season. There is not a huge choice of restaurants or pubs in Agnes Water. The Beachside Bar and Restaurant next to the Mango Tree Motel is a relaxed little cafe and bar during the day but in the evenings it becomes quite an upmarket restaurant with an interesting menu and good wine list. The Agnes Water Tavern has a bistro attached to it which serves all the old favourites. On Sunday evenings they do an all you can eat roast dinner buffet from about 6pm till 8.30pm which cost $13 per person at the time of writing and this includes soup but no dessert. It has plenty of roast meat, veggies and potatoes and gravy and is very tasty. There is a Thai restaurant called Yok Attack in Endeavour Plaza which is BYO and has friendly service. There are also a few cafes and takeaways such as the Lattino Cafe and a Fish and Chip shop in Endeavour Plaza. The only dedicated pub in the town is the Agnes Water Tavern (mentioned above) at 1 Tavern Road just off the road out of town to Bundaberg. It has a bar with a lovely deck at the back, a pool table and the usually screens with gambling options. The terrace at the back has gas heaters which are used in winter to make sure you don't get too cold. Agnes Water ExcursionsThere are a few different excursions you can do in the area.You can do a day tour on the LARC, an amphibious vehicle which takes you along the coastline of the Eurimbula National Park as far as the Bustard Head Lighthouse. You get a historical and environmental commentary during the tour, morning tea and a picnic lunch are provided and you will see some breath-taking scenery. This tour runs from approximately 9am till 4pm and they also run sunset tours. There are day trips to Lady Musgrave Island on the Great Barrier Reef aboard the Spirit of 1770. It takes just over an hour to get there and you have 6 hours to spend on the island for snorkelling among the amazing coral, swimming and fishing. The snorkelling in the lagoon and around this island is wonderful. We moored in the lagoon on a sailing trip and snorkelled from the yacht. We saw lots of fish and some turtles and manta rays. Fitzroy Reef Lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef is another wonderful spot to snorkel and dive. Tours are run there by 1770 Holidays and last from 8am till 5pm. Visit the official Agnes Water website for more information. |
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