by Jacqui Thomas •

The historical towns of 1770 and Agnes Water are discreetly nestled along the Discovery Coast, just north of Fraser Island and south of The Whitsundays. The neighbouring sister-towns boast Queensland’s northern-most surf beach, rugged National Parks alongside an unspoilt shoreline, and an unusual East Coast feature – a sunset over the ocean.

Famous for being the only town in the world with a number as its name, the town of 1770 was named after the landing of Lieutenant James Cook and his crew from the Endeavour (24 May, 1770). The town hosts the Captain Cook 1770 Festival every year in May to commemorate this visit. In spite of the drawcard of its amazing location, 1770 has largely resisted the ‘tourist trap’ feel you get elsewhere, maintaining that small coastal town appeal.

Agnes Water is the larger of the two towns and provides most of the services and main infrastructure. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its own charms though, with beautiful walks, quaint cafes and 6km of pristine, untouched, natural coastline.

Well known to backpackers and grey nomads, these towns provide so much more to a wide range of travellers. There are surprisingly so many things to do: 4WDing across national parks, relaxing at the beach, cruising in the bay, visiting local landmarks, and numerous local attractions to cater for any member of the family. This pristine piece of country really does have it all.

And, of course, there’s the magnificent fishing on offer. There aren’t many places along the Queensland Coast that can provide such diversity; from land-based gamefishing to offshore pelagics, to big estuary reds. Jump on board a half or full day fishing charter, fish the deep water and offshore reefs, and come home with a prized coral trout or red emperor. Whether you want to wet a line between family outings, or are in town for a serious fishing holiday, the region is a goldmine for anglers.

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HOW TO GET THERE
If it’s been a while since you visited, then you’ll be happy to hear they’ve now sealed the roads to provide easy access to travellers, especially for caravan and trailerboat owners.

The town of 1770 is approximately five and a half hours drive from Brisbane, with an easy drive up the M1 and a turn onto the Isis Hwy/State Route 3, and then eventually Route 16 will take you straight to town. For shorter distances, it’s about an hour and half from Gladstone heading south along the A1 to Miriam Vale, then follow Route 16. In the opposite direction, it’s roughly the same distance from Bundaberg straight up Route 16.

If you don’t have your own transport, you can also catch a train to Gladstone, Miriamvale or Bundaberg, or fly to Gladstone, Bundaberg or Hervey Bay airports, where you can hire a car, charter a flight or catch a bus into town.

ATTRACTIONS
The most noticeable attraction in 1770 would have to be the LARC. The amphibious vehicle is a familiar sight on the beach landscape and offers full day tours to the historical Lighthouse at Bustard Head, as well as smaller trips throughout the day.

Likewise, Lady Musgrave Cruises also do full day tours on board the Spirit of 1770, a 22m high-speed catamaran, to Lady Musgrave Island. Passengers get the chance to visit some of the most pristine parts of the southern Great Barrier Reef – a tropical paradise of 3000 acres of living reef including a deep water coral lagoon. Here you will come face-to-face with a variety of reef fish, along with manta rays and turtles.

For a cost-free afternoon, visit the Captain Cook Monument. Located on Captain Cook Drive on the way to Round Hill Headland, it commemorates the first landing of the Endeavour in Queensland at Bustard Bay. The rock monument was built on the site where one of Cook’s crew carved the date on a nearby tree where they came ashore. From here, there is an easy walking trail that is known as the Butterfly Walk; it is overwhelmed with thousands of beautiful butterflies. For budding lepidopterologists, the best time to view the blue tiger butterfly is between March and June.

There are several other inspiring walks in and around 1770.

The Round Hill Headland at the end of the peninsula is where you can see the anchor from the MV Countess Russell, which was wrecked to the south in 1873. The headland provides spectacular views and is one of the few places in Queensland where the sun sets over the water.

There is also the Discovery Trail that starts at the museum along Springs Road. It works its way along the front of Agnes Water Beach and Workmans Beach and passes underneath the lookout. A longer version would be to start further up the Agnes Water Beach and walk over the headland.

Agnes Water Beach is 6km of soft sand. It’s the most northern surf beach that is safe from stingers and crocodiles and, when conditions are right, the point break produces excellent surf. Even at peak holiday periods, with surfers, walkers and bathers sharing the beach, it rarely feels crowded. It is patrolled by lifeguards during weekends, holidays and peak times.

However, 1770/Agnes Water is not just about the beaches. The National Parks have their own charms.

The Paperbark Forest Walk at the Reedy Creek Reserve is a haven of beauty. The unique bollards provide artificial stepping stones at the start of the trail. Nestled among the ragged paperbark trees, the walk takes approximately 45 minutes.

For the more advanced hiker, there are more challenging walks, such as Red Rock and Mt Larcom. These offer superb views, which are well worth the extra effort.

If you’re keen to view the natural environment but don’t want the blisters from trekking half the day, there are some fantastic 4WD tracks. The pristine National Parks of Deepwater and Eurimbula are teeming with a diverse range of flora and fauna, with camping and basic facilities available.

Voted one of the top five things to do on the East Coast, Scooteroo is another way of seeing the local sights without having to haul on your hiking boots. You can ride a mini Harley-style chopper on a three-hour guided tour around Agnes Water/1770. You don’t need a bike licence, just a Learners/Provisional Car licence, and a great sense of adventure. Training and safety equipment are provided.

To learn more about the history of the area, there is a local museum where you can learn about European settlement, marine history and read the extracts from Lieutenant Cook’s diary. There are also numerous tours about local indigenous culture and Captain Cook’s first landing in Queensland. There is a kangaroo feeding tour, mad nursery and even a micro-distillery making home-made liqueurs to while away an afternoon.

SERVICES
The little marina of 1770 is a hub of activity. It has a multi-lane boat ramp with lighting, toilets, water and picnic area, and reasonable parking. It’s accessible in all tides, and has a small bait and tackle shop with local personality Poppy Bob always eager with helpful advice. Unfortunately, the town does not have a fish cleaning area/bin and not all campsites provide this facility. Bear this in mind when booking accommodation, and check if they have amenities for anglers.

The LARC and Lady Musgrave Cruises both leave from the marina and there is a local gem of a café that serves hot and cold food for waiting seafarers. Just further up the road is a watersports hire facility directly on the beach. Most afternoons, and mornings, there are guided groups paddling up and down the coastline. Alternatively, you can also hire a stand up paddle board and see if you can spot dolphins, turtles and the abundant birdlife while exploring.

Agnes Water is more built up than the town of 1770. Here, you can find supermarkets, variety shops, police, petrol station, pharmacy, takeaway, real estate, butcher, bakery, tourist information, liquor shop, pub, and more.

Both towns have a plethora of eateries to cater to everyone’s budget. From coffee shops, cafes to award-winning restaurants, the towns can boast an impressive selection of Australian cuisine.

The iconic pub at 1770 that overlooks the bay is a popular hangout for backpackers and tourists. The view is beautiful but the pub gets crowded quickly at sunset. The Sea Grapes Wine Bar and Bistro got a huge rap from locals and was constantly referred to as the ‘best’ in town. However, I suggest booking early as, despite our efforts, we couldn’t get a table as it is fully booked weeks ahead.

The Agnes Water Tavern was quite a surprise. What it lacks in bay views it certainly makes up for in superb food. Much larger than the 1770 pub, it offers all the normal services: bottle shop, bar, pool tables, bistro and even a courtesy bus. It has a very friendly atmosphere and its décor is modern and clean (it’s obviously quite a new building). It offers all the usual ‘pub grub’, from BLTs to chicken parmigana, and steaks as big as your head, all of which were reasonably priced. We ate there several times and it was superb.

For a quick bite during the day, the 1770 Marina Café was great – quality cheap food. It’s only open for breakfast and lunch and is in the perfect spot to tempt early morning boaters heading out onto the water.

For the visiting angler/boater, the two main services are in Agnes Water: a petrol station and tackle store. There is only one petrol station in the town, so you’ll have to fill up before heading to 1770. It’s located along Captain Cook Drive on the main drag heading into town.

Agnes Water/1770 Bait & Tackle is located at the main shopping centre on Round Hill Road. Tony and Sandi are a fountain of local knowledge and have a ‘brag’ album on the front desk to show the versatility of the local catches. They carry a huge range of gear as they have to accommodate a diverse range of species, such as mackerel, tuna, GT, jacks, queenies, barra, coral trout, red emperor, snapper, sweetlip and everything in between. It’s definitely worth a visit to find out what’s been biting.

Despite its varied fishing opportunities, 1770/Agnes Water is famous for its ‘reds on the reef’ – coral trout and red emperor are the prized mainstays. If you don’t have the boat with you but still want to experience fishing on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, you can book a spot on a charter boat. They provide everything you need, from tackle, gear, food and water – just bring sunscreen, a hat and a camera. Charters can cost as little as $170 per person for half a day, and will happily cater to whatever fishing/species you want.

If you ever find yourself in need of further inspiration of what to do in the area, there is a very helpful Visitor Information Centre located along Springs Road in Agnes Water. It has a wide range of maps, brochures and itineraries to help you decide. The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable and will point you in the right direction.