As we made our way north of the Sunshine Coast, we arrived at the serene coastal communities of Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 (also known as Seventeen Seventy). Can you guess why the town is named Seventeen Seventy? Thats right, it’s where Captain James Cook landed on May 24, 1770. I have been asked why we chose to stay here. Our plan is to slowly meander north along the coast and when we went looking for apartments to rent there were big gaps with no populated areas, so we stayed where accommodation was available, trying to keep our drive between places around 4 to 5 hours. That’s how we landed in Agnes Water 😊 Between the two towns there is a population of approx 3,400 people and while there is steady influx of people looking for the relaxed lifetyle here, the biggest business is tourism and the essential services required, such as accommodation and food services.
These captivating twin towns are on the doorstep of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and well known for their rolling surf breaks and long beaches. The Agnes Water Main Beach is a favorite tourist destination for its consistent, year-round waves. Its well known for being the northernmost surf beach in Australia and the last point on the East Coast where the Tasman Sea swell reaches before the Great Barrier Reef begins to shield its swells. The 5km long beach of pristine golden sand is a favorite spot for beach walks, surfing and bodyboarding.
There is a cairn marking Captain Cooks landing spot and it also marks the start of a lovely 4km round trip trail through Joseph Banks Regional Park ending at Bustard Bay Lookout. Just before reaching the lookout is another small lookout called Wave Lookout.
At Captain Cook’s Landing Place, we watched the sun set over the ocean. One of the only places you can do this on the east coast due to it’s unique westward facing peninsula.
Just south of Agnes Water we found Chinaman’s Beach, a shorter more secluded stretch of sand between the rocky escarpments framing the beach.
While at the 1770 Farmers Market we met a gentleman who turned out to be the president of the Agnes Water Museum and he suggested we consider a visit. With not much to else do in the town we popped in for a look around. It’s a very small museum with lots of local history and artifacts from the area as well as stories and information regarding Captain Cook’s landing. While not a world class museum, it gives a good look into the local history and we enjoyed our visit.
Our week at Agnes Water didn’t quite go to plan as Mother Nature gave us fierce winds and unruly seas, preventing us from getting out to the Great Barrier Reef. We had hoped to explore the vibrant corals of Lady Musgrave Island, 90 min away, however high seas kept all the boats safely in the marina. We considered flying to Lady Elliot Island for the day, but a 30 min roller-coaster flight and snorkeling in choppy seas wasn’t exactly what we had in mind either. If the weather had co-operated, these excursions would be amazing adventures. Instead, we settled for daily walks along the beautiful Agnes Water Beach, not so bad after all. If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful break with a fantastic beach to walk then Agnes Water would be the perfect spot.
Next up, Slade Point, about 7 hours north of here…..