Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 travel guide

With the dawning of the new millennium it was already obvious that both 1770 and Agnes would be changed from being fairly inaccessible, sleepy coastal neighbours into the next big thing on the southern Queensland coast. Sadly, this seems to have happened and they have fallen victim to the great East Coast property development phenomenon. As predicted, the money has moved in and the locals have moved out. Where wooded hillsides once created a soft green horizon, designer holiday homes owned by absentee landlords have appeared. Where once dunescapes created pockets of soporific seclusion, sterile and exclusive apartment resorts look set to dominate. Despite the decline, the two towns are still extremely picturesque and hemmed in by two fine national parks, Eurimbula and Deepwater. The Town of 1770 also acts as gateway to Lady Musgrave Island, an undeniable gem located 50 km offshore.

Agnes Water has a beautiful 5-km beach right on its doorstep, which offers good swimming and excellent surfing. More remote beaches offering more solitude and great walking opportunities can be accessed within the national parks. The small museum (Springs Rd, Sat-Sun 1000-1200, Wed 1300-1500, $2), touches on Aboriginal settlement, Cook’s visit and the subsequent visitations by explorers Flinders and King, as well as more recent maritime and European settlement history.

The Town (village) of 1770 nestles on the leeward side of Round Hill Head and along the bank of the Round Hill Inlet, 6 km north of Agnes, and is a popular spot for fishing and boating. It also serves as the main departure point for local national park and reef island tours and cruises.