Due to the COVID environment, many of us are travelling in our respective states. There is so much to explore in the state where I live, Queensland.
We stayed at Agnes Water / Seventeen Seventy last summer. Such a gorgeous spot, tucked away about a five and a half hour car drive form Brisbane. Seventeen seventy is a coastal town in the Gladstone Region in Queensland and the landing site of James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in May 1770. It has a fishing village feel to it — quant and pokey — but still has restaurants and general store. We loved it. It was busier than usual in 2020, and the locals said that it’s rarely so busy, but they have seen an increase in visitors since the COVID pandemic.
Agnes Water Main Beach
Main Beach at Agnes Water is beautiful! It’s the best place for general swimming/beach play because it’s a paroled beach.
I brought with me a new non-alcoholic drink developed by my friend Nic form Planning with Kids. It’s called Adapt and it’s so refreshing. A travel favourites is my Mox Shoes (best beach shoes ever).
Seventeen Seventy
Seventeen Seventy is only a few ks away from Agnes Water. The terrain is rugged and beautiful. There are some lovely walks along the peninsula.
It’s also worth stopping to look at the monument that marks the approximate point of James Cook’s landing.
Food
Hidden Garden Cafe
I’d say my favourite place to eat at Agnes Water was the Hidden Garden Cafe. The food was just so-so good, especially the cakes and sweets. I went there for breakfast and for morning tea a few times. If you visit, you MUST try the vanilla slice — it’s got quite a reputation, and for good reason.
1770 Rusty Pelican
For fish and chips, the 1770 Rusty Pelican at Seventeen Seventy is a great choice. Not cheap, but the quality is good, and the cafe is right next to the water. Beautiful spot. There is also a (very small) general store nearby if you need to grab anything.
Drift & Wood
We also had dinner at Drift & Wood. The service was excellent here. The food was great too, although more on the expensive side. On the evening we went out for dinner here, went came out to a sky full of bats. Quite surreal!
Lark! Tour
Another must-do in this region is the Lark! Tour on the amphibious vessel that transitions from land to sea. We did the afternoon tour, which is one of their shorter tours. It was informative and really fun for the kids. If we go back, we would probably try the Paradise Tour next time, which includes a visit to the light house at Bustard Head Lightstation – Queensland’s first coastal lighthouse and the only operating lighthouse that the public are able access inside.
I thought it would be just a lovely land/sea tour, but it was so much fun. During the tour, they take you down the steep bank and splash into the water. Quite a few times. Kids loved it.
The tour also stops, and you can get out on the beach, take pics and have a bit of a frolic.
Deepwater National Park
There are a few different national parks where you can visit/4-wheel drive. The Deepwater National Park 4-wheel drive route is quite a short, so great to do for a few hours one morning or afternoon
Eurimbula National Park
We also explored Eurimbula National Park (4-wheel drive), which is more extensive. We ended up at this isolated beach, where we had a swim in the drizzle. Glorious.
Lady Musgrave Island
While we were there, we did a day tour to Lady Musgrave Island. What a day! We went with Lady Musgrave Experience, and did the full day tour, which includes snorkelling (all gear is provided), a glass bottom boat tour, fish feeding and guided island walk. We also got a gourmet buffet lunch and snacks. So pretty much everything you need to enjoy the day. The snorkelling was a highlight for us. Amazing. We saw heaps of turtles and fish, and the water is incredible. The tour isn’t cheap, but well worth it in my opinion.
Absolutely recommend this area. We made many great memories here and would love to go back and explore more.
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