Town of 1770 and Agnes Water

The Town of 1770 takes its name from the date the Endeavour's crew landed here in May 1770, their second landing on the Australian mainland after Botany Bay, an event marked by a small monument on the headland. It sits on a sheltered creek and headland facing west, which makes it one of the few places on the east coast where the sun sets over the water. Agnes Water, six kilometres south, has the northernmost surf beach on the Queensland coast, since the Great Barrier Reef blocks swell everywhere beyond it. The pair are a quiet stop between the coastal cities, with amphibious tours, boat trips to Lady Musgrave Island and turtles nesting on local beaches.

What you actually see

• The 1770 landing site - the headland monument and sheltered creek.
• The west-facing sunset - the rare east coast view of sun setting over water.
• Agnes Water beach - the last surf beach heading north.
• The reef access - day trips to Lady Musgrave Island and the southern reef.

When to go

April to October for the dry season; summer is hot, humid and brings stingers to the water. Turtles nest on local beaches from November to March. Reef day trips run year-round but are weather-dependent.

Honest expectations

The villages are small with limited shops, and the nearest large supermarket is over an hour away. Reef trips are long days with early starts and can be rough. Marine stingers make summer swimming unwise without a suit.

Nearby

Gladstone lies northwest; Bundaberg is south along the coast.