The Magnificent Seven
Real History: Steeped in history, the Town of 1770 will delight you with its laid back atmosphere and coastal charm. This picturesque spot was the first in Queensland to entice Captain Cook ashore, and its not hard to see why. Take a walk to Heritage Headland and experience the same magnificent views. See the exact location of Cook's anchorage in Bustard Bay and look out over the calm water inlet that still draws vessels from across the globe. See Captain Cook and Sir Joseph Banks come ashore again in a re-enactment, a key feature of the Annual Town of 1770 Commemorative Festival held each May. Visit the Miriam Vale Shire Museum in Agnes Water to soak up the history and nostalgia of the area. Real Surfing: Swim all year round in the clear waters of Agnes Water's surf beach. A mecca for board riders, this stretch of golden sand is the most northern surf beach on the Queensland coast and sits at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. Agnes Water is just one of the nine beautiful beaches offering picture postcard scenery. Grab your camera and head for Rules Beach, Workmans Beach, Sunshine Beach, Middle Rock Beach, Red Rock Beach, Flat Rock Beach, Wreck Rock Beach or Eurimbula Beach - there's plenty of stunning scenery to snap, and sunshine to soak up. Real Day Trips: A number of day cruises depart from the Town of 1770 to visit some spectacular protected coral cays and lagoons of the Great Barrier Reef, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy these beautiful waters and the marine inhabitants. Cruise to Fitzroy Reef Lagoon on the Reef Jet, or Lady Musgrave Island with Lady Musgrave Cruises or 1770 Great Barrier Reef Cruises to snorkel, dive and view coral and marine life from glass bottom boats. Spot graceful manta rays, reef sharks, moray eels, brightly coloured feather stars and hundreds of varieties of tropical fish. You can also visit Pancake Creek, a charming swimming spot with examples of estuarine coral - a sight very rarely seen. Those looking for a more sedate, land based activity, should visit the fragrant Lavender Park. With 45 acres of bushland and gardens, you are guaranteed to all senses stimulated. You can try the lavender scones and lavender ice-cream at Rosie's. Real Adventure In The National Parks: Discover the unspoilt beauty of the area's National Parks. There are excellent opportunities to "get off the beaten track" using either four wheel drive or planned excursions. With Discovery Coast Detours, spend your morning touring the natural bushland and pristine coastline of the national parks. Explore Wreck Rock and snorkel at Flat Rock on a fully guided tour. Deepwater National Park features an unspoilt stretch of coastline with high sand dunes backed by open forest. In the lee of the dunes are patches of vine forest with banksias, Burdekin plum and rainforest species. Spot emus strolling across the plains, red tailed black cockatoos screeching across the treetops, honeyeaters, brahminy kites and hundreds of varieties of wildlife. The cool, clear water of Deepwater Creek is an inviting site and is ideal for canoeing. Seen from the headland overlooking Round Hill Inlet with views north across Bustard Bay, Eurimbula National Park is an famous for area for the diversity of its plant communities. Three kilometres from the park entrance is a short, steep walking track to the Ganoonga Noonga Lookout. Observe mangrove fringed estuaries, freshwater paperbark swamps, coastal eucalypt forests with weeping cabbage palms and even tall rainforest with towering hoop pines - all in close proximity to the ocean breezes of the 1770's coastline. Real Rural Experiences: When you visit the Discovery Coast, why not take the time to explore and stay a while in the friendly rural communities in the Miriam Vale Shire. Pop in and have a chat o the locals - its the people that make the place. Miriam Vale offers the traveller an excellent opportunity for a rest and refresh. Drop into the service station with the giant crab for one of their famous mud crab sandwiches. South from Miriam Vale is Wartburg and Baffle Creek. Baffle Creek's tributaries stretch for many kilometres, providing great spots for fishing, crabbing and boating. Nearby is Rules Beach. To the west, an alternative route brings you to Lowmead. The hinterland town of Rosedale is near the site selected by the first settler in Miriam Vale Shire and is the southern gateway to the area. Bororen earned fame as a pie stop for World War Two troops. The area is noted for its timber and cattle industries and has a population of about 300. Real Fishing : Fancy yourself as an angler? Fishing is no less that fantastic in both the estuary systems and offshore reefs, with charter boat operators based in 1770 able to assist with special tours and cruises including fishing, diving, adventure and sight seeing to spots including Bustard Head, Pancake Creek and overnight to reef islands. The offshore fishing is superb. Try your luck with Freedom Cruises for coral trout, sweetlip, parrot and red emperor to name a few. A fishing paradise can be found at Turkey Beach, a small fishing village 24 kilometres off the Bruce Highway and situated in Rodd's Harbour, which is a dugong sanctuary. Large mangrove inlets, estuaries and creeks make it perfect for throwing in a line. A Real Journey Over Land and Sea: For a trip you will never forget, jump aboard the pink army Larc, an amphibious craft that will take you for a thrilling ride through the surf, or drive you across creeks and along deserted beaches on an amazing trip to Bustard Head. You'll hear tales of tragedy and triumph as early white settlers and lighthouse keepers struggled to tame this remote wilderness. Gasp in awe at the spectacular panoramic view from the historic Bustard Head Lighthouse. |
