Located at the southern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef between Bundaberg and Gladstone, the Agnes Water/Town of 1770 area is a delight. Separated by a couple of kilometers, the two are kind of one town. Agnes Water provides a myriad of tourist accommodation, a small retail centre, schools, cop shop etc. while 1770 has caravan parks, lots of holiday homes, a funky pub and a couple of businesses on the estuary for charter and water activities. It's fundamentally a tourist area, a hub for surfies, a departure point for cruises to Lady Musgrove Island and fishing charters, as well as offering a variety of beaches to explore, swim, 4WD on and generally enjoy. There are lots of walks and several lookouts dotted around the hilly terrain providing beautiful views along the coastline and out over the Coral Sea. The demography is a real cross section of visitors - grey nomads, young travelers in rented campers, old surfers who almost set up permanent camps and families. The weather is really nice. In the week I have spent here to date the daily temperatures pretty consistently vary from 15 to 25 degrees with minimal humidity. Workmans Beach is also very protected from all bar northerly winds so is quite warm...certainly enough to sunbake, or for the hardier than me, swim.
WORKMAN'S BEACH CAMP GROUNDS, AGNES WATER scores a 5 out of 5 rating from me. I could stay there forever. The bush area on the hill above the beautiful beach, just a short walk into town is flat with 38 numbered sites of varying shape and size. There is a block of 3 toilets with an open air kitchen sink adjacent and an open air cold shower. There are also 4 electric barbecues (free), several water taps in various locations and a few table/bench seat set ups. As I am self-contained the only thing I used was water, and as I could attach my hose to a tap and fill up my two 80 litre tanks, it was great. The cost is $9.35 per person per day but you can't book. I like the way it is managed. You simply arrive and if there is a site available, you just set up on it. The ranger comes around morning and night and collects the money (credit card ok). If all sites are full you pull up in the day stay area and can camp there until a site becomes available later that day or next day. No-one is ever turned away. You can stay up to 42 days, then you have to leave for a week. I love the system, the cost (very cheap for one) and the place.
As the name implies, there is a bit of history behind The Town of Seventeen Seventy, which is more commonly referred to as just "1770". Considered to be the birthplace of Queensland, it was the second place Captain Cook set foot ashore in Australia in 1770. He named it Round Hill after the creek it sits on. The name was changed in 1970 to commemorate the bicentennial of Cook's landing.
My few days of holiday with Shelley, Adam and Lachy were thoroughly enjoyable. Our vans were co-located so we shared an outdoor space, dinner at night and lots activities, yet there was plenty of time for each of us to do our own thing or simply retreat. Aside from pottering around camp, much of our family time together was spent on the beach just a short stroll from camp. Lachy loved discovering new rock pools to play in while the fur babies had a wonderful time chasing balls and sticks on the beach. Lachy and I had a few days on Codral and plenty of nanna naps, eventually getting over whatever bugs we had, so daily outings were not too interrupted by ailments.
Sunday we headed down to the Discovery Coast Rotary Markets at the SES grounds. It was a fairly big affair with quite a variety of stalls. Some of the hand craft was excellent and the prices of local produce were very reasonable. It was a lazy way to while away a couple of hours. Over the next couple of days checked out the walking/bike riding trails, went to some of the lookouts and did the Butterfly Walk. That was really worthwhile. Along the 1770 estuary beach there is a track that takes you through a semi rainforest area and this time each year the butterflies morph out in their thousands. Shelley and I did a walk which took us through the small but beautiful butterfly habitat, then down on to the rocky beach and a circuit walk back to the car.
A short drive down the road we couldn't resist the very inviting beach side pub (The Beach Hotel & Tree Bar) with its outdoor deck and bar area overlooking the river. We thoroughly enjoyed our midday refreshments.
Shell, Adam and Lachy packed up Tuesday morning to head home. I have no idea when I will see them again. Who knows where this journey will take me! James and I spent much of that beautiful day on the beach where I was drawn to a continuous, loud, ear-piercing chirrup of a cicada. I found him on a branch and could see the enormous abdominal effort of his call so took some very close up photos which did not distract him for a second. Within a few minutes another cicada appeared from under the same branch, positioned herself in front of him and backed up. It was clearly his lucky day and with zero regard for their audience the two hooked up and made passionate love. Half his luck! I couldn't help but do a bit of research, which was really interesting, so I will share my findings.
Not long after mating the female cicada cuts grooves into a twig or branch and deposits a number of eggs in each...up to hundreds. Two to seven months later the nymphs emerge from the eggs and fall to the ground, tunnel through crevices and excavate to create a small space beside a plant root which then becomes their food source. It seems they stay there for about seven years whereupon they emerge en- masse and climb to a clear vantage point where their wings are formed and they go through the molting process. The adult cicada then only lives from a one to sixteen weeks. Just a little something to go in your useless trivia file...
The sunset over Workman's Beach that evening was beautiful...
I was planning to play in golf comps Thursday and Saturday but the weather turned to shit. The wind in particular was gusting up above 50 kph and although still relatively warm it was not pleasant unless in a sheltered spot. James was happier in the car out of the wind so we took a run south to Baffle Creek. I did contemplate doing the 4WD track through Deepwater National park but on running that idea by the ranger decided against it. Apparently the track is pretty difficult in spots - not for a novice like me! The drive was pleasant but there's not much at Baffle Creek bar a big river. Probably great for fishermen. On the way back we called into an out of the way cafe, The Getaway Garden Cafe and accommodation complex up the road from Workman's Beach. What a beautiful spot! That's a must-visit.
Around the corner was the Paperbark Forest, one of Agnes's attractions. That was really lovely with a narrow board walk and stepping stone pathway through the dense vegetation.
In the afternoon I decided to try my hand at fishing. On the advice of my next door neighbour, Floyd, who looked at how my rod was already set up, I picked up a pre-made surf leader and sinker along with squid bait from the local tackle shop. Then it was YouTube time. With zero experience rigging lines, tying knots or attaching bits I managed to follow instructions and with the aid of a glass of wine and a smidgen of patience managed to set it all up. An hour or so before sunset I gathered up my bits and pieces and with James beside me climbed on a rocky outcrop down on the beach, baited up and cast out. No joy.
Friday was wild and woolly with intermittent showers, but a touch of cabin fever fueled another try at fishing. The beach was a bit protected from the wind, so I figured if I waited till the tide was on its way out it might not be too bad. Around midday I positioned myself atop another rock and against my better judgement given the fairly wild sea crashing around me, gave it a go. Dumb idea! I can understand why rock fishermen drown. Some of the waves were unexpected and massive. I had to cut my line to extricate a tangled leader (which I foolishly recovered) getting myself absolutely drenched from head to foot in the process. Scary - won't do that again!
By Saturday I was well and truly over the weather and with several days of zero sunlight on the solar panels the van's battery was close to dead. Time to move. I called my friends Marie and Ross some three hours south at Hervey Bay. They had invited me to stay at their place before I had left Yarrawonga and today seemed an opportune time to take up their offer. I'd previously camped at their lovely home which is a short walk from the beach with a nice big lawn to set the van up on and, of course, power. Just what the battery needs. I was all packed up by midday and although driving conditions were horrendous with strong winds and heavy showers, I arrived safely a little before four.
WORKMAN'S BEACH CAMP GROUNDS, AGNES WATER scores a 5 out of 5 rating from me. I could stay there forever. The bush area on the hill above the beautiful beach, just a short walk into town is flat with 38 numbered sites of varying shape and size. There is a block of 3 toilets with an open air kitchen sink adjacent and an open air cold shower. There are also 4 electric barbecues (free), several water taps in various locations and a few table/bench seat set ups. As I am self-contained the only thing I used was water, and as I could attach my hose to a tap and fill up my two 80 litre tanks, it was great. The cost is $9.35 per person per day but you can't book. I like the way it is managed. You simply arrive and if there is a site available, you just set up on it. The ranger comes around morning and night and collects the money (credit card ok). If all sites are full you pull up in the day stay area and can camp there until a site becomes available later that day or next day. No-one is ever turned away. You can stay up to 42 days, then you have to leave for a week. I love the system, the cost (very cheap for one) and the place.
As the name implies, there is a bit of history behind The Town of Seventeen Seventy, which is more commonly referred to as just "1770". Considered to be the birthplace of Queensland, it was the second place Captain Cook set foot ashore in Australia in 1770. He named it Round Hill after the creek it sits on. The name was changed in 1970 to commemorate the bicentennial of Cook's landing.
My few days of holiday with Shelley, Adam and Lachy were thoroughly enjoyable. Our vans were co-located so we shared an outdoor space, dinner at night and lots activities, yet there was plenty of time for each of us to do our own thing or simply retreat. Aside from pottering around camp, much of our family time together was spent on the beach just a short stroll from camp. Lachy loved discovering new rock pools to play in while the fur babies had a wonderful time chasing balls and sticks on the beach. Lachy and I had a few days on Codral and plenty of nanna naps, eventually getting over whatever bugs we had, so daily outings were not too interrupted by ailments.
Sunday we headed down to the Discovery Coast Rotary Markets at the SES grounds. It was a fairly big affair with quite a variety of stalls. Some of the hand craft was excellent and the prices of local produce were very reasonable. It was a lazy way to while away a couple of hours. Over the next couple of days checked out the walking/bike riding trails, went to some of the lookouts and did the Butterfly Walk. That was really worthwhile. Along the 1770 estuary beach there is a track that takes you through a semi rainforest area and this time each year the butterflies morph out in their thousands. Shelley and I did a walk which took us through the small but beautiful butterfly habitat, then down on to the rocky beach and a circuit walk back to the car.
Not long after mating the female cicada cuts grooves into a twig or branch and deposits a number of eggs in each...up to hundreds. Two to seven months later the nymphs emerge from the eggs and fall to the ground, tunnel through crevices and excavate to create a small space beside a plant root which then becomes their food source. It seems they stay there for about seven years whereupon they emerge en- masse and climb to a clear vantage point where their wings are formed and they go through the molting process. The adult cicada then only lives from a one to sixteen weeks. Just a little something to go in your useless trivia file...
The sunset over Workman's Beach that evening was beautiful...
I was planning to play in golf comps Thursday and Saturday but the weather turned to shit. The wind in particular was gusting up above 50 kph and although still relatively warm it was not pleasant unless in a sheltered spot. James was happier in the car out of the wind so we took a run south to Baffle Creek. I did contemplate doing the 4WD track through Deepwater National park but on running that idea by the ranger decided against it. Apparently the track is pretty difficult in spots - not for a novice like me! The drive was pleasant but there's not much at Baffle Creek bar a big river. Probably great for fishermen. On the way back we called into an out of the way cafe, The Getaway Garden Cafe and accommodation complex up the road from Workman's Beach. What a beautiful spot! That's a must-visit.
Around the corner was the Paperbark Forest, one of Agnes's attractions. That was really lovely with a narrow board walk and stepping stone pathway through the dense vegetation.
In the afternoon I decided to try my hand at fishing. On the advice of my next door neighbour, Floyd, who looked at how my rod was already set up, I picked up a pre-made surf leader and sinker along with squid bait from the local tackle shop. Then it was YouTube time. With zero experience rigging lines, tying knots or attaching bits I managed to follow instructions and with the aid of a glass of wine and a smidgen of patience managed to set it all up. An hour or so before sunset I gathered up my bits and pieces and with James beside me climbed on a rocky outcrop down on the beach, baited up and cast out. No joy.
By Saturday I was well and truly over the weather and with several days of zero sunlight on the solar panels the van's battery was close to dead. Time to move. I called my friends Marie and Ross some three hours south at Hervey Bay. They had invited me to stay at their place before I had left Yarrawonga and today seemed an opportune time to take up their offer. I'd previously camped at their lovely home which is a short walk from the beach with a nice big lawn to set the van up on and, of course, power. Just what the battery needs. I was all packed up by midday and although driving conditions were horrendous with strong winds and heavy showers, I arrived safely a little before four.
No comments:
Post a Comment