This is the life!: Sharon Nature Reserve, Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy

Sunday 25th August

We left Gin Gin on Thursday morning and headed towards Bundaberg. We were looking at staying at Granite Creek Rest Area which is 63kms from Gin Gin. We stopped in South Kolan to have a look at one of Australia’s most intriguing rock formations, the Mystery Craters. These were discovered by a local farmer in 1971 when he decided to extend his vegetable patch. He was clearing the vegetation and came across a large hole in the ground underneath the layers of silt and sand. Upon further investigation, with careful precision, 35 craters in various sizes in total were found. They are formed in sandstone, siltstone and red ochre and have baffled many teams of scientists and geologists from all around the world, and to this day they remain an unsolved mystery. They are believed to be over 25 million years old. Some interesting facts are that three of the craters resemble large footprints, and some of the craters hold water, whilst others do not. None of the craters are linked together in any way.

After our visit to the Mystery Craters, we drove a little further and ended up only 50kms from Gin Gin and staying at Sharon Nature Reserve Rest Area for the night. This was only small but had a separate area with very clean electric BBQ’s, picnic tables and toilets. There are pictures with photos that explain about the Sharon Gorge and how it and the Rest Area are maintained by local volunteers. Places like these are a very welcome stop for travellers and most certainly appreciated.

We met a young couple in their late 20’s, Dane & Elody and their 20 month old daughter, Myah. They live on the Sunshine Coast and are also travelling around Australia. Mark had a look at Dane's generator as he couldn't get it going. We went for a pleasant 900m walk down to Sharon Gorge, which ends on a small deck overlooking the Burnett River. Despite the Rest Area being small, quite a few caravans, along with Hi-Ace type vans with backpackers had pulled in by the evening. We were thinking about staying at either the Workman’s Beach Camp, a campsite with toilets and water, 1kms from Agnes Water for $6 per person or Bradley Wolfe Braveheart Retreat, a charitable trust, 23kms west of Agnes Water, which is set on acreage and offers camping, toilets and water for $11 per site. Dane and Elody were heading to Workmen’s Beach the next morning, and after looking at it on his Wiki Camps on his phone, we decided to go to the Workman’s Beach also.

This was a good choice, as we later found out that the Braveheart Retreat has temporarily closed to due permit rules. Such a shame because we have heard it is really beautiful and we would have like to stay there after Workman's Beach.

Sharon Nature Reserve Rest Area

Mark, Dane, Elody & Myah

Agnes Water is a very pretty town along the point, along with the town Seventeen Seventy, or 1770 as the locals write it, just a few kms up the road. Agnes Water has quite a few shops as well as 2 small supermarkets, while Seventeen Seventy is smaller and has a marina, a couple of cafe's, a small pub that offers meals and has a fabulous deck where diners can watch the sun go down over the water and some lovely accommodation options.

Our campsite at Workman's Beach

The beach below the campsite is a large Cove which is very inviting and the water is just so delightful to swim in!

Coming out of the bushy walking track and looking to the right of the Cove.

The land in the distance is 'Seventeen Seventy' .The furthermost point to the right of it has a great short walking trail to 2 Lookouts. One is looking back this way and into the horizon which seems to go on forever and feels like you looking at the edge of the world. The other is on the opposite side where we stood and watched the sun go down over the water.

Looking to the left of the Cove

Aaahhh...the Serenity...

Mark being a 'Mr Strongman' after his swim!

Seventeen Seventy is where Captain James Cook landed with his crew on The Endeavour, on Wednesday 24^th May 1770, about 3km off the part of this coast. Just looking out and imagining that magnificent ship coming into the bay gives you a shiver up your spine. It would have been a spectacular sight to sail into the bay and see the absolute beauty and the hills rising above it.

Looking out to Bustard Bay from the picnic area

There are lovely board walks around part of the picnic area looking out to the bay with the 2 plaques about James Cook's landing back a little and to the right of Mark, with one plaque on each side of the stairs.

This is one of the plaques telling the facts of Captain James Cook's arrival in the bay.

I have typed up the info on each plaque as it's not easy to read in the photos:

The ship was 32 metres by 9 metres and weighed 374 tonnes. Provisions included 81 tonnes of water, 9.64 tonnes of bread in bags, 5460 litres of beer, 4000 pieces of beef and 1.13 tonnes of raisins. Cook went ashore near Round Hill Head with botanist Joseph Banks and his assistant Daniel Solander. Along the embankment some of their collected plants have been identified. The party landed within the South point of the bay where they found a channel leading into a large lagoon. Cook’s landing party noted many pelicans, and upon the shore, a species of Bustard, one of which was shot. They considered it the best bird they had eaten since leaving England and in honour of it they called the inlet Bustard Bay. Cook’s party did not see any Aborigine’s during their shore visit, but they did find campsites, fires and artifacts. From the ship however, members of the Endeavours Crew observed about 20 members of the Meerooni tribe on the beach. The Endeavour set sail at 4:30 the following morning.

‘In this place there is room for a few ships to lie in great security, and a small stream of fresh water’

It was here at Seventeen Seventy that Cook made his second landing on Australian soil. (His first had been at Botany Bay) and it was here that the first European set foot on Queensland soil. Town of Seventeen Seventy was appropriately named for Cook’s landing in 1770 becoming the birthplace of Queensland. This historic occasion is commemorated by the Captain Cook Memorial at nearby Round Hill Head.

Today this town is a small seaside resort which is noted for its pleasant beaches and good fishing. This spot is perfect to watch the sun set over Bustard Bay – one of the few places on the East Coast of Australia where the sun sets over the water.