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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Town of 1770
1770
Stay 2 nights in Agnes Water, not 1770 itself: the patrolled surf beach, shops and bus stop are there, and it is 8 km (10 min) from the 1770 reef wharf.
The Town of 1770 is a tiny settlement on Bustard Bay where Captain Cook came ashore in May 1770, and it is the departure point for reef and Lady Musgrave Island boats. Almost all beds, shops and the patrolled beach sit in Agnes Water, 8 km south, so treat the two as one place. Two nights covers a reef day plus the headland walk; one night only works if you are driving through.
- Country
- Australia
- Local name
- 1770
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (stinger season, heat and rain)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$120–180 excl. bed · Mid A$180–300 excl. bed · High A$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$5–7 |
| Meat pie or bakery sandwich | A$6–12 |
| Pub main (tavern or 1770 pub) | A$25–38 |
| Draught beer, 570 ml | A$9–13 |
| Supermarket self-catering, per person per day | A$20–35 |
| Taxi, Agnes Water to 1770 | A$25–40 |
| Reef day trip including lunch | A$250–380 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BDB · Bundaberg Airport
- About 1 h 30 min drive south; the usual arrival by air, with connections from Brisbane.
- GLT · Gladstone Airport
- About 2 h drive north; alternative if fares suit.
- HVN · Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast)
- About 1 h 30 min drive south; sometimes cheaper from Sydney or Melbourne.
Typical fares
- Bundaberg Airport → Agnes Water, taxi or transfer
- about A$180–250, 1 h 30 min (check)
- Greyhound, Agnes Water service station → Bundaberg
- about A$25–40, 1 h 45 min (check)
- Reef day trip from the 1770 wharf
- A$250–380 including lunch (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No local public transport beyond taxis. Walk in Agnes Water if you sleep near the shops; otherwise you need a car to cover the 8 km (5 mi) between Agnes Water and 1770 and to reach the headland. Reef operators pick up from Agnes Water addresses.No local public transport beyond taxis. Walk in Agnes Water if you sleep near the shops; otherwise you need a car to cover the 5 mi (8 km) between Agnes Water and 1770 and to reach the headland. Reef operators pick up from Agnes Water addresses.
See and do
Known for
- Captain Cook's 1770 landing site
- Reef and Lady Musgrave Island day boats
- Australia's most northerly east-coast surf beach (Agnes Water)
- Bustard Bay fishing and boating
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Musgrave Island and the reef | Day boat from the 1770 wharf, with pickup from Agnes Water | Full day, about 8–9 h |
| Bundaberg | Drive south on the Bruce Highway, about 1 h 30 min | About 1 h 30 min each way |
| Gladstone | Drive north, about 2 h | About 2 h each way |
Sleep
- Agnes Water
- Patrolled surf beach, two supermarkets, bakery, tavern and the Greyhound stop; walk to most things. Book here for a first visit.
- Town of 1770
- Bay-front camping, a pub with bay views and the reef wharf; quieter, fewer beds, no surf beach.
- Between the two (Beaches Village Circuit area)
- Apartment resorts on the road linking the towns; you need a car for shops and beach.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the patrolled beach? | Where is the patrolled beach? |
| Are there stingers today? | Are there stingers today? |
| What time does the boat leave? | What time does the boat leave? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a pickup from Agnes Water? | Is there a pickup from Agnes Water? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Box jellyfish (stingers) reach this far south in the stinger season, roughly Nov–May: heed the signs in the bay at 1770 and ask lifeguards before swimming.
- Swim between the flags at the patrolled Agnes Water beach; 1770's bay beach is sheltered but unpatrolled.
- No scheduled commercial flights serve the local airstrip: fly to Bundaberg, Gladstone or Hervey Bay and drive.
- Fuel, groceries and restaurant choice are limited; stock up in Agnes Water before a reef day.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on the road in and around the headland.
Very low crime; the real risks are marine. Stingers reach Bustard Bay in season, so swim at the patrolled Agnes Water beach between the flags and ask lifeguards before entering the water at 1770.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Town of 1770 yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Captain Cook's 1770 landing site
- Reef and Lady Musgrave Island day boats
- Australia's most northerly east-coast surf beach (Agnes Water)
- Bustard Bay fishing and boating
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tourism and Events Queensland — Agnes Water and Town of 1770: www.queensland.com/au/en/places-to-see/destinations/southern-great-barrier-reef/agnes-water-and-town-of-1770
- Gladstone Area Promotion and Development — visitor information: www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/
- Bundaberg Regional Council — visitor information: www.bundaberg.qld.gov.au/
- Wikivoyage: Town of 1770, revision 5030616 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5030616
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Town of 17701770
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No consulates locally; the nearest are in Brisbane. US, UK, Canadian and other consulates-general are in Brisbane (check addresses).
Stinger season roughly Nov–May: swim at the patrolled Agnes Water beach and follow lifeguard advice.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/town-of-1770). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.