Seventeen Seventy, also known as The Town of 1770 is a small coastal township and popular holiday destination just under 500-kilometres north of Brisbane.
Sheltered waterways, local beaches and great weather make 1770 an idyllic holiday destination. Photos: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
Captain James Cook stepped ashore here in May 1770, only the second time he'd set foot on Australian soil since first sighting the mainland on 19th April.
Cook, Joseph Banks and Banks assistant Daniel Solander landed at the southern end of the bay near present day Round Hill where they found a navigable channel leading to a large lagoon. Cook noted that '
there is room for a few ships to lie in great security and a small stream of fresh water".
Lookouts on Round Hill Headland provide some outstanding coastal views. Photo: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
One of the first settlers in the district was Daniel Clowes who took up land which he named Agnes Waters after a local coastal schooner, the Agnes.
By the 1890s, timber cutters had moved in and a small timber mill was in operation.
At the end of the 19th-Century, the area had become popular with holidaymakers but the site wasn't officially named The Town of 1770 until 1936.
Round Hill Creek and adjacent waters provide safe anchorage for local and visiting vessels. Photos: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
Today 1770 boasts a marina, a pub,
The 1770 Beach Hotel, a couple of shops, a camping ground and a number of modern homes as well as the Captain Cook Monument. A cairn commemorating Cook's first landing in Queensland. The cairn stands on the spot where one of Endeavour's crew carved the landing date on a tree.
Nearby Round Hill Headland is popular with visitors attracted by easy walks to two vantage points, Bustard Bay Lookout and Wave Lookout, both with great views to the bay and the Coral Sea.
En-route to Round Hill Carpark, you'll find the anchor from the MV Countess Russell wrecked in 1873 on what is now known as Wreck Rock.
The Beach Hotel is 1770's popular local watering hole. Photo: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
There is excellent fishing from rocks and beaches, on the inlet or further out in Bustard Bay. The sheltered waters adjacent to the township offer safe swimming and kayaking for all ages.
1770 sits on a pristine stretch of Queensland coastline providing a tropical, laid-back holiday environment combined with the history of a landmark moment in Australian history.
At the end of a day exploring the district's attractions, you could do a lot worse than sitting at the outside bar of the 1770 Beach Hotel enjoying a cold beer and watching the world go by at this historic Queensland location.
The Captain Cook Memorial commemorates Cook's landing here on 24th May 1770. Photos: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
Top-10 Things to do in and around 1770
1. Visit the Captain Cook Monument and step down onto the beach where it's thought Cook, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander became the first Europeans to set foot in Queensland.
2. Visit Round Hill Headland and view the sunset from the Bustard Bay or Wave lookouts.
3. Take a day trip to Lady Musgrave Island with
1770 Reef for guided walks, snorkelling and SCUBA diving, glass-bottom boat tours and swimming with turtles.
4. Take a
LARC tour on a pink ex-army amphibious vehicle exploring the districts coastline, creeks and secluded beaches. You'll have the option to cruise to Bustard Bay Lighthouse or explore local National Parks.
5. Go stand-up paddle-boarding on 1770 Inlet.
6. Take a fishing trip on a charter boat with
Reef Fishing Charters 1770.
7. Wind your way along Butterfly Walk and through the Joseph Banks Conservation Park starting at the Captain Cook Monument.
8. Try your hand at rock fishing at The Catwalk on the eastern side of Round Hill Headland.
9. Visit the boutique
1770 Distillery turning locally grown fruit into a delicious range of liqueurs.
10. Visit the 1770 Markets held on the second and fourth Sunday of the month in the local SES Grounds.
The marina and boat ramp are in the centre of town. Photo: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
Stay There …..
Accommodation options include
1770 Beach Shacks,
Sunset Cabins 1770 or the
Captain Cook Holiday Village. There are also a number of additional options at nearby Agnes Water.
Getting There …..
The town of 1770 is 483-kilometres north of Brisbane, about a 5-hour 40-minute drive via the M1 and Bruce Highway/A1.
The view to Round Hill Creek. Photo: Copyright Ian Gill / Footloose Media
