Agnes Water Qld August 8 -14 2016

Agnes Water Qld August 8 -14 2016

You all know that Agnes Water was named after the local dairy farmer's daughter (or so one story goes) and that it's just down the road from a place called 1770, named after a bloke called Cook who thought it'd be a good place to plug up the large hole in the bottom of his boat before he sailed back to England, so I'll not bore you with the history lesson.

So, what to do in Agnes Water, when you sitting in a caravan spot right in front of the main beach?

Our prized and coveted spot at Agnes Water Caravan Park

You could catch up on the latest goss, well, as late as the latest magazine available from the caravan park's laundry, that is

Judy catching up on all the goss that's fit to print, and maybe some that they shouldn't have.  Agnes Water Qld

or watch the local retired surfie teaching 30 at a time how to surf (thats him in the red cap out in the water). It costs just $17 and takes 3 hours and every single person gets to stand up and ride a wave. I'm told that the local kids come down and do it just for fun, even though they learnt to surf in the bathtub before they could walk.

Surf's up!  Agnes Water Qld

or take a stroll along the 5.5km of uninterrupted beach front. I never did make it to the end and back, but did manage 4km out, and 4km back. If you go before 7am, you think you're pretty much on your own - until you turn around to come back and you can see the hoards of walkers and dogs surging toward you. Four km is a bit much for most, so as you start to walk back, much of the mob turn tail in front of you as they reach their individual limits

Main Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

or if it's all too much take a coffee and cake in the park's cafe

Agnes Water Qld

Not happy with one beach, I regularly took myself off down the road, not far but away from the madding crowd nonetheless, to either Chinamans or Springs Beaches. You can drive right to Chinamans but there is a decent walk down a steep boardwalk to get to Springs. Neither are very busy and more likely than not will be deserted, especially at sunrise or coming up to dusk

Environmental vandal -mine are the only footprints on the sand of Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Sunrise @ Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

From the far end, still not a soul in sight.  Agnes Water Qld

Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

The rocky end of Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

High and dry on Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Too much excitement? Perhaps a drive down to Round Hill at 1770 and a walk around the two viewing platforms, keeping a sharp lookout for whales and / or butterflies. There are one or two whales floating past, way out on the horizon, and we saw a precious few butterflies despite the claims of there being 100s, no 1000s, of them. Or maybe that was last year...

Nice little bay out on the headland. 1770 Qld

Just scanning the horizon for whales. 1770 Qld

Not much to scan for really...  1770 Qld

Butterfly. 1770 Qld

I caught this school of Screw-eyed tinfish on the way back

Faux-fish. 1770 Qld

We found one hidden little gem down the end of Springs road, called the Paperbark Walk. It's not long at 400m for the round trip, but a really beautiful and tranquil place, right there of the side of the road, and no one goes there because no one is told about it. Probably a good thing!

Remand forest of melaleuca. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

First some stepping stones... Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

...then some boardwalk. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

...and a few more stepping stones through the wetlands. Paperbark Walk. Agnes Water Qld

The one thing they have up here in the tropics is lots of orchid-type flowers, and as the local Orchid Lover's & Flora Fancier's Society had gone to the trouble of filling up the Community Hall next to the CP with them, we thought we'd take a look. Judy couldn't help it and bought a few Bromeliads, even though they don't really do well in the cold. At $3  & $4 a pop you might as well risk it!

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Flower Show Chinamans Beach.  Agnes Water Qld

Hell, might as well risk the tea at a $1 a pop and the cakes at $2 the plate

Cake and tea for 2. Agnes Water Qld

If that's not enough to keep you from going ga-ga, you could always swim in the surf (well, ripples really), wander up to the shops, drink coffee and eat cakes or maybe go to the pub and watch the sunset while sipping on cold apple-ciders. While your there you might as well stay for dinner.

Yet another market to visit on Sunday morning, even though you've been to 100's and they are all the same, they are always interesting as well, and you just never know when you might find a bargain.

I still haven't made the 2 1/2 hour walk to Red Rock yet, and we may be brave enough one year to drive through the Deepwater National Park on the dirt and sand track to Wreck Rock, or maybe I'll join that surf school. Next year, we'll do them all, next year.