Agnes Water

Agnes Water is an increasingly popular tourist town located on Central Queensland, Australia within the local government area of Gladstone Region. Agnes Water is located 70 km north of Bundaberg and 60 km off the Bruce Highway.

Geography

Agnes Water is situated approximately 80 km south-east of the Bruce Highway, Queensland's major coastal route. It is accessed via the main road in called Round Hill Road. It is 90 minutes south of Gladstone, and 90 minutes north of Bundaberg on the Discovery Coast. Agnes Water is the closest access point to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. It is a neighbouring town of the Town of 1770.

History

The town of Agnes Water takes its name from pastoral holding first leased by Daniel Clowes in 1883, which he named after the coastal schooner Agnes, which was lost at sea in the area. The schooner left Bustard Head on 15 June 1873, on route from Mackay to Brisbane.

Daniel Clowes remained there until his death in 1891. The gravestones of Clowes and his wife are near the present township.

There was saw milling in the locality in the 1890s and the wide beach was a popular venue, particularly as buggies could be driven onto the beach. It became a holiday destination, and weekend residences were built, notably on Round Hill where the Town of 1770 was officially named in 1936. However, the town was regarded as somewhat remote, and it was not until the road into the town was completely sealed in the mid 1990s that development really took off.