The historical legacy of European settlement is rich in Seventeen Seventy, marking the site where Captain Cook stepped ashore lured by the sheer natural beauty.Walk around Heritage Headland and take in the same magnificent coastal views.

Lieutenant James Cook, on Wednesday 24 May 1770, went ashore near Round Hill Head with a party of men in order to examine the country, accompanied by Joseph Banks and Dr Solander. Cook’s ship, the Endeavour, anchored about 2 miles off shore.

The ship was 106 feet in length, 29 feet 3 inches wide and weighed 368 ton and had a 14 foot draught. Some of the provisions were 80 ton of water, 21228 pounds of bread in bags, 1200 gallons of beer in puncheons, 4000 pieces of beef and 2500 pounds of raisins.

This was Cook’s second landing in Australia and his first in Queensland, hence the Town of 1770 being referred to as the birthplace of Queensland. Cook and his party landed within the south point of the bay where they found a channel leading into a large lagoon. ‘’In this place there is a room for a few ships to lie in great security, and a small stream of fresh water.’’ Cook wrote. Many large birds were seen, namely pelicans.

Upon the shore they saw a species of bustard, one of which was shot. It was like a large turkey and weighed seventeen and a half pounds. It was 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 natives during their shore visit, but they did find campsites, fires and artefacts. From the ship, however, members of the Endeavour’s crew observed about 20 members of the Meerooni tribe on the beach. At 4.30am on Thursday 25 May 1770, Cook made sail out of the bay.

There is some conjecture about the origin of the name ‘’Agnes Water’’. Some believe the area was named after the schooner ‘’Agnes’’ which disappeared from nearby Pancake Creek in 1873. Others believe that the area was named after Agnes Clowes, the daughter of the first European settlers, Daniel and Rachel Clowes, who built large stockyards and ran cattle on the miles of unoccupied coastal country in 1878.

1770 Lt. James Cook anchored The Endeavour in Bustard Bay and landed at Round Hill Inlet on 24 May, naming Bustard Bay and Bustard Head.

From Monument Point, see the exact location of Cook’s anchorage in Bustard Bay and look out over the calm water inlet that still entices vessels from around the globe. The Miriam Vale Shire Museum (located on Springs Road) in Agnes Water reflects the nostalgia and heritage vested in the area.