Having been on the go since we left, our first day at Tannum Waters was purposely very relaxed, consisting of some grocery shopping in the morning before the heat of the day and then just sitting in the shade of the van for the rest of the day. 

Most of the local bird life is friendly and just roam around the park, but there are some nesting Magpies which randomly swoop campers as they walk to the amenities block just in front of us.

Many caravanners stay at Agnes Waters or 1770 when in this area and so today we took the drive of just over an hour down there to have a look ourselves.

Seventeen Seventy, known locally as 1770, was originally named Round Hill after the creek on which it lies. The name was changed on 24 June 1936 to recognise the historical importance of the town given it was built on the site of the second landing in Australia by James Cook and the crew of HM Bark Endeavour in May 1770, his first being at Botany Bay.

The area above where Cook landed provides great views and it is said that it is one of only four places on the East coast where you can see the Sun both rise and set over the sea. 

The view to the North is over Bustard Bay. One reference we read said that upon the shore, Cook and his men saw a species of Bustard and one was shot. It was like a large Turkey and weighed 17 ¹/₂ pounds. It was the best bird they had eaten since leaving England and in honour of it they named the inlet Bustard Bay.

The Tree restaurant had a great aspect looking over the water for lunch and while there was a cool breeze, we both very much enjoyed our beer battered fish and chips with salad.

After lunch we went to the Agnes Waters Museum. At the entrance is a statue of James Cook carved from what appeared to be a tree trunk. It is billed as “The small museum with enormous interest” and indeed it is packed with plenty to digest. 

Of course it celebrates the landing here by Lt James Cook with copies of journals, logs, charts, a model of HM Bark Endeavour, and much more.

Other popular displays include; Indigenous and Islander artefacts, fossils, minerals, local coral and shells, maritime history, Bustard Head Light Station, photographs and books of the early days of Miriam Vale, Rosedale, Bororen, Baffle Creek, Agnes Water and Town of 1770, and memorabilia from the Discovery Coast region.

One exhibit which took Lucinda's eye was a quilt shown here. Known as "Eleanor's Legacy - Cathedral Windows", it was commenced in the early 1980s by local Eleanor Clifford, after her husband died. Self taught, she tore all of the 2" squares by hand before sewing them into the centre of the folded calico windows. On her death in 2005 many squares remained unused.

After such a nice lunch, a light dinner was in order and a bowl of pea and ham soup was perfect.