Queensland is the northeastern most territory of Australia, making it an ideal subtropical getaway any time of the year. Today we’re exploring the Town of 1770 with kids. Sitting on the Discovery Coast, Town of 1770 is steeped in Australian history and boasts some incredible nature that your kids are sure to love.
The Unknowns of Travel
For the first time in my travel life, I had a flight, and basically an entire airline, just get completely and totally cancelled. Has that happened to you? Your well-planned and intentioned travel plans are just done, with no offer of rebooking, no offer of helping you find your way to your destination?
That’s what happened to my family in our attempt to get to Australia. This was a big trip for us. See, we’re not full time travelers. We don’t world school and we have normal commitments, like work and school and soccer practice and youth group meetings, etc. So when we planned to go to Australia to visit some dear friends, we planned and saved far in advance.
When our airline suspended all service into its hub airport for the foreseeable future, we were stuck scrambling. We were stuck trying to choose between a last minute flight that would double our cost or cancelling several of our in-country bookings and losing half our deposits. Basically a travel mess that led to several stressful days of not knowing if we were going or postponing or just cancelling it all together.
Finally after several days of limbo we found a flight a few weeks later, rebooked all the things, rescheduled vacation days, emailed all the coaches, repacked all the bags, etc. After all this, the 24 hours of flying were our last remaining obstacle.
It felt like a lot of stress and of course, the inevitable wondering… was this worth the headache?
Then my feet hit the ground in the Town of 1770 and I knew. I LOVE IT HERE.
Guys, we’d move there tomorrow if someone would offer. I’m sharing the things that my family loved in this out of the way spot in Queensland, Australia. Head here, explore the incredible nature, rest from the worries you brought in with you, take in Australia in the purest possible way. Let’s explore the Town of 1770 with kids.
The Things That Made Us Love 1770
Sunsets
If you’ve been around here for a minute, you’ll know how much we treasure a sunset. Australian sunsets are worth the hype. Town of 1770 is one of the rare east coast Australian places that has a nightly sunset view. They are great. Recommend taking long, leisurely strolls on the 1770 beach as the sun sets. Let the kids play, go for a late afternoon swim, climb the rocks, watch the tides. Just breathe it in.
Star Gazing
Because of its location beside the ocean, the lack of development and the surrounding national parks, the skies here are INCREDIBLE for star gazing. I saw my first view of the Southern Cross here! That will forever be a special memory for me and my kids. Get outside in the evening, spot the Milky Way and all those special southern hemisphere stars. Well worth an hour or so of your time if you’re in 1770 with kids.
Round Hill Creek Walking Trail
Spot the Captain James Cook Memorial, wallabies, beaches, forests and beautiful views. We did this walk at the end of a rainy morning and it was a perfect way to spend the last hour or so of grey skies before the sun came out.
Bustard Bay Lookout
Combine with the Round Hill Creek trail, or drive out and just stroll the lookout area. There are some pretty incredible views of the headland and it’s an easy place to explore at the beginning or end of the day.
Red Rock Trail
Sitting a short drive away in the twin town of Agnes Water, the Red Rock Trail was our first morning activity. WOW, what a first impression. Your walk starts through beautiful coastal forests, down boardwalks and then onto stunning beaches and along cliff edges. We spent almost a whole day wandering from beach to beach, swimming, spotting more wallabies, and finding rock tide pools to play in.
It’s good to keep in mind that you will feel the full force of that Australian sun out there. Most of the trail is exposed. Take along sunscreen, hats and plenty of water, as you’ll need it on the trail.
Low tides in 1770
If you’re in the Town of 1770 with kids, the shallow bay that fronts the 1770 beach makes for some truly special low tides and beach exploring. The kids loved swimming, wading through what felt like miles of shallow water, and playing in the tide pools. The farther you walk towards the open ocean, the more waves and currents you’ll get, but within the bay itself the swimming feels quite calm. I don’t think we ever left the water.
1770 Coffee Co
Honestly, Australian coffee culture is pretty strong, but this was maybe the best coffee I’ve ever had. If you like cortados, the Magic is the drink for you. So good and such a nice afternoon treat in a well-run and passionately crafted local shop.
Quick tip: You’ll learn quickly that coffee shops in Australia close early afternoon, around 2 pm. I know. Insane. So make sure you build in that afternoon coffee stop in good time.
1770 Rusty Pelican
Sitting right on the beach, the Rusty Pelican is your ideal beach bar. Cold beers for the adults and ice cream for the kids was an absolute favorite way to finish the afternoon. Rustic picnic tables situated under shady oak and palm trees with ocean views where everyone can stay barefoot… fantastic.
Great Barrier Reef
This was the one booked (and pricey) adventure that we took part in during our time in 1770. But, honestly, it’s the only way we were getting to the Great Barrier Reef, which was a dream all of our kids had when we decided to visit Australia. Leaving directly from town, 1770 Reef offers eco tours to the southern tip of the Reef. The trip out takes around 90 minutes and includes snorkeling gear, a glass bottom boat tour, and a guided tour of Lady Musgrave Island. It was certainly an amazing experience to see this place lying out in the middle of the Pacific, to swim the giant corals, spot sea turtles, colorful fish and even sharks, and feel so far away from land.
The tour itself was just fine. The crew didn’t offer a ton of information about the place and the activities felt very much like a check list for them. Not a ton of enthusiasm. If I were going again, I’d try booking with a smaller group, like Dive Spear & Sport. Guides seem to come highly recommended and may be more passionate about the reef.
The crossing can be rough, so if you’re sensitive to seasickness, take precautions. Ultimately, I’m so thankful we had the ability to go out and see the reef. It was truly incredible.
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The Town of 1770 is the perfect kind of place to slow down with your family and truly experience the world around you. No tourist check boxes, just sunsets, stars and low tides. It may even make you forget weeks of messed up plans, lost deposits and airline hold music. Magic.
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