Camping in Cook’s wake

Captain Cook Holiday Village in the Queensland town of 1770 is the perfect jumping-off place for exploring the region’s unspoilt coastal charms.

Story and photos by John Denman

In May 24, 1770, Captain James Cook of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy anchored the barque Endeavour in Bustard Bay. It was the ship’s first landfall in what is now Queensland. Originally called Round Hill, the town name was changed in 1970 to commemorate the bicentennial of Cook’s visit. The bay’s namesake, the bustard – actually a scrub turkey – was often shot by the crew of the Endeavour for food and many are still scratching around the area.
In its early days as a low-key tourist destination, travellers had to endure a teeth-rattling trip along a red gravel road to get to Bustard Bay. On arrival, there was little in the form of amenities, except those required by the resident population of anglers. In the nearly 240 years since Cook dropped anchor, a gradual transformation has taken place in the village of 1770, where houses cluster on the green hillsides of Round Hill Head, which lies just outside the boundary of Joseph Banks Conservation Park. Nearby Agnes Water has developed differently. Here, a shopping centre, a backpacker resort and other essential ingredients for a holiday town are found.