Agnes Water - Culture and History

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This was published 15 years ago

Agnes Water - Culture and History

Small but increasingly popular holiday destination.

On Wednesday 24 May 1770, Lieutenant James Cook anchored the Endeavour about 3 km off the coast. The ship was 32 metres by 9 metres and weighed 374 tonnes. Provisions included 81 tonnes of water, 9.64 tonnes of bread in bags, 5460 litres of beer in puncheons, 4000 pieces of beef and 1.13 tonnes of raisins.

Cook went ashore near Round Hill Head with botanist Joseph Banks and his assistant Daniel Solander. It was only the second time during the voyage that he had set foot on Australian soil and his first venture on dry land at what is now called Queensland. The party landed within the south point of the bay where they found a channel leading into a large lagoon. Cook wrote: 'In this place there is room for a few ships to lie in great security, and a small stream of fresh water'. They noted many pelicans and, upon the shore, a species of bustard, one of which was shot. They considered it 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 Aborigines 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. The Endeavour set sail at 4.30 the following morning.

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.


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