Another time, another pace

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This was published 14 years ago

Another time, another pace

Unique ... an aerial view of the township of 1770 and its surrounding coastline.

Unique ... an aerial view of the township of 1770 and its surrounding coastline.

It's only when you visit a local market that you really start to get a feel for a place and its characters. With that in mind, my missus and I head off to the Sunday markets in the strangely named village of 1770. Despite being advertised in the community newspaper, the markets aren't on. So we stroll back to our accommodation, along the footpath that eventually peters out, becoming a grassy roadside verge.

Which kind of sums up a few things about 1770, really; footpaths to nowhere, markets that fail to materialise, a fishmonger named Blue who only opens his stall when he feels the urge. It doesn't take us long to realise that folks get things done at their own pace in these parts.

That can be annoying initially, especially for city slickers used to a slightly more efficient way of doing things. But after a week or two and several cartons of plonk, we gradually stumble into the same twilight zone and learn to take things a little easier.

It's this laid-back lifestyle (not to mention the most incredible ocean views on Australia's east coast) that has made 1770 a retreat for cashed-up punters from Brisbane and Melbourne. How cashed up? Well, put it this way, you won't buy much, if anything, for less than $1 million.

Not being flush enough to buy, we opted to rent a house in the village instead. We figured a month would give us just enough time to start getting a feel for the place.

And what a lovely place it is. On Queensland's Discovery Coast, 1770 is set high up on a peninsula, bounded on three sides by the Coral Sea and Bustard Bay.

This unique position means it is one of the few east-coast locations to enjoy a sunset over water. Which we do nearly every evening, sitting out on our balcony with a bottle of what passes for beer in the land of the banana benders.

Our house is typical of those in the village; a cedar-clad fisherman's cottage, totally renovated and surrounded by gardens of pandanus and palms. The elevated, mezzanine-level bedroom allows us to lie in bed every morning and look out over the bay. Not a bad way to start the day. We soon slide into a comfortable routine. In the mornings we'll head off to Agnes Waters, eight kilometres to the south, to spend time among the waves.

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Agnes Waters is the most northerly surf beach in the state and Grom, a frighteningly hirsute bloke at the town's surf shop – Reef2Beach – is kind enough to lend us a couple of bodyboards for the duration of our stay.

The beach itself is everything an Australian beach should be: big, wide, golden sand and largely empty. The surf itself offers a nice little beach break, perfect for newbies like us.

By mid-morning we'll drop into Beans Cafe for a caffeine hit and slice of cake, before returning to 1770.

En route, we call in to see Blue, the aforementioned fisho, who has a small roadside stand near the marina. With any luck, Blue will be open for business and we'll pick up some reef fish, such as coral trout or sweet lip, to whack on the barbecue for dinner. Then it's back to the house for an afternoon nap.

So the days roll by in a glorious blur of laziness, alcohol and tropical heat.

Of course, we occasionally venture out to do the touristy things as well. Such as a day trip aboard the Spirit of 1770 across to Lady Musgrave Island.

This tiny coral cay is one of the most southerly of the Great Barrier Reef and every bit as colourful as its northern neighbours but without the pushy crowds. We take a twilight kayak safari, exploring the estuary and riding some waves at the mouth of the bay, accompanied by some attractive backpackers from Germany. But, generally, we take it pretty easy, doing a spot of fishing here and there, going for drives in the hinterland and watching daytime television.

Then the word finally gets around that the markets are on, so we try our luck again, sauntering down to the oval on the outskirts of the village. Sure enough, there is a smattering of stalls being set up.

I make the mistake of stepping up to the stall manned by the village's resident UFO expert.

"I've seen the lights in the sky," he tells me.

"Stars?"

"No, alien spacecraft."

"Really?"

"Sure but the government wants to cover it up."

I make my excuses to leave, telling him I want to go look at the scented handmade soaps; he thrusts a pamphlet in my hand, telling me about a government conspiracy to poison the population by adding fluoride to the water.

Finally free of him, I'm approached by another bloke (a purveyor of handmade curry pastes and chutneys), who wraps a meaty arm around my shoulders.

"Don't worry about that guy, he fantasises a bit," he says, pointing to my star-gazing friend, who is now accosting another couple about big oil's plans to kill off the hydrogen-powered car.

I find another stall, selling second-hand books and bags of black jelly beans. The stall owner, a trusting fellow who wouldn't know me from Adam, asks me to mind the fort while he rushes off to have a wee. By the time we get back to our house, all we have to show is a jar of lemon butter, a soy candle and a stolen bag of black jelly beans. But you know what? I'm really starting to warm to this place.

This story is dedicated to Blue, who died earlier this year.

TRIP NOTES

GETTING THERE

Town of 1770 is 120 kilometres north of Bundaberg, which has an airport serviced by all the major domestic airlines.

WHERE TO STAY

1770 Horizon, a fully self-contained cottage, is priced from $1000 a week (sleeps four). Phone 6685 3844, see swellproperty.com.au.

THINGS TO DO

Spirit of 1770 visits Lady Musgrave Island daily, departing at 8am and returning at 5.30pm. Adults, $160; children, $80 (Includes morning and afternoon tea and a tropical buffet lunch, plus all island activities). Phone 1800 631 770, see spiritof1770.com.au.

Liquid Adventures has a sunset kayaking adventure for $40 a person (includes wine and nibblies). See 1770liquidadventures.com.au.

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