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Discovery Coast
This trek covers the pristince coastal and estuarine areas between Bundaberg and Gladstone on the Queenslands southern central coast.

This trek is located in the QLD Coast region.

Start Finish Distance Min Days Rating
Bundaberg Miriam Vale 227 1 Trek rating 2 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 2 of 5 - Click for details
» Description
» Preparation
    Fuel Information, Best Time to Visit
    Permits, Supplies/Facilities, General
» Things to See & Do
» Environment
» History
» Driving Notes
» Directions
» Related Shop Items
 Discovery Coast
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Researched By Member - Pat   Latest Update 17 Nov 2005

 Description

The Discovery Coast is named in honour of Captain Cook's voyage of discovery after he landed at Round Hill Creek in 1770. It takes you through a variety of agricultural areas to the near pristine areas of Rules Beach, Deepwater National Park, Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy and Eurimbla National Park before joining the Bruce Highway at Miriam Vale.

Rules Beach
Two camping areas are accessed from Rules Beach. Mouth of Baffle Creek is 1km south of the beach access point and Broadwater is 7km to the north. There is a self registration station at the beach access point. The Broadwater is at the mouths of Mitchell and Deepwater Creeks. Both campgrounds offer sheltered beaches, fishing and crabbing close by. There are no facilities at either campground so you need to be totally self sufficient. Getting off the beach can be difficult so some sand driving experience is helpful.


Rules Beach


Deepwater National Park
Deepwater National Park is an area of ocean beaches, paperbark swamps, wallum heath, timber and palm forests and patches of rainforest. Watch for sea eagles, brahminy kites and black cockatoos. Two campgrounds and a day use area are located on the frontal dunes. Wreck Rock campground is the most developed with well defined camp sites suitable for groups of all sizes, toilets, a rainwater tank and cold outdoor showers. Middle Rock campground is for totally self sufficient campers and has no facilities apart from defined camp areas. Flat Rock is for day use only with limited parking for access to the beach. Vehicles are not permitted on the beaches in Deepwater National Park.


Wreck Rock, Deepwater Track, Wreck Rock Beach


Agnes Water/Seventeen Seventy

Seventeen Seventy is located on the site of Captain Cooks first landing in Queensland on May 23 1770. It is situated on Bustard Bay, so named because Cook's crew shot and ate bustards (plains turkey) here. A council campground is located on the banks of Round Hill Creek. Take a walk to the lookout on top of Round Hill Head for spectacular views over Eurimbla National Park to the north and Agnes Water to the south. Agnes Water is Queenslands most northern surf beach and is patrolled by lifesavers during peak periods. It has a full range of services including caravan parks, motels and resorts.


Views over Eurimbula, View from Round Hill Head


Eurimbla National Park

The drive into Bustard Beach campground is through melaleuca swamp, rainforest and wallum heath. Bustard Beach campground is at the mouth of Eurimbla Creek. The campground has defined campsites, toilets and tank water available. About 7km from Round Hill Road is the carpark to Ganoonga Noonga Lookout. The easy 900m walk to the lookout is rewarded by panoramic views over the park. Eurimbla Creek is an excellent fishing spot but is a crab sanctuary so crabbing is not allowed.


Middle Creek


An alternative to Bustard Beach campground is Middle Creek. Turn off the Bustard Beach track 5.7km from Round Hill Road. This track is signposted and easy to follow. There are no facilities or defined sites and the track is more challenging than the Bustard Beach one but by no means difficult.

Middle Creek track and campground are closed during the wet season.

 Preparation

Fuel Supplies

Bundaberg, Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy, Miriam Vale

Best time to visit

All year round. Beware of marine stingers October - May. Middle Creek closed during wet season.

Permits

Camping permits available from self-registration stations or from Qld National Parks - Agnes Water on (07) 4974 9350

Supplies/Facilities

Full facilities at Bundaberg, Agnes Water and Miriam Vale

General

Take sufficient food, drinking water, a first aid kit and camping equipment. The longest distance with no fuel is less than 100km. Camp sites are limited at all locations so book early for long weekends and during school holidays. Beware of marine stingers from October to May.

 Things to See & Do

Fishing, crabbing, beach driving, camping, bird watching, canoeing.

 Environment

This trek starts off in the Baffle Creek dairy country then traverses an area of small holdings and hobby farms. The area around Rules Beach is home to a thriving macadamia nut industry. The national park areas are coastal environments of wallum heath, melaleuca swamps, dry-land forests and patches of rainforest. Bird life abounds with brolgas, sea eagles, honeyeaters, brahminy kites and black cockatoos in abundance. Watch for emus in the more open country. Further north the country gives way to beef cattle and timber milling.

 History

Rules Beach is named after the Rule family, one of the early pioneering families in the area and Captain Cook made his first Queensland landfall at Seventeen Seventy. Captain Cooks botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, collected plant and animal samples from the Eurimbla National Park area.

 Driving Notes

We need new driving notes for this trek note. See our How to Submit a Trek Note page.

 Directions

Distance from start Distance between points Description
Trip Meter (km)
0 0 Bundaberg North State School.
4 4 Turn right onto Rosedale Road
62.6 58.6 Turn Right onto Hills Road.
82.0 19.4 Cross Euleilah Creek and turn right.
99.2 17.2 Rules Beach turnoff (1.1 km to beach access.) Straight on as Fingerfield Road.
108.7 9.5 Road turns left and becomes Fernfield Road.
111.5 2.8 Turn right onto Deepwater Road.
122.1 10.6 Cross Deepwater Creek then turn left onto Wreck Rock Road.
127.6 5.5 Wreck Rock campground on right.
130.9 3.3 Middle Rock campground on right.
132.4 1.5 Flat Rock picnic and day use area on right.
137.8 5.4 Turn left onto Spring Road. (Bitumen)
142.3 4.5 Agnes Water. Straight on as Round Hill Road.
152.8 10.5 Turn Right into Eurimbla Road.
158.5 5.7 Middle Creek campground turn off.
167.3 8.8 Bustard Beach Campground.
181.8 14.5 Return to Round Hill Road.
201.3 19.5 Turn right onto Fingerboard Road. (Straight on to Bundaberg)
227.3 26.0 Miriam Vale on the Bruce Highway.
Distance from start Distance between points Description
Trip Meter (km)
0 0 Bundaberg North State School.
4 4 Turn right onto Rosedale Road
62.6 58.6 Turn Right onto Hills Road.
82.0 19.4 Cross Euleilah Creek and turn right.
99.2 17.2 Rules Beach turnoff (1.1 km to beach access.) Straight on as Fingerfield Road.
108.7 9.5 Road turns left and becomes Fernfield Road.
111.5 2.8 Turn right onto Deepwater Road.
122.1 10.6 Cross Deepwater Creek then turn left onto Wreck Rock Road.
127.6 5.5 Wreck Rock campground on right.
130.9 3.3 Middle Rock campground on right.
132.4 1.5 Flat Rock picnic and day use area on right.
137.8 5.4 Turn left onto Spring Road. (Bitumen)
142.3 4.5 Agnes Waters. Straight on as Round Hill Road.
152.8 10.5 Turn Right into Eurimbla Road.
158.5 5.7 Middle Creek campground turn off.
167.3 8.8 Bustard Beach Campground.
181.8 14.5 Return to Round Hill Road.
201.3 19.5 Turn right onto Fingerboard Road. (Straight on to Bundaberg)
227.3 26.0 Miriam Vale on the Bruce Highway.

 

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