Bundaberg to Gladstone Discovery Coast Drive Itinerary
From Bundaberg to Gladstone

Trip Length: 3 days  Total Distance: 292 km  Road Conditions: All sealed roads
Bundaberg			Town Of 1770			Tannum			Gladstone

Description

Step back in time as you discover the Town of 1770, with its alluring blue waters and peaceful lifestyle, it's not hard to see why Captain James Cook came ashore 200 years ago. Other highlights of this 3-day trip include a visit to a coral island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef and surf Queensland's most northerly beach.

Day to Day Outline

Day by Day Outline

• Day 1: Bundaberg to Seventeen Seventy
• Day 2: Seventeen Seventy to Tannum
• Day 3: Tannum to Gladstone

Day 1: Bundaberg to Seventeen Seventy

Bundaberg is a progressive city surrounded by a patchwork of sugarcane fields. As you drive through the wide country town street look out for the 'Whaling Wall' a 7-storey landmark mural celebrating the annual whale migration. For history buffs you can learn about Bundaberg's favourite son, pioneer aviator Bert Hinkler at the superb Botanical Gardens Complex within which Bert Hinkler's English home and the local museum are located.

Driving north to 1770, stop for a swim at Agnes Water, famous for being Queensland's northern most surf beach.

Continue on to the Town Of 1770, a picturesque seaside village surrounded on three sides by the Coral Sea and Bustard Bay. The town is so named because it was the second landing site of Lieutenant James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour in May 1770. This historic occasion is commemorated by the Captain Cook Memorial at nearby Round Hill Head.

Today 1770 is a small seaside resort town that is noted for its pleasant beaches and good fishing. Accommodation options are plentiful, so are things to do: take a reef trip to nearby Lady Musgrave Island, a small coral cay teeming with reef fish and colourful coral, or take a spin on a LARC (lighter amphibious re-supply cargo vessel) to historical Bustard Head lighthouse. Overnight in Town of 1770.

About the Drive

Day 2: Seventeen Seventy to Tannum

Drive to Miriam Vale and head north to the twin coastal towns of Boyne Island and Tannum Sands, just 9 kms from the Bruce Highway and 20 kms from the city of Gladstone.

This area is renowned for its long white sandy beaches perfect for swimming, sailboarding and surf-skiing. With only a small variation in seasonal water temperatures, the waters of Tannum Sands and Boyne Island are perfect for year-round swimming. Accommodation is plentiful - choose from camping, motels or hotels all close to the water.

Boyne and Tannum Sands have more than 15 kms of walks known as The Turtle Way, winding beside the river through bushland, dunes and parks such as the Canoe Point picnic area and environmental park botanic walks.

At the southern-end of Tannum Sands main beach is Wild Cattle Island - an untouched, National Park sand island separated from the mainland by Wild Cattle Creek. You can access the island by boat across the creek. Overnight in Tannum Sands.

About the Drive

Day 3: Tannum to Gladstone

The drive to Gladstone is just 20 kms, so take a side trip to the historical Port Curtis Historic Village, located on the Bruce Highway just north of Calliope. The village includes an old railway station, a church, homes, the original Clyde Hotel and a Colonial Railway Carriage.

Originally a penal colony, Gladstone city is now Queensland's largest port. Take a drive up to The William Golding Memorial Lookout atop Auckland Hill for a bird's eye view over Port Curtis and the Gladstone Marina.

Take a walk through Gladstone's premier attraction Tondoon Botanic Gardens located south of the city centre along Glenlyon Road. Covering 55 hectares, the gardens include lakes, cascades, a herbarium and arboretum and an interpretive nature trail.

About the Drive