EURIMBULA NP... QLD
Eurimbula National Park is located just over 400 km north of Brisbane near the stunning coastline of Agnus Waters and 1770. It’s a place of natural beauty, a place where you can just stop and unwind for while. Getting back to nature never really hurt anyone and here at Eurimbula I reckon you won’t find better.
Don't for one minute think you can test your offroad skills with huge hill climbs where tyres need to be near flat and lockers on, or don’t think that there will be huge bog holes where you need to impress your mates with your mud driving skills, as there are no hills and no bog holes to drive through.
It’s a place with one road to several camps and the same road back out, probably the only drama you’ll have driving to camp is another 4wd coming towards you as the roads in the National Park are quite narrow.
Getting to Eurimbula is as easy as heading along the Bundaberg to Agnus Waters road and just 10km before Agnus swing a left at the National Park sign. Before getting carried away, if you need supplies Agnus Waters has a pretty good range of shops where you can top up with food, fuel and bait, there's multiple coffee shops and so much more.
Walking around town it’s filled with a cultural mix of islanders, backpackers, retirees and of course the grey hair nomads who spend time up here soaking up the Queensland tropical sun exploring this stunning area.
Before heading into the park you need to book online as there are only 17 camping sites. Phone coverage is ok at the park if you decide to go and check it out first tho.
The first 10 km of the road in is totally unsealed and normally maintained by the shire, but once you head past the NP sign it’s unmaintained all the way to camp. Driving the last distance to camp is a beautiful and interesting drive as you twist through a mixture of gum forest, a dry rainforest mix and finally weave though stunning pockets of cabbage tree palms that line the road and seem to reach out and brush along the car as the sun leaches through the massive fronds.
Mid way along the national park road, one of the park highlights is the Ganoonga Nnoonga lookout track. An easy 30 minute walk to a 60 metre high lookout you’ll have stunning vista views across the lower heathlands and up the mountains. Back on the road into camp it soon turns to a sandy base but most modern 4wds will have no problem getting through.
The road is narrow most of the way along but as we found out there are plenty of pull over areas to pass. Arriving at camp there are no set numbers so as long as you’ve booked in you’ll have a spot.
All the camps have a decent fire ring so you can have a fire ( just bring your own wood ) and with composting toots, a huge sheltered eating area plus water tanks with fresh water available it’s a great place to make camp.
This is beachside camping at its best with most camps having their own walking track onto the beach and they range from 200 down to a measly 80 steps ( yep we counted them ) to the open beach which is just perfect for the fisherman or the beach comber. With a mix of tall coastal palms and Pandana’s, beautiful gums and other rich rainforest trees all the camps have plenty of shade to stay cool in that summer time blaze of heat.
After setting up camp, we found the next step was to stop everything, kick the shoes off to feel the sand between your toes, leave the car and just to enjoy the serenity of the area, listening to the ocean waves crash onto the shore and wildlife above.
Not much happens at Eurimbula if you're not into nature or the ocean life, but if you are make sure you bring a kayak or a SUP to explore the creek and across the other side at Bustard beach. Fishing either Eurimbula Creek nearby or out the front in the ocean will nearly guarantee you of a feed wether it be heathy Bream, flathead or something bigger off the beach.
Due to the proximity of the Great Barrier Reef offshore, just remember its a marine park and there are strict guidelines on fish sizes and collection of shells and other marine life. While we only saw a few small creatures around camp - bush turkeys, echidna’s, cane toads and an array of birds it's reported that there are coastal emus around that frequent the beach.
AGNUS WATERS & 1770
If you're keen to get away from camp for the day why not head back in the Agnus Waters area to touch base with society, grab a coffee and then head out to 1770. Now while it may seem like ‘just’ an other boutique holiday village it has very significant importance to Australia and Queensland.
Back in May of 1770 Captain James Cook landed nearby at Round Hill. It was the first landing of Cook’s to mainland Queensland and in 1935 after the area was surveyed for a town the name was changed to 1770.
It was here also that Botanist Joseph Banks came ashore and collect 33 new plant species and the only landing in QLD where he collected. It’s easy to spend a day at 1770 where you can view the stone monument that was put in place where Cook proclaimed his landing back in the day, from here there's a stunning coastal walk along Round Hill Creek to the headland.
One of the highlights along the way is the deep gully of pristine palms that create its own eco-system where at the right time of the year masses of butterflies congregate to mate and finally die within the area, a weird cycle I know !
All along the walk there are stunning views all up the coast toward Bustard head and the lighthouse, which was named by Cook also when they landed and shot a Bustard Turkey for food. At the end of the Round Hill walk the viewing platform gives 180’ un-relentless views along the coast line and out to the Coral Sea.
Each year in May the town holds a re-enactment of Cooks landing for historical and community celebrations. Nearby, an anchor of the Countess Russell sailing ship has been set as a monument to those who died after it ran around south of Agnus Waters back in 1873.
Story goes that the ship set sail from London with nearly 350 immigrants but by the time it reached Australia 17 people had died, then an outbreak of typhoid hit the ship with another 8 deaths. After the final passengers disembarked the Countess Russell loaded coal in Newcastle ( NSW ) destined for trade and on its way north it ran around after being hit by a huge gale at the now named Wreck Point to the south of Agnus Waters.
Now while the area may seem to have near no 4wd activities it is a place to explore and to get back to nature with coastal camping and easy recreational activities. There are other National parks within the area where you can discover little hidden beaches, stunning groves of Xanthorrhoea trees and old Cotton Palms. Eurimbula NP is one of those hidden gems that we will come back to and is now one of our favourite beach camping destinations.
Eurimbula National Park is located just over 400 km north of Brisbane near the stunning coastline of Agnus Waters and 1770. It’s a place of natural beauty, a place where you can just stop and unwind for while. Getting back to nature never really hurt anyone yet here at Eurimbula you won’t find better. #woolgoolgaoffroad
