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Agnes Water & 1770 Community News, Seventeen Seventy (2026)

05/11/2026

4WD beach closure rejected

Council officers recommended five-month closure of Lilley’s Beach for 4WDs, and recommended lobbying the State Government for similar closure of Rules Beach.

Four-wheel-drive access to Lilley’s Beach at Boyne Island will continue after Gladstone Regional Council rejected a proposal to close the popular beach to recreational vehicles during the annual turtle nesting season.

The proposal, considered at Council’s general meeting on 3 November, would have prevented vehicles from accessing Lilley’s Beach between 1 November and 31 March, beginning in 2027.

The recommendation came from Council’s environmental officers, who argued that existing management measures were not adequately reducing risks to marine turtle nesting areas, coastal habitats and public safety.

However, the proposed closure proved controversial, with councillors divided over whether a blanket seasonal restriction was justified.

According to the officer report, 2,081 vehicle permits were issued for Lilley’s Beach over the previous 12 months. The beach, which stretches approximately seven kilometres along the Boyne Island coastline, is accessible by four-wheel drive and remains popular.

Permits currently cost $16 for a week or $58 annually.

Council officers acknowledged that beach driving remains a valued recreational activity but said monitoring by Team Turtle CQ had identified impacts from inappropriate vehicle use on turtle nests and nesting habitat.

Existing controls include permits, signage, education campaigns, camera surveillance and compliance patrols. The report said that these measures were not enough to adequately protect the environment, particularly during turtle nesting season.

The report separately recommended that Council approach the Queensland Government about reviewing management arrangements and regulatory controls at Rules Beach near Baffle Creek.

Unlike Lilley’s Beach, Rules Beach is state-managed land, meaning Gladstone Regional Council cannot simply introduce the same restrictions through its own local permit arrangements. Council officers recommended advocating to the Queensland Government for a review of the management arrangements and regulatory controls applying to Rules Beach.

The proposed closure was defeated, with councillors opting to maintain existing access arrangements while seeking further investigation into less restrictive alternatives. The decision means there will be no seasonal closure under the proposal put forward by officers.

However, the environmental concerns identified in the report have not disappeared. Marine turtles continue to nest along Lilley’s Beach between November and March, and volunteers from Team Turtle CQ monitor nesting activity during the season.

For residents around Agnes Water, 1770 and Baffle Creek, the separate Rules Beach recommendation is worth watching.

04/11/2026

Proposed Airbnb rules fail to address local gaps

If a holiday let next door keeps you awake at midnight, Gladstone Regional Council's advice is to phone the host or the police. In Agnes, 1770, Captain Creek, Deepwater, Rules Beach, or Baffle Creek, we have no permanent police presence after hours.

That is the problem at the centre of Council's proposed Tourism Major Amendment. It would let many homes operate as short-term accommodation without a development application, provided the owner themselves decides they meet a list of requirements.

I support sensible tourism, and holiday lets are an important part of our local economy. But rules need to work where they will be felt most, and these do not fit our circumstances.

Data suggests around 75% of the region's Airbnb listings are in Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy and nearby southern areas. This shows where the impact is likely to fall. Not Gladstone, but here, where you live.

In my submission to Council, I pointed out that our police station closes at 3 pm, there is no permanent local laws officer in town, and Council offices close at 5 pm. I asked for a nominated after-hours contact who could respond to genuine problems.

Council's report records that request, including the words "given the limited local services in Agnes Water and 1770". Its reply was to require a small sign with the host's name and phone number. If problems arise after hours, Council recommends contacting the Queensland Police, saying this is "no different to any other civil matter". It does not say who would respond here, or how quickly.

A sign is a start, but nothing requires anyone to answer the phone or fix the problem. By the time someone can complain during business hours, the guests may be gone, you’ve had a s**t night, and we get to do it all over again when the next guest moves in.

Noosa Council recognised this problem, and implemented a 24-hour complaints hotline, and a nominated contact person must respond within 30 minutes. Its local law also allows Council to suspend or cancel approvals if owners don’t address the complaint in a timely manner.

A review of Noosa’s rules reported that 97% of hotline calls that year received a response within the required time, and complaints fell from 592 in 2023 to 266 in 2024. I was not the only person to point to Noosa, Discovery Coast Tourism and Commerce (DCTC) also raised its local contact requirement.

Council says it is not required to keep a register and compares this pathway to home-based businesses. It says its Environmental Health Officers deal with noise, and that it can use notices and fines under the Planning Act where offences are found.

Those powers matter, but they do not give a resident a timely response at midnight. Home-based businesses are also different, because they must be run by a permanent resident. A whole-house holiday let may have nobody living there.

The changes propose a self assessment mechanism for owners looking to short-let their property, which means they would be expected to check these rules themselves, so the rules and Council's explanations need to match. In several places, they do not.

These changes also reinforces a view many in our community already hold: that decisions are made in Gladstone without full consideration of the southern region. An urban house in Agnes Water would face the same short-term letting rules as one in the same zone in Gladstone, even though after-hours services are very different.

Council has sent the amendment to the State. If the Minister approves it, it returns to Council for formal adoption.

I have written to the Mayor and councillors asking them to:

* say who is responsible for after-hours problems here, and what response times residents can expect
* require a contact who is available after hours and must respond within 30 minutes
* create a register, a complaints record for each property and a clear process for repeat problems
* correct the errors in the report and notify the State
* review how the rules are working in Agnes Water and 1770 within 12 months

This is not about stopping tourism or punishing responsible operators. It is about giving residents a real answer when something goes wrong.

If this matters to you, contact the Mayor and councillors now and share your experience. Council has made the rules for the whole region, so it should also explain how they will work here.

04/11/2026

🚁 A new way to experience the Aggie region – and a welcome boost for local tourism.

There’s an interesting new tourism offering for Agnes & 1770, SGBR Helicopters promoting a private helicopter and reef visit that brings visitors into the region for a day in our back yard.

The package combines a scenic flight from Bundaberg to Agnes, including views over the 1770 headland, with a day on the reef arranged through local operators.

The helicopter flights are operated by RaptAir, trading as SGBR Helicopters, using Robinson R44 aircraft. The experience is designed for private groups of two to six guests, with flights and reef arrangements tailored to the group.

Importantly, the reef and boat experience is provided by a local operator, creating an opportunity to bring more visitors into the area and put business through local tourism operators.

Our region has plenty to offer, but attracting visitors is only part of the equation. Finding new ways to connect those visitors with local businesses, accommodation, tours and hospitality is what helps spread the economic benefits throughout the community.

A helicopter arrival followed by a day exploring the reef is certainly a memorable way to see this part of the coast.

For a region that relies heavily on tourism, initiatives that encourage people to visit, stay and spend locally are good news.

A great opportunity to showcase Agnes, 1770, and the southern Great Barrier Reef.

For enquiries and quotes, contact SGBR Helicopters on 0405 792 340.

Image: SGBR

03/11/2026

Agnes Water has the beaches, the reef and the history. But where’s our BIG thing?

The Big Banana, the Big Merino, the Big Mango and the Big Pineapple. Almost every corner of Australia seems to have something oversized to attract passing tourists. So what would Agnes Water and 1770’s big thing look like?

We’ve all seen them. The giant banana at Coffs Harbour, the Big Merino at Goulburn, the Big Mango at Bowen and the Big Pineapple on the Sunshine Coast.

They’re a little bit kitsch, sometimes a little bit ridiculous, but they’ve become part of the Australian road trip experience.

People stop, take a photograph, buy a souvenir and, quite often, tell someone else about it.

So it got me thinking. If Agnes Water & 1770 were to have their own Big Thing, what should it be?

Our coastline, marine life, indigenous history, surfing culture, fishing, maritime history and natural environment all offer possibilities.

What about the Big Turtle? A giant sea turtle sculpture celebrating the marine life and turtle nesting along our coastline.

Or perhaps the Big Humpback Whale, capturing the annual whale migration along the Queensland coast.

For something closer to our beach culture, there’s the Big Surfboard, a giant longboard celebrating Agnes Water’s surf beach and the lifestyle that has attracted people here for generations.

Then there’s the Big Lighthouse, perhaps inspired by the historic Bustard Head Lighthouse, or the Big Endeavour, recognising Captain Cook’s connection with the region in 1770.

We could have a Big Paperbark Tree, a giant sculptural sunset overlooking the ocean, or simply an enormous set of numbers spelling out 1770.

But there’s another possibility that I think deserves some consideration. The Big Stringybark Canoe.

Long before Agnes & 1770 became popular tourist destinations, this was and remains the Country of First Nations people, including the Meerooni and Gooreng Gooreng people.

Their connection to this coastline, waterways and surrounding landscape goes back thousands of years.

In fact, the National Museum of Australia has documented local Gooreng Gooreng knowledge about traditional watercraft made from stringybark trees. In one account, local Elders describe how the bark was removed and fashioned into canoes or dinghies used to travel out towards the reef to fish.

Imagine a large sculptural interpretation of one of these traditional canoes, developed in collaboration with local Traditional Custodians, celebrating that cultural knowledge and connection to Country.

It could be more than just another oversized tourist attraction. It could tell a genuinely local story.

Of course, there’s more to these attractions than simply making something big. The best ones give travellers a reason to stop, provide a photo opportunity and become part of the identity of the place.

They can also give families another reason to visit and encourage people passing through to spend a little more time exploring.

I’m not suggesting we rush out and commission a giant turtle or canoe tomorrow, or that this is something Council has on its agenda.

It’s simply an idea worth throwing out to the community.

We live in a pretty special part of Queensland. We have a coastline many places would envy, a fascinating history and a character all of our own.

Perhaps it’s time we had something a little larger than life to go with it.

So, what do you reckon?

If Agnes Water and 1770 were to have a Big Thing, what should it be?

The Big Turtle? The Big Whale? The Big Surfboard? The Big Stringybark Canoe? Or have we missed something altogether?

Let’s hear your ideas. And don’t be afraid to think big!

03/11/2026

🐝 FANCY LEARNING MORE ABOUT AUSTRALIA’S NATIVE BEES?

If you’ve ever been curious about the little native bees buzzing around our gardens and bushland, here’s a great opportunity to learn more about them.

A local Australian Native Bees Workshop is being held at Captain Creek, giving residents the chance to discover more about these important little pollinators and the role they play in our local environment.

Native bees are an important part of the Australian landscape, helping pollinate garden flowers, native vegetation, fruit trees and vegetable gardens.

Whether you live in town or out in the bush, there’s plenty to learn.

The workshop also welcomes people who already have native bee hives or bee hotels on their properties. It’s an opportunity to share experiences, exchange knowledge and meet others with an interest in native bees.

🐝 Australian Native Bees Workshop
📅 Sunday, 15 November 2026
⏰ 10am – 12 noon
📍 Captain Creek Community Sport & Recreation Club
111 Murphy Road, Captain Creek
💲 $5 per person

BREAKFAST BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

There’s also an invitation to join everyone for a big hot breakfast before the workshop.

🍳 Breakfast served from 9am–10am
💲 $5 per person

The workshop is an initiative of the local TASA group.

Bookings and enquiries:
Contact Lyn Malcolm on 0412 440 295.

Whether you’re an experienced native bee enthusiast or just starting to take an interest, everyone is welcome.

A great chance to learn something new about the little pollinators doing an important job in our own backyard! 🌿🐝

03/11/2026

Is Noosa becoming the new Gold Coast?

Back in 2019, A Current Affair was asking whether Noosa had become too popular. Seven years later, many of the same concerns remain, and the question is whether the town is slowly losing the character that made it special in the first place.

Has the town become a victim of its own success?

Noosa has always had something a little different about it. Beautiful beaches, national parks, a relaxed coastal lifestyle and a township that managed to retain much of its character while becoming one of Queensland’s best-known holiday destinations.

Residents have been voicing their concerns for years. Overcrowding, housing affordability, short-term holiday rentals, traffic and the growing influence of tourism over local life are hardly new issues in Noosa. In fact, they were already being discussed publicly years ago. But despite repeated community concerns, many residents believe the pressures have continued to grow, leaving them questioning whether their town is still being managed with the interests of its permanent population in mind.

For people trying to live and work in the area, the pressures are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Housing is perhaps the biggest issue. Noosa Council’s own housing information paints a concerning picture, with the number of homes rented to permanent residents falling by almost 550 between 2011 and 2021, despite additional housing being built.

The council also reports that median rent for a three-bedroom house increased from $500 to $800 between June 2020 and June 2025.

It’s not just families and young people feeling the squeeze. An ABC report in December 2025 highlighted how police, paramedics and other essential workers were struggling to find somewhere to live in the region.

And then there’s tourism.

Nobody would dispute the importance of tourism to Noosa’s economy. It supports local businesses, provides employment and brings considerable money into the community.

But there is a difference between having a successful tourism industry and having a town that increasingly revolves around its visitors.

Council has invested considerable attention and funding into promoting and managing tourism through Tourism Noosa, while residents continue to raise questions about congestion, parking, public amenity and whether their needs are receiving enough attention.

Council has made some changes, including tighter restrictions on short-term accommodation in residential areas. It reported in January 2026 that almost 200 properties had returned to, or become available for, longer-term accommodation over the previous two years.

But that raises another question. How much pressure does a community have to experience before the balance between residents and visitors becomes a serious problem?

Noosa is also an interesting example because it has its own council, having separated from the former Sunshine Coast Regional Council in 2014 following a community campaign for de-amalgamation.

Residents wanted local decision-making and greater control over their own future. The question now is whether that control is delivering the outcomes the community originally wanted.

There is also an ongoing debate around development, with some proposals attracting strong opposition and planning disputes finding their way into the Planning and Environment Court.

The comparison with the Gold Coast isn’t necessarily about high-rise buildings or population size. It’s about the direction a town takes when tourism, property investment and development begin to influence almost every aspect of community life.

Perhaps Noosa hasn’t become the Gold Coast yet, but is it heading down a similar path? And what does this mean for smaller coastal communities watching from the sidelines?

If Noosa is the next Goldy, who then becomes the next Noosa?

Here in Aggie, we have many of the same ingredients that made Noosa attractive in the first place. Beautiful natural surroundings, a growing visitor economy, limited housing and a lifestyle people are increasingly keen to buy into.

Noosa’s experience should give us something to think about.

Tourism is important, but so are the people who live here all year round, run the local businesses, volunteer in the community and keep essential services operating.

At what point does a town stop being a great place to live and become a great place to visit?

And perhaps more importantly, are we watching that happen in Noosa?

03/11/2026

Is Gladstone finally moving beyond its boom-and-bust reputation?

A proposed $100 million retail development could be another sign that Gladstone’s economy is changing, with potential benefits extending well beyond the city itself.

Gladstone has always been a town of big booms and, at times, some pretty difficult busts, and Agnes has a tendency to follow that trend with our own peaks and troughs.

Gladstone’s fortunes have traditionally been closely tied to heavy industry, major construction projects and the investment that comes with them. When industry is booming, jobs flow, houses sell, businesses prosper and the region enjoys the benefits. But when major projects wind down, the effects can be felt right across the region.

With this cycle in mind, a recent announcement about a proposed $100 million-plus retail development is particularly interesting.

Plans have been unveiled for the Kin Kora Homemaker Centre, a major retail precinct proposed for the existing Gladstone Golf Club site.

Yaralla Sports Club, which owns the golf club, is working with developer Tipalea Partners on the project, with a planning application expected to be lodged with Gladstone Regional Council in December.

The proposal includes around 25,000 square metres of large-format retail space, more than 700 parking spaces and the potential to create 1,200 jobs during construction, followed by around 400 ongoing positions.

For those who don’t know the site, the golf club sits in behind the existing strip mall with the large windmill on the corner of Phillips Street and Dawson Highway,

Gladstone’s traditional industrial economy is going through a period of change. Some major projects have been delayed, shelved or scaled back, and the days of enormous construction workforces cannot be taken for granted.

Yet, despite those challenges, the region has continued to attract investment, property prices have strengthened and there are signs of a broader economic base developing.

A retail development of this scale is quite different from another major industrial project. It isn’t simply about building something and moving on. It’s an investment based on the expectation that people will continue living, working and spending money in the region for years to come.

Of course, one development doesn’t guarantee economic stability, and there are still plenty of challenges ahead for Gladstone. But it does suggest there is confidence in the region’s longer-term future.

For those of us in the Agnes region, Gladstone is an important regional centre. Many residents already travel there for shopping, services and other essentials. More retail choice, particularly in furniture, electrical, hardware and home improvement, could shift our focus from Bundaberg, which is often our first choice for this type of purchase, to Gladstone.

There will also be questions about what happens to the existing golf club, how the development affects other local retailers and whether the projected jobs eventuate. Those are all things worth watching as the proposal progresses.

But perhaps the bigger question is whether Gladstone is gradually moving away from the boom-and-bust cycle that has defined so much of its history. It may be too early to call it a turning point, but developments like this point to that shift.

03/11/2026

Mayor Melon may be signing off, but the message remains

We’re all saddened by the news that the production of satirical character Mayor Melon has come to the end of the road, but, thanks to Bungleberg Studios, we’re left with the knowledge that all of us have our own voice.

The announcement that Bungleberg Studios is suspending production of Mayor Melon indefinitely marks the end of an unusual chapter in community political commentary.

What started as a bit of political satire grew into something much bigger than its creators initially expected, attracting thousands of viewers and sparking conversations around issues that clearly struck a chord with people right across our region.

But as the creators explained in their announcement, keeping the production going has come at a considerable personal cost.

Following a cease-and-desist letter, mounting financial pressures, family illness and the demands of producing the episodes without a regular income, the decision has been made to put family and livelihood first.

It’s difficult to argue with that.

We know all too well that Independent productions and community advocacy takes time, money and an enormous amount of effort. Behind the humour and fictional character is someone putting in countless unpaid hours, often at the expense of their own circumstances.

But while Mayor Melon might be taking an indefinite holiday, perhaps it is worth remembering there was always more to Mayor Melon than the costume, the character and the political jokes.

Satire has a way of getting people to look at things differently. It can take complicated or uncomfortable issues, strip away some of the official language and present them in a way that ordinary people can understand and relate to.

And sometimes, a little humour can get a conversation started that might otherwise never have happened. That is perhaps where Mayor Melon’s greatest contribution lies.

She reminded people that questioning decisions is not the responsibility of a select few. You don’t need to be an elected representative, a political insider, a lawyer or someone with a fancy title to ask questions about decisions affecting your community.

You don’t need a fictional mayor to speak on your behalf, either.

You can attend a council meeting, meet with your elected representatives, ask for information, organise with other residents or simply make your concerns known.

And importantly, you can do it respectfully, independently and without being afraid to ask difficult questions. Community participation should never depend on one person or one production. It is something that belongs to everyone.

The creators themselves made that point in their farewell message, saying they never wanted people to rely on Mayor Melon to speak for them. They wanted people to realise they could speak for themselves.

The suspension of Bungleberg Studios also raises a broader question about the challenges facing independent voices. Creating commentary, satire and community discussion outside established media or political structures is not always easy, particularly when personal finances and legal pressures enter the picture.

So, perhaps this isn’t really the end of Mayor Melon’s story.

The character may disappear from our screens, the costumes may be packed away and the cameras switched off, but the conversations she helped generate don’t have to disappear with her.

If anything, the challenge now belongs to the rest of us.

Keep asking questions. Keep taking an interest. Keep turning up and keep holding decision-makers accountable through the proper channels.

Thank you Bungleberg Studios, thank you Mayor Melon. Your contribution to public discourse has been invaluable.

You can read Bungleberg Studio’s full statement here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122201779010847325&id=61575419762642

03/11/2026

Bird of the Week – Pheasant Coucal

If you've been hearing a distinctive “whoop, whoop, whoop” coming from the long grass or nearby bushland lately, chances are you have a Pheasant Coucal nearby!

These large, ground-dwelling birds are becoming particularly vocal at this time of year, making their presence known with their deep, repetitive calls.

Unlike many cuckoos, Pheasant Coucals don't rely on other birds to raise their young, It builds its own nest, usually tucked away in thick grass, and raises its own chicks. The male does most of the incubating and feeding.

They can be surprisingly difficult to spot despite their size, often preferring to stay hidden in long grass and undergrowth.

So keep an ear out over the coming weeks. You might hear one long before you actually see it!

Have you spotted or heard a Pheasant Coucal around Agnes Water or 1770 lately? Share your sightings in the comments.

Photo: eBird

03/11/2026

NEW DEFIBRILLATOR INSTALLED AT AGNES WATER SURF CLUB

A new piece of lifesaving equipment has been installed at the Agnes Water Surf Life Saving Club, and it’s something that could make a very real difference to someone in our community.

The club has installed a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on the outside wall of its clubhouse, available for use by the wider community in a medical emergency.

It’s powered and ready to go 24 hours a day, with a small fan to help keep the unit cool.

Every year, more than 25,000 Australians suffer a cardiac arrest outside a hospital. Fewer than one in 10 survive. When someone’s heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively, every minute counts. CPR and early access to a defibrillator can dramatically improve their chances of survival.

There are some remarkable examples of what can happen when people act quickly.

In February 2023, Edward Morris collapsed in cardiac arrest on Noosa Main Beach while on holiday with his family.

Nearby volunteer Nippers began CPR, Noosa Surf Club lifeguards rushed to get their defibrillator, and someone called Triple Zero.

Paramedics eventually delivered a total of 16 defibrillator shocks before Edward’s heart started beating again.

He survived and was later reunited with the Queensland Ambulance Service crew who helped save his life.

It’s a powerful example of how having a defibrillator close at hand, combined with quick action from ordinary people, can give someone a second chance.

One of the most important things to understand about an AED is that anyone can use one. You don’t need a first-aid certificate or previous experience. The machine provides spoken instructions and guides you through the process.

If someone collapses and is unconscious and not breathing normally:

1. CALL 000 – Get an ambulance on the way.
2. START CPR – Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest. If possible, continue while someone retrieves the defibrillator.
3. GET THE AED – Open the clubhouse cabinet and bring the unit to the person.
4. TURN IT ON – Follow the spoken instructions.
5. ATTACH THE PADS – Place them on the person’s bare chest as shown in the diagrams.
6. FOLLOW THE PROMPTS – Make sure nobody touches the person when the machine is analysing their heart rhythm or delivering a shock.
7. CONTINUE CPR – Follow the machine’s instructions until paramedics arrive or the person shows signs of recovery.

The machine checks the heart rhythm and will only recommend a shock when one is needed. You cannot accidentally deliver a shock to someone who doesn’t need one.

The Surf Life Saving Club says this was an important initiative for both its clubhouse and the Aggie community.

A big thank you goes to the Beach Safety Equipment Fund, supported by Surf Life Saving Australia and the Australian Government, for funding the new AED.

Thanks also to Discovery Coast Electrical for carrying out the installation.

Let’s hope we never have to use it.

But if the day comes when someone’s life depends on having a defibrillator nearby, it’s good to know Agnes Water has another one ready to go.

Take a moment to familiarise yourself with where it is. You never know when that knowledge might matter.