Salt + Sea nd

Heads to the Southern Great Barrier Reef for a long weekend of adventure.

Picture this: you’re sitting next to your kayak on a secluded beach, wine in one hand and fresh popcorn in the other (lovingly grown and popped by your tour guide), enjoying the sunset as dolphins frolic just o shore. Sounds idyllic, right?

With camping, fishing, surfing, swimming and hiking on o er, not to mention the amazing Southern Great Barrier Reef at your doorstep, the Gladstone region in Queensland is a big playground for outdoor-loving families. Here’s what went down on my latest visit.

Home sweet home

We base ourselves at Agnes Water, arguably the jewel in this region’s crown. ‘Aggy’, as regulars like to call it, boasts the most northerly surf beach on Australia’s East Coast. It’s a sheltered point break and also a cracking spot to set up with the family to swim and relax the day away. Right on the beachfront is a caravan park and a short walk away is a variety of cafes and shops (with plenty of souvenirs).

After lunch at Agnes Water Tavern, which serves a mean chicken ‘parmy’, we venture to the Insta-worthy ‘paperbark walk’. It’s an easy stroll along a boardwalk and stepping stones through a wetland of paperbark trees, and a unique way to experience what would otherwise be inaccessible. Plus, the kids love it.

Island time

A short drive lands us at the marina in the town of 1770, named after Captain Cook who stopped here that year. We’re heading to Lady Musgrave Island, and the trip flies by as we’re entertained by a charismatic cruise master known as ‘Sugar’. The lagoon that surrounds the island o ers a family friendly snorkelling spot, and all gear is provided.

I don my mask and snorkel and set o to explore the coral gardens. I discover a plethora of colourful fish, clams, starfish, and even a turtle. After more than an hour in the water, I enjoy a quick bite to eat before boarding a glass-bottom boat that ferries me to the island for a tour.

Lady Musgrave is relatively untouched, with only 40 campsites and some eco-style toilets, and, at only 500 metres long, it’s an easy wander through the island's forest.

Back on the boat, we get up close to the reef, with running commentary from our skipper Baz. Later, sunset cocktails and dinner rounds out the day nicely.

Fun fact: the islands in this region grow 80 per cent of the world’s population of Pisonia trees. These trees not only provide nesting sites for hooded noddies, but also shelter for burrowing mutton birds and flightless bu -banded rails.

What the Larc?

A ‘LARC’ is a US Army amphibious truck/ boat and I jump aboard one for a sunset tour. It’s the weirdest thing driving a truck into the ocean, and after a quick cruise in ‘boat mode’, we exit the river on the opposite side and drive further to explore the coastline (in truck mode). During the 1770 LARC! Tours adventure, we spot a pair