Agnes Water

I haven't dedicated a blog post to once specific place in a country since Pai in Thailand, but I have to give this amazing place up Australia's East Coast a special mention. Agnes Water is a quiet, relaxed place in Queensland. It's not a party place. It's very small, the main town centre consisting of one small row of shops, one cafe, one supermarket and a handful of restaurants. Life moves at a slow pace; nothing is rushed. The wifi is intermittent and phone signal is non-exsistant, which is a blessing or a curse depending on what kind of traveller you are. There are some beautiful picturesque spots to seek out, an abundance of surfers and a lot of sunbleached blonde kids skateboarding barefoot around the streets. It's how I imagined the majority of Australia to be away from the bustling cities and vast expanse of the outback. 

So what is there to do in such a small, quiet town? There's actually a lot to explore and see here despite it being so quiet. Agnes has the cheapest surf lessons along the East Coast at only $17 for a 3 hour lesson. The beach is beautiful and comes without the crowds. The Scooteroo day tour is pretty popular and provides you with an opportunity to ride bikes through the town of 1770 in the full authentic biker get-up, leather jackets with flame motif included. 

However, my visit to the Kangaroo Sanctuary here was by far my biggest highlight. It's ran by a guy who rescues young kangaroos from mothers who have been hit on the road by cars. He's really passionate about what he does and will tell you a lot about kangaroos, how they eat, how they impact and contribute to the environment and how they reproduce and look after their young (a female Kangaroo can suspend her pregnancy for up to 12 months - insane!) The kangaroos are very gentle - natured and comfortable around people. You really get to interact with them, feed them and stroke them and they'll come right over to you and nudge you for food.

It was amazing to see the kangaroos relaxed and happy in their environment. I love animal sanctuaries and I really believe they are the best way to see animals and support their care. Despite being very well cared for and having a lot of space, the kangaroos at Australia Zoo were understandably very indifferent to interaction as they see an average of around 5,000 people a day. They are also highly tolerant as some of the younger children can approach them a little boisterously and be heavy - handed when they pet them. There was a subtle but definate difference in their behaviour that I really picked up on.

The sanctuary visit really touched me and it was one of those rare travel moments that reminds you why you wanted to travel in the first place. It's easy to become complacent whilst travelling long-term as travelling quickly becomes a lifestyle that you adjust to and like any lifestyle it has its pros and cons. It's easy to lose your way when you are stuck in once place and forget your purpose, but once you leave you're able to gain perspective again. 

Most people skip Agnes Water to head straight to Airlie Beach. I hope my post inspires you to make time for this beautiful part of Queensland! It really surprised me and I loved my time here.