📍Clifftops, Coastlines & National Parks: 5 Epic Lookouts In Agnes Water, QLD Not To Miss! (2025.)
WANT TO DISCOVER THE BEST AGNES WATER LOOKOUTS, VIEWPOINTS AND SCENIC SPOTS?
Halfway between Bundaberg, the Rum Capital Of Australia, and Gladstone, Queensland’s largest multi-commodity shipping port lies Agnes Water, a breathtaking coastal town that perfectly captures the quintessential laid-back Aussie lifestyle, thanks to its relaxed atmosphere and warm weather, making it an unmissable slice of heavenly paradise along the Sunshine State’s spectacular Central Queensland coastline.
But where it truly comes into its own is not just with its long pristine beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see but with its surprisingly rugged headlands and sea cliffs that hide picturesque coves that lie right on its doorstep, making it one of the breathtaking coastal towns in the state. And there’s no better way to appreciate its spectacular seascapes than from some of the many Agnes Water Lookouts there are to discover.
From the easily accessible Discovery Trail Lookout to the scenic Red Rock hiking trail, here are the best vantage points that took my breath away during my 5-week visit to the greater Gladstone region.
To read about the views of the spectacular seascapes of Agnes Water’s closely associated neighbour of 1770, click here.
👉 My top 3 picks for the best lookouts in Agnes Water:
- Discovery Trail Lookout.
- Red Rock Walking Track.
- Wave Lookout, Joseph Banks Conservation Park.
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1. Discovery Trail Lookout.
For a place right in the township, no lookout in Agnes Water slays as epically as the one at the end of the Discovery Trail. Located in the woodlands behind the Visitor Information Centre, it’s only a short, gentle walk up the hill to reach the fenced platform and open walkway with views so epic it made my jaw drop.
Close by, the gorgeous steep rocky ridgeline down to the ocean is only made even more beautiful by a stunning inaccessible cove that sits at the base of it. Meanwhile, the view further south reveals rugged headlands and secluded beaches and the long peninsula-like arm of the historically significant Bustard Headland at neighbouring 1770, making it one of the most gorgeous places in this iconic coastal destination to visit to appreciate its breathtaking coastal beauty.
This location is also ideal for watching the sunrise over the ocean and seeing if playful dolphins are hanging around in the water year-round or majestic whales swimming past during their annual migration up and down the east coast of Australia.
- Type Of Lookout: Fenced platform & natural ridgeline.
- View: Seascapes and beaches.
- Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise.
- Best For: Landscape, long shutter, marine animals and birds of prey.
2. Red Rock Walking Trail.
For the most immersive way to absorb the town’s revered natural attractions, atmosphere and seascapes, one of Agnes Water’s best things to do is hike the 6km return Red Rock Walking Trail.
Starting from opposite the acclaimed Paperbark Forest Trail on Springs Road if you have a conventional vehicle, or 500m down the rough road with a 4WD, the 6km return walk starts out going down a boardwalk through dune vegetation to reach Springs Beach, which you follow to its southern end.
A vertical wooden sign invites you back up into the headland, and from there the scenery on out, you pass through spectacularly rugged headlands and gorgeous secluded coves that showcase why this place is one of Queensland’s most beloved coastal towns to get away from it all from its several incredible natural vantage points.
The first headland is particularly breathtaking, with the narrow inlet allowing waves to roll their way further in and crash in the middle, surrounded by the gorgeous reddish rocks that give this trail its name, while the first cove was another of my favourite sections that made me feel like I had just found paradise.
- Type Of Lookout: Hiking trail and headlands.
- View: Secluded headlands and hidden coves.
- Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise.
- Best For: Hiking and photography.
Note: The Paperbark Forest Trail has been closed for a while now, unfortunately.
Joseph Banks Conservation Park.
There’s no place quite like Joseph Banks Conservation Park that cements Agnes Water and its closely associated neighbour, Seventeen Seventy, as two of the state’s best coastal towns. And it’s not just for its historical significance being the first place Captain Cook set foot on what would become Queensland soil back in, you guessed it, 1770!
It’s also because this narrow north-south facing peninsula that extends out in the Coral Sea is a spectacular rugged headland that is jam-packed with breathtaking cliffs and coves that offer many incredible locations for watching and photographing the sunrise and sunset and opportunities to spot marine wildlife hanging out around in the ocean nearby.
3. Bustard Bay Lookout.
The best thing about Joseph Banks Conservation Park is how close and accessible everything is. And to get to the very tip of the peninsula which makes you feel like you’re standing at the end of the world, it’s only a short 500m walk from the car park to reach the fenced in boardwalk of Bustard Bay Lookout, which is especially perfect for landscape photographers to capture the sunrising over ocean next to breathtakingly rugged sea cliffs or the seeing the sun setting over the wild coastal plains of Eurimbula National Park.
It’s also a great place to bring the binoculars as it provides excellent opportunities to see pods of dolphins jumping out of the water year-round or majestic humpback whales performing surface behaviours in the distance during their annual winter migration up and down the east coast of Australia.
- Type Of Lookout: Boardwalk platform.
- View: Tip of Bustard Bay, rocky headlands, sea cliffs.
- Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise.
- Best For: Seascape and slow shutter photographer. Dolphin and whale watching.
👉 Quick Guide To Agnes Water/1770:
- 🚗 Getting Around: Renting a car is the best & most convenient.
- 🌄 Must-Do Activities: Watch the sunset from the Discovery Trail Lookout, explore Joseph Banks Conservation Park, go on a LARC Full Day Paradise Tour & visit Lady Elliot Island.
- 🏠 Best Hotel: 1770 Getaway Villas.
4. Wave Lookout.
An even shorter distance directly east of the car park, Wave Lookout delivers an even bigger visual punch. Overlooking a gorgeous ocean-facing cove surrounded by rugged rocks nearby, it is one of the best lookouts in Agnes Water and 1770, but also the greater Gladstone region.
This makes it a spectacular place to watch the sunrise and take slow shutter shots of the waves crashing on the rocks and lapping at the small golden sandy beaches, or be a scenic backdrop to a romantic engagement photoshoot.
- Type Of Lookout: Fenced platform.
- View: Picturesque cove and rocky headland.
- Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise or sunset.
- Best For: Seascape, slow shutter & romantic photoshoots.
Eurimbula National Park.
Occupying a huge 125km2 of real estate between Round Hill Creek and Middle Island, Eurimbula National Park is a pristine expanse of untamed wilderness that provides the perfect opportunity for coastal exploration by 4WD or boat, where visiting its gorgeous long beaches and stunning creeks that are fantastic for swimming, kayaking, sightseeing, wildlife spotting, camping and stargazing.
5. Ganoonga Noonga Lookout.
While Eurimbula National Park is only 4WD and boat accessible, there is one place that you can get to with cautious driving in a conventional vehicle. And that is the Ganoonga Noonga Lookout. The car park is located 7km from the national park’s only entrance along Round Hill Road. Then, it’s a short but moderate 720m climb to this stunning natural viewpoint.
From the 60m elevation, lies stunning views of the panoramic eastward-facing views overlooking the unspoilt coastal lowlands, with Munro Range Bray Hills and Bustard Bay rounding out the background, making it the only lookout near Agnes Water that switches emphasis to showcase the vegetation of the mainland and not rugged or sandy shorelines that the others reveal, giving visitors a different perspective of this visually spectacular part of Queensland.
- Type Of Lookout: Hike/ Natural viewpoint.
- View: Coastal lowlands.
- Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise or sunset.
- Best For: Landscape photography.
Agnes Water Lookouts Map.
Conclusion: Best Lookouts In Agnes Water.
With its epic coastal scenery, rugged cliffs, and lookout spots that showcase why this town is such a revered Queensland destination, the lookouts in Agnes Water are the perfect places to visit to kick off or cap off the day!
