Agnes Water is home to the Miriam Vale Shire Museum.

The Museum is a non-profit making, volunteer organisation whose members are proud of the breadth of the collection and the manner in which it is displayed. Visitors speak enthusiastically about their visit. The Museum is divided into three main areas.

Firstly we have concentrated on our rich maritime history. Lieutenant James Cook and the Endeavour landed for the second time on Australian soil at Town of Seventeen-Seventy on 23 May 1770, less than a month after landing for the first time on Australian shores at Botany Bay. In the Museum we celebrate Cook’s landing with an interesting display. Our display includes copies of James Cook’s personal journal in his own handwriting and his charts of the area; copies of some of the crew’s journal entries about their stay in this area; interesting information on HMS Bark Endeavour and the life of those on board; and information on the fascinating life of James Cook the brilliant navigator, chart maker and ship’s captain.

We also have an extensive photographic display of plants found by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, the botanists on board Endeavour. Further displays in this area include charts drawn by the navigator Matthew Flinders on his trip along the Discovery Coast; the original telescope and other brass objects plus a photographic collection from the Bustard Head Lighthouse, the first lighthouse on the Queensland coast; original pastel portraits of James Cook, Joseph Banks and the first lighthouse keeper by local artist Eddie Homer; and a marine chart detailing the ship wrecks which have occurred in the region. This is just some of the interesting items you will find in the maritime area of the Museum.

Another area is dedicated to the settlers on the Discovery Coast. We have collected many photographs and memorabilia from past and present residents of the different regions which make up the Miriam Vale Shire – they are Miriam Vale, Bororen, Turkey Beach, Rosedale, Baffle Creek, Agnes Water and Town of Seventeen-Seventy. Our third area is housed in the original museum which is a timber shack close to the main building. Here we have a large display of household necessities and tools from the past. For example there are three cane prams, a cane bassinet, a wooden highchair and stroller, a hand worked washing machine, a timber ironing board, an iron wood stove, a gas fridge, the original petrol pump from Agnes Water, a china doll collection, a collection of sporting equipment from yesteryear, plus many other items of interest. A lot of our collection came from Arthur Jeffery who was born in Miriam Vale and was the brother of Tom Jeffery who bought the Agnes Water grazing lease in 1946. Arthur lived a lot of his life calling the Discovery Coast home and he was an avid and intelligent collector and history buff. Our Museum and the people of Australia owe him a great debt of gratitude for his fore thought in collecting such a range of items and information.

Our Museum is open every day but Tuesday from 1 to 4pm and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm. We have an entry charge of $2 for adults and children are free.