In 1770, famed botanist Sir Joseph Banks observed Burleigh Heads from the deck of the Endeavor. What he witnessed were the first inhabitants of the area, The Gombemberri Tribe or ‘salt water people’, who are believed to have lived in the area for thousands of years. The Europeans later settled Burleigh as a quiet fishing village but it was passing tourists from the early 1900s, which first encouraged the early development of restaurants and guesthouses. The sleepy town quickly progressed in popularity when land was sold off to fund World War I. Nowadays locals and visitors flock to Burleigh Hill, the perfect spot for lazy Sunday picnics, watching scores of surfers tackle the famous point break and leisurely strolls through the rain forest. Surrounded by the recognizable Norfolk Pines planted in 1934, The Esplanade is, more often than not, populated with dog walkers, an abundance of exercising locals and a seagull or two.