Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Last spring we visited the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. This was after attending a food fair in a suburb a few minutes to the east. After our pleasant stroll through the gardens we stopped for a cuppa and picnic in Botanic Park. This open public area is between the gardens and the Adelaide Zoo.

Botanic Park is popular with families having picnics, for playing simple games with children and generally having a relaxing time. Throughout the year some major festivals utilise the area for displays, musical presentations and even drama. Today I share some lovely photos taken while we were have our picnic.

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia

Australia Day 2010

Manly Beach, Sydney

Manly Beach, Sydney

Today is Australia Day, celebrating the day on which the first European settlers arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788.

Australians love a public holiday, and especially this one being in the middle of summer. Many people gather with family and friends and have barbecues, picnics, visits to the beach or attend major sporting events.

Near Mrs Macquaries Chair, Sydney Harbour

Near Mrs Macquaries Chair, Sydney Harbour

With the vast majority of Australians living near the coast, water activities are on the agenda for people. Swimming, sailing, surfing, fishing, canoeing and other water sports are all very popular.

Picnic at Swanport Reserve, Murray Bridge

Picnic at Swanport Reserve, Murray Bridge

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

As we travelled south that afternoon we passed through many lovely areas and some beautiful towns.  This part of the journey was new territory to us. We had seen the coast further south west in Victoria and to the north in NSW, but had never visited the stretch of coastline between Bermagui and Mallacoota.

Superb Fairy-wren, Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Superb Fairy-wren, Eden, south coast of New South Wales

When it came time for afternoon tea we aimed for the lovely town of Eden. We drove down to the bay and found a suitable picnic seat overlooking the magnificent bay. The beach was quite crowded with people from the caravan park walking distance away. It was  a very relaxing break from driving.

While we had our cuppa a family of Superb Fairy-wrens decided to join us. The male put on quite a show for us in the nearby bushes, posing nicely for my camera.

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Eden, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

While we were having a morning tea break at Mystery Bay picnic area, I managed to get a few lovely photos of the coastline and some of the flowers growing in the Eurobodalla National Park.

Banksia seed cones, Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Banksia seed cones, Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Flowers, Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Flowers, Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

When we travel we often watch out for local bakeries to visit. It’s an indulgence of ours – and a lot of other people I know.

To be fair we did need to get some fresh bread to make sandwiches for our lunch later in the day. We found a suitable bakery in one of the towns we passed through on our journey south along the south coast of New South Wales.

A little further on we pulled off the main road into the picnic area at Mystery Bay. This is a part of the Eurobodalla National Park. It was a lovely sojourn while we enjoyed a cup of tea and the delights of the bakery.

Morning tea at Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Morning tea at Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales

Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales