Here's some of my favourite picnic spots around Brisbane. Where are yours?
Roma Street Parklands
Mount Tamborine
Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Mary Cairncross Reserve, Sunshine Coast Hinterland
Mt Glorious
Make your Christmas picnic a little more special than the norm with some extra effort to coordinate your picnic wares and theme your picnic spread.
Here's 10 top tips from David Jones for organising the perfect picnic this festive season.
1. Prepare just a few things and do them well. To ease up on the cooking visit your local deli or check the gourmet section in David Jones and top up with a few goodies like olives, beautiful cheese and crackers.
2. For the ideal Christmas Picnic take a Christmas ham or roast turkey, accompany it with some salad, mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, stuffing and delicious fresh bread and let everyone make their own Christmas sandwich.
3. Put small bottles of water or juice in the freezer for a few hours. These can then double-up as chiller-blocks to keep food cool and when you reach your picnic spot, the drinks will still be cold.
4. Choose foods to serve all at the same time. The fun of a picnic is to spread all the food on the blanket and let everyone laze around, helping themselves. Pack plenty of fabulous picnic ware to add extra style.
5. Celebrate Christmas with some sparkling wine or champagne and if you are going to serve a decent wine then it seems a waste to serve in plastic glasses. Take some real glasses with holders that stick into the ground.
6. If you don’t have a rubber based picnic rug put a plastic drop sheet under your blanket to avoid damp areas. Or if you are picnicking near a beach don’t forget your beach towels.
7. Take a quality cane picnic basket to add elegance to your picnic or opt for practical cool boxes and bags to keep food fresh in the summer heat.
8. Take plastic bags with you, one for rubbish and one for dirty plates and utensils.
9. A picnic wouldn’t be complete without some outdoor fun, so pack the football, frisby or boules.
10. And don’t’ forget these picnic essentials….insect repellent, sun tan lotion, bottle opener, napkins and cutlery and matches if you plan to bbq.
Great list Kerry. I love picnics. We have a basket that contains all the essentials for a picnic packed and ready to go when the mood strikes. Glasses, good plastic plates, cutlery,board and knife. Just add food. I keep a plastic Ikea shower curtain in the basket. Perfect as a tablecloth or under rug if ground damp. One of my fave spots is Kangaroo Point cliff top. Especially good for a night picnic or pre dinner drinks and nibbles before heading to a restaurant.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Barbara. Love the idea of pre dinner nibbles on the cliff top and the Ikea shower curtain is a great trick. I can feel a shopping trip to Ikea coming on.
ReplyDeleteBest picnic places for me,close to home: Noosaville foreshore, Gympie Tce., Noosaville. Barbies, swings, big shady trees. A trail of white sand beside the Noosa river leads you into a positive state of mind. It's a busy place with a good vibe from all the folk in varying degrees of chillation.
ReplyDeleteMaroochydore botanic gardens at Tanawha. Australian bush regenerated and loved by locals.
A shadowy billabong, extraordinary sculpture garden, exquisite ecco centre. Picnic tables and kookaburras. Nature's gentle respite centre.
Oh dear....as a Noosan, must include Cooroy Botanic gardens on lake Macdonald. Starting out life as a dump, this garden of paradise was transformed through the energy of the late and great Ida Duncan and husband Jim. Think, tranquil, lush and languid. Picnic, meditate and chill. It's a great place.
Wow! I've never been to either of the botanical gardens. Must put them on my list - they sound wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with the botanic gardens at Cooroy. My little sister had her wedding there and it really is gorgeous and lush.
ReplyDeleteI would have to add anywhere around Mount Mee to my fav locations. Mainly because I live there but also because you can pull up on one of the back roads and have an amazing view and peace and quiet. Then if the weather turns bad you can always duck into Birches restaurant lol
Great list. Hope I can get out and have a picnic one day over the next few I have off.
You are so right about Mt Mee- it's a beautiful area. We often head through there on motor bike rides.
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