Australia Day 2010
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
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
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
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
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
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
3 Comments »21st September, 2009; Category: Beaches, Holidays, National Parks, New South Wales, Picnics
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
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
Mystery Bay, south coast of New South Wales
Bateman’s Bay, New South Wales
Batemans Bay, south coast of New South Wales
We only stayed the one afternoon and evening in the lovely seaside town of Bateman’s Bay on the south coast of New South Wales. I would like to come back here sometime in the future and spend a week or so exploring not only the town but the hinterland as well. On the drive down the escarpment from Canberra we passed through some truly spectacular mountain country. this needs further exploring. We briefly gathered a few materials from the well stocked Visitor Centre. this indicates several major national parks and other natural features in the immediate district.
The photo below shows my wife (on the left) and my daughter having afternoon tea in one of the parks. They were debated the relative merits of a book they had both just read. I forget the title.
Meanwhile, I stretched out on the grass near the beach letting the gentle sea breeze waft over me. I was so inspired I pulled out my notebook – normally reserved for making lists of the birds I see – and wrote three poems.
Life doesn’t get much better than that.
My wife and daughter enjoying afternoon tea at Batemans Bay