The sun is shining on another glorious mild day in the Sun Country. It’s picnic time!
Aside from friends and family, and a long afternoon, you only need two things to make the perfect picnic: great food and drinks, and the perfect outdoor location. Here in the Sun Country, we’ve got ample choice on both counts. So gather your favourite people, pick a date, and enjoy a fun and relaxing day together.
If you’re in our region for a few days or longer, why not make the picnic shopping an event in its own right? Take a day to explore the Murray Farm Gate Trail and you will find an edible bounty of cheeses, wines, liqueurs, olive oils, beef, garlic, preserves, fresh fruit and veggies all waiting to be sampled.
Stock up on picnic supplies from any of our 21 farm-gate providers, including Kewstoke Olive Estate, How Now Dairy, Monichino Wines, Rich Glen Providore and Zankers Farm. Spring sees citrus fruits, berries, olives and a huge variety of vegies and other produce in season.
Download the Murray Farm Gate Trail brochure, and shop the day before your picnic.
An easy, one-stop way to purchase the best and freshest food for your picnic is at one of our farmers’ markets. Almost any Saturday or Sunday of the month there’s a country market within easy driving distance. Check out the lovely Cobram Lions Club Market on the last Saturday of the month from 8:00am to 1:00pm, as well as the Tocumwal Foreshore Market in spring on 24 September (AFL Grand Final day), 29 October and 19 November.
When stocking up, it’s also easy just to hit the main streets of our region’s towns. There are plenty of bakeries and fresh food stores, and even our supermarkets stock some of our best local produce. SO whether you’re in Finlay, Cobram, Yarrawonga, Berrigan, Tocumwal or any of the lovely towns of the Sun Country, you can pack a picnic basket to rival the best ever!
The list of picnic spots in our region is as endless as the open horizon. On warmer days, set up in the shade of a River Red Gum (voted Australia’s Favourite Tree in August 2022!). Find a spot in a riverside park in one of our border towns, or go off the beaten path and explore our national and state parks and forests. With spectacular locations along the Murray River and the Broken Creek, you’ll have no problem finding a quiet spot that suits you.
If you have kids, there are plenty of picnic areas with play equipment in our towns and villages, and there’s also the fun of a splash at one of our many open, sandy river beaches. Thompson’s Beach captures the headlines, but there are dozens of options around Cobram.
Whether it’s a picnic ground in a state park or a sandy beach location, check ahead with our Visitor Information Centres about locations that provide free public barbecues; there are plenty of well-equipped picnic areas right across our region.
Top picnic spots
Here’s our pick of the Top 10 spots to unfurl your picnic blanket, in no particular order:
Take advantage of the warmer weather, the blue skies and the best food, drink and scenery. Plan a short break to the Sun Country and enjoy a memorable picnic in this classic Australian environment.
