Picnicking and Partying

Happy Holiday Times

“Remember when families used to pile into the car on a Sunday and take off on an adventure? Dad would pull up beside a creek, you’d pile out of the car ready for a swim and Mum would set up the picnic blanket in readiness for a feast under a shady tree. Often grandparents and other members of the extended family would come along too and join in. Dad would light up his portable wood fire barbie and portable tables and fold-up chairs would be unpacked for the “oldies” and picnic baskets would be produced.

Those picnics were a real family occasion with the kids swimming and running around while the adults sat around with a cup of tea talking about 'grown-up' stuff.” (extract from “Australia Remember When” May 23 2019)

But what of picnics in the past?

Proserpine Museum’s photographic archives contain numerous delightful old photos of picnics held in the district in the past such as the one featured here of a riding party in 1927. These were quite common in the day. The group in this photograph had ridden out Goorganga way and stopped for a picnic. A pre-arranged group arrived in their car with the picnic goodies. Watermelon was on the menu, so it is believed that this photo was taken around Christmas time as, in the past, watermelon was available only at that time of year
Picnic sporting days were also a popular feature on the local calendar. Conway Beach outings were well attended with the actual journey being an adventure in itself. People travelled from the old wharf, (the Landing at Glen Isla) overland on horseback, by sulky or buggy or by the sugar loco as far as Saltwater Creek. Here they boarded boats and went right up to the beach front. The program consisted of foot races, horse racing, aquatic sports, pedestrian events.

With no bitumen on the road, the journey to the popular Boxing Day picnic at Cannonvale (then called Cannon Valley) was long and dusty. The dust hung in the air and covered the trees, but this did not deter eager locals and hundreds of people made their way there annually.
Picnics by the local rivers were also popular. The Proserpine River, along with such places as the O’Connell, Gregory and Andromache Rivers, were frequented by many families on weekends.

Fast forward to the second half of the 20th century …

Families would head off to the local beaches which, by this time, were far more easily accessible. Facebook features many stories of childhood reminiscences of family picnics. “Sunday routine for us was Sunday School then home to get changed and off to Cannonvale. There was a shelter shed with power points so Mum would cook a Sunday roast lunch in the electric frypan while we played on the beach. Occasionally, we would go on a picnic somewhere on the Gregory River. We used to pile into the tray part of my Pop’s tilly – no seatbelts. (Robyn Moore)

Despite changes in the 21st century, people still seek popular places to relax with family, connect with friends, and celebrate special events.

Story and photo courtesy of Proserpine Historical Museum.

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