Easter

At Easter time, many of the Melbourne cookmob went camping for four nights at Yarra Junction.  We camped by the riverbank at the Doon Reserve.  

(click on pictures to see larger size)

 

Doortje and I were first to arrive on Thursday afternoon and set up camp.  Here I am with the job done, tent and "annexe" (for anticipated wet weather) both erected.

Helmy and Perran, Harvey and Theo were next to arrive, and just after the fly was fixed on their tent, there was a sharp shower and then this beautiful rainbow.

We all went to the pub on Thursday night for dinner and the Pleass annexe was left until Friday morning.  Here Daniel, Mason and Harvey are helping Pat do the deed (or giving advice).

 Daniel wasted no time in taking his new kayak for its maiden voyage down the river.

 There were fifteen of us camping and I think we had fifteen bikes.  Here most of us were getting ready for a ride along the rail trail.  Some of us got to Launching Place, some further.

 Millie was the keenest cyclist amongst us.  She rode everywhere in the park, all the time, on her new bike.  I was very proud of her.  She left her helmet on during meals, and quite possibly while she was in bed!

On Saturday, William, Wendy and Jakob joined us, so there were eighteen camping that night, and eighteen for dinner.  William was roped in to help Monika and Mason peel spuds for the evening meal.  There was a whole bag of spuds, or was it two?

 All the kids roasted(?) marshmallows over the fire whenever we let them near it.  Theo and Sullivan, being the youngest, were the most persistent.  Jac was keeping watch over the supplies.

 On Sunday morning, I rang the bell to signal the start of the Easter egg hunt.

It took no time at all for Nara to find one.  The Easter bunny/bilby was obviously quite tall.

Nara, Theo, Millie and Harvey used buckets and baskets to contain their booty.

 The teenagers, Mason and Ronja, joined in the fun...

 ...and so did Dan and Mon.

  Nanna and Grandpa enjoyed it all immensely, but in a more sedate fashion (although Doortje earlier did a great impersonation of an Easter bunny).

 Whenever the weather turned inclement, everyone gathered under Daniel's big tarp.  Here the seven grand kids are all gathered - Jac is possibly warning about the dangers of over-indulgence in chocolate while Wendy and Jakob look on, and Dan cooks the coffee.

 Here's Daniel again in that familiar role, this time cooking bacon for brunch. 

Some of the cousins played Uno while they were waiting for lunch or the rain to stop.

Later,  Doortje and Pat enjoyed the ambience of the bridge over the Yarra...

 ...while Ronja and Nara took a turn in the kayak, with assistance from Daniel and Helmy.

 

Perran took on the job of cricket coach and umpire, and did a sterling job of controlling the game - the third umpire was not needed much at all.

 I'm not sure what these three were doing.  My understanding is that there were no mobile phones, laptops, tablets or notebooks at the campsite, but I may be wrong.

 

All too soon it was Monday morning and time to pack up.  We had a great time with very few setbacks, and even the Victorian weather was reasonably kind to us.  Despite the fact that the park was chokka with people, it was a relaxing atmosphere amongst beautiful trees and birdlife.