JOIN the happy throngs at the annual Giant Plant Sale and Easter Fair at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens on Easter Saturday.
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This, the Gardens’ biggest annual fund-raiser, will be on again for young and old on April 4 from 9am to 2pm.
Gardens’ volunteer Heather Haughton says there will be a jumping castle, cake and craft stalls, buskers, second-hand books and DVDs, gift baskets, face painting and a sausage sizzle.
“All monies raised from the plant sale will help to swell the Gardens’ budget for the coming year, and all funds raised from the stalls run by the Friends of the Gardens will go towards the building of a new barbecue area,” Heather said.
“Since the children’s play space was installed three years ago, visitors have risen from 25,000 to more than 40,400 a year.
“So, on a sunny weekend, there is pressure on the existing two barbecues, which are under cover and will remain free of charge,” Heather said.
“Soon, visitors will be able to book new ones for a small fee to gain exclusive use for their own group.”
Thousands of plants from the nursery will be reduced by 25 to 50 per cent, so take a bag, a box or even a trailer.
Gnome painting organiser Stewart Needham says that a small army of gnomes has been assembled and whitewashed and looking forward to having new faces and clothes painted on.
“Last year, the styles ranged from Monet to Jackson Pollock,” he said.
“Kids who buy a banksia cone can sit down at a craft table with supplies of pipe cleaners, little plastic eyes, and cardboard cut-out sunglasses – all ready to assemble.
“The big bad banksia men want children to make them look as fierce and angry as possible, dressing them up with googly eyes, pirate’s eye patches and big hands and feet.”
The Easter Bilby will be there between 10am and 11am handing out Easter eggs and kids can enjoy the jumping castle, face painting, and the play space.
There will be plenty of food.
Barbecued sausages and steaks will be on sale, the Chef’s Cap Café will be open and there are plenty of perfect picnic spots in the grounds.
Jo Benyon, officer in charge of cakes and home-made preserves and chocolates, warns that last year the cakes sold out by late morning.
The Gardens are 5km south of Batemans Bay, just off the Princes Highway, and are open every day from 9am to 4pm in the school holidays.
