Nature Excursion - Minnippi Parklands

I have decided to move our "nature excursions" to Saturday so that the whole family, especially DS8, can benefit from the outdoors time.

Last Saturday we went to Minnippi Parklands which is a large grassy tract of parklands in Murrarie beside the Gateway motorway. Getting to the park for the first time is a little dubious as you drive through an industrial estate then a deserted little lane way through bushland, but the park itself was inviting and bubbling with families when we got there.

There is a large natural pond in the lower part of the park where we stopped to look at the ducks and waterfowl. There are some cycling paths and the standard playgrounds dotted around the place, but one of my favourite parts of the park was a playground by a giant fig tree, built of concrete and designed to look like an old tower ruin. I really enjoyed its originality. The plaque below was at the base of the big old tree.

It reads

To call a tree sprite forth to play

Gather leaves x4 this day

And here while mixing pods and seeds

Recall a fairy from your dreams