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Enjoy an Outdoor Meal with the Family on Picnic Day 2024

The first day of August marks Picnic Day in the Northern Territory. Celebrate this beloved public holiday with friends and family with a HelloFresh meal kit.
The first day of August marks Picnic Day in the Northern Territory. Celebrate this beloved public holiday with friends and family with a HelloFresh meal kit.
What Is Picnic Day? Origins and Significance

What Is Picnic Day? Origins and Significance

Picnic Day is a popular public holiday in the Northern Territory, celebrated on the first day of August. It began during the late 1800s as a day for workers to enjoy a day out with the family.

Today, Picnic Day is a full-on celebration featuring games, races and other events. Of course, the main attraction is the appetising food, and Picnic Day NT offers everyone a chance to show off their culinary skills and family recipes.

Take the stress out of preparing meals for Picnic Day with one of our tasty and simple recipes. Try HelloFresh meal kits for easy and affordable meals made from the freshest ingredients.

The History Behind Picnic Day Celebrations in the Northern Territory

The origins of Picnic Day NT can be traced back as far as the late 1800s. Railway workers would take a day off with their families and enjoy a hearty meal outdoors by the Adelaide River.

Picnic Day was observed in NT until 1926, but then it disappeared until officially revived in 1935. The long weekend celebration of Picnic Day continued to grow in popularity over the following years.

In 1946, the Harts Range Races began as a contest to see who could race horses faster between three brothers and a local policeman. Since then, the Harts Range Races have become an integral part of Picnic Day NT celebrations.
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Best Spots to Celebrate Picnic Day in NT

To truly enjoy Picnic Day NT at its best, you’ll want to find an ideal location to enjoy delicious meals outdoors. Fortunately, NT has some fantastic, scenic locations to dine at.

If you are in or around Darwin, try one of the nearby national parks. Kakadu National Park is just a 90-minute drive southeast of Darwin and offers some incredibly scenic picnic areas.

Other options around Darwin include the national parks at Berry Springs or Litchfield and the marina at Cullen Bay. If you are near the Red Centre, you can also find many serene picnic spots around the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park area.
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Pack the Perfect Picnic: Home-Cooked Favourites

Picnic Day NT is about meeting up with friends and family, enjoying the great outdoors, and participating in the many festivities on display. Most of all, it is about flavoursome food and enjoying as much of it as possible.

While Picnic Day can be fun, trying to prepare a tasty family meal can be stressful, especially when it comes to seeking out the right ingredients at the supermarket. That’s where HelloFresh comes to the rescue.

HelloFresh delivers fresh and affordable groceries to your door every week. In addition, we provide a selection of quick and easy-to-make recipes for you to try.

Try one of our delicious sandwich recipes for a simple but tasty dish, or give our lemony shrimp risotto recipe and firecracker meatball recipe a try. With HelloFresh, you’ll be whipping up impressive meals for Picnic Day in no time.
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Upcoming Picnic Day Dates: Mark Your Calendar

Picnic Day NT falls on the first Monday of August each year. Keep these dates in mind for future Picnic Days.

  • Picnic Day 2024: 5 August
  • Picnic Day 2025: 4 August
  • Picnic Day 2026: 3 August
  • Picnic Day 2027: 2 August
  • Picnic Day 2028: 7 August
  • Picnic Day 2029: 6 August
  • Picnic Day 2030: 5 August
  • Picnic Day 2031: 4 August
  • Picnic Day 2032: 2 August
  • Picnic Day 2033: 1 August
  • Picnic Day 2034: 7 August

Green Picnicking: Eco-Friendly Tips for Sustainable Celebrations

Reduce food waste

Try to avoid letting ingredients go to waste while making meals. HelloFresh meal kits are carefully measured to ensure you only use what you need.

Go vegetarian

Adding more veggie options to your meals is a great environmental choice. HelloFresh offers a variety of delicious vegetarian recipes that will wow even hardened meat-eaters.

Mix up your meals

Rather than sticking to one type of meal, mix things up with a range of vegetarian and low-calorie meals. With HelloFresh deliveries, you can enjoy a wide variety of appetising recipes.

Reduce food waste

Try to avoid letting ingredients go to waste while making meals. HelloFresh meal kits are carefully measured to ensure you only use what you need.

Go vegetarian

Adding more veggie options to your meals is a great environmental choice. HelloFresh offers a variety of delicious vegetarian recipes that will wow even hardened meat-eaters.

Mix up your meals

Rather than sticking to one type of meal, mix things up with a range of vegetarian and low-calorie meals. With HelloFresh deliveries, you can enjoy a wide variety of appetising recipes.

Embracing Flexibility: The Top Benefits of a Flexitarian Lifestyle

Diverse recipes: Flexitarian meals allow you to mix up veggie and meat recipes to create a more diverse meal plan.

More choices: By going flexitarian, you can adjust the amount of vegetables and fruit you add to your diet without completely eliminating meat.

Easy preparation: Our recipes are designed to fit any lifestyle, so you can enjoy all kinds of meals without the fuss.

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Great for families
Being a mum of 2 children, HelloFresh makes cooking dinner so simple. Not having to organise dinner every night. Such a wide range of healthy recipes. My family loves it!
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Why HelloFresh?

Recipes you’ll love

33+ delicious recipes every week. From Aussie classics to global favourites, easily customised to your preferences!

The best of the best in every meal

An adventurous seasonal menu with fresh produce from local suppliers. All high-quality, pre-portioned ingredients!

Flexibility that suits your needs

Add, swap or upgrade ingredients and change your box size with ease. Pause, skip a week or cancel anytime!

Wholesome and delicious

Balanced ingredients in every meal with low carb and low calorie recipes as well as vegetarian and plant based dishes!

Picnic Day NT FAQs

Is Picnic Day a public holiday in NT?
Yes. Picnic Day falls on the first Monday of August annually and is officially a public holiday for all Territorians.
Who is entitled to Picnic Day?
Originally, Picnic Day was intended for railway workers in the NT. Today, Picnic Day is an official public holiday intended for everyone in the territory.
Who celebrates Picnic Day?
Everyone in the NT is able to celebrate Picnic Day. The day is intended for families and friends to get together and celebrate in the great outdoors.
What to wear on Picnic Day?
It’s best to dress comfortably for the weather on Picnic Day. Although the day technically falls in winter, much of the NT experiences mild to warm weather during this time. So dress for a warm, sunny day, but bring a jacket in case the temperature drops.