If you are incredibly lucky on Christmas Day, you may be gifted five gold rings, or you may have recently seen seven swans a-swimming off Victoria Point.
However, it’s unlikely you will find maids and lords a-milking and a-leaping on Redlands Coast.
It’s just not our thing.
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With that in mind, Redland City Council sends to you the following ‘gifts’ for the 12 days of Christmas.
The gifts are all about getting out and enjoying the wonderful city in which we live.
Enjoy!
The Twelve Days of Redlands Coast Christmas
Day 1 (25 December) A picnic for the fam-i-ly
On the first day of Christmas, it’s all about family. How about a-heading out to your local park for an impromptu afternoon picnic? Redlands Coast has more than 825 hectares of parkland, so the perfect spot for a-laying out a blanket and a-scoffing down some Christmas Day festive treats won’t be far away.
Day 2 (26 December) Two twister lures
Not into cricket? Well, here’s a real test for you. Grab a fishing rod, some bait (you can use crickets, how ironic) and test your luck at the amazing number of places where you can wet a line in the bay or our creeks.
Day 3 (27 December) Three night herons
If the Boxing Day sales left you twitching, you’ve come to the right place. Did you know Redlands Coast has more than 350 species of birdlife? There are the obvious ones – pelicans, kookaburras, magpies, curlews, (turtle doves, French hens, partridges?) and those noisy miners that keep dive-bombing the neighbourhood cats (who should be registered and not outside, by the way) – and then there are those you might not have heard of: the nankeen night heron (pictured), sahul cicadabird, or the striated pardalote. Any egrets? We’ve got a few. Birdwatchers, clean your lenses. Your time starts … now!
Day 4 (28 December) Four strolling boards
Bored? Then you need to take a boardwalk – and the best one ever is the Minjerribah Panorama Coastal Walk at Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island. This glorious boardwalk is dotted with picnic areas and viewing points. It includes the revamped Frenchmans Stairs that snake down to the beach. The path runs south to connect with the Gorge Walk that twists its way around the rocky headlands with stunning views at the end down Main Beach. Simply gorge-ous.
Day 5 (29 December) Five golden rays
How’s the serenity at Amity? As the sun gets closer to setting on another year, one of the best places to watch the sunset is Amity Point on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah). Located on the north-west coast, sunsets at the landmark jetty and nearby park are awe-inspiring with resident bottlenose dolphins frequently spotted visiting in the afternoons and evenings.
Day 6 (30 December) Six Flinders a-landing
How long has it been since you’ve popped over to Coochiemudlo Island for a day trip? If you live there, it’s probably not all that long ago. But many mainlanders don’t realise it only takes 10 minutes by ferry to reach Coochie from Victoria Point. That makes it one of the best quick escapes in south-east Queensland. The sheltered beach is a little piece of paradise with plenty of barbecue and picnic spots, and there is a cafe nearby with its own art gallery.
Day 7 (31 December) Seven bats a-swinging
See the year out on a world-class sporting note. Head down to the Redlands Softball Association fields in Ormiston for the start of a four-day friendly international series between the Australian women’s team and the USA women’s team. Last time Team USA played on Australia soil was for the Sydney Olympics 25 years ago. How great is it that we get to see two softball superpowers slug it out on Redlands Coast?
Day 8 (1 January) Eight hikers a-hiking
New year, new goals. Challenge yourself to hike up to the summit of Mount Cotton. You’ll be rewarded with views out to Moreton and North Stradbroke islands (it’s particularly beautiful at sunrise or sunset – and cooler!). Begin at the Eastern Escarpment Conservation Area, Gate 2, West Mount Cotton Road (opposite Schoeck Road). It is suitable for hikers, mountain bike riders, and horse riders, but not lowriders (wait for GreazeFest in late July if you drive one of those).
Day 9 (2 January) Nine sandy trekkers
How are your legs after yesterday’s hike? Here’s a much gentler stroll. Drop over to the Wellington Point Reserve after lunch (the tide will be going out) and set out on the 2km round trek to King Island. A sand walkway to the island is exposed as the tide falls. King Island is a protected conservation park, and the walk reveals a diverse range of marine life, including small mud crabs (we’ll leave the edible sized ones for tomorrow).
Day 10 (3 January) Ten prawns a-pealing
Moreton Bay bugs, sand crabs, (large) mud crabs, king prawns, oysters, scallops … is there enough lemon wedges in the world to garnish the cornucopia of sea-fresh seafood we enjoy on Redlands Coast? Make today the day you seek out your local trader of local seafood and treat yourself – go on, be shellfish.
Day 11 (4 January) Eleven dippers dipping
You’ve fished around its edges, ferried over it, walked on it, and eaten from it – it’s now time to get in it! There are plenty of ways to enjoy Moreton Bay Marine Park. Hire a kayak, dinghy, water bike or standup paddleboard and take to the water. You could also take some scuba diving or surfing lessons or charter a yacht or fishing boat. Or, simply, go swimming! Raby Bay Foreshore Park has three swimming coves with sandy beaches, just saying.
Day 12 (5 January) Twelve artists creat-ing
Get your culture on. Redland Art Gallery at Cleveland reopens today after the Christmas break. If you’re tired of staring at the walls at home these holidays, go to the gallery and stare at their walls – it’s infinitely more rewarding! The current exhibitions are Water Works by Joe Furlonger and Some Things Too Bright To See by Holly Anderson, and at the Mezz at RPAC, In Focus 2025 – Flourish, which is an annual community exhibition.
And finally …
If you really want to do something traditional that ties in with the old Twelve Days song, we will a-leave you with this image:
Welcome to Beth Boyd Park in Thorneside, where you will find … “a park bridge and a dinghy”!
It’s actually a pirate ship, but we’re sure you get the idea – partridge … pear tree? We hope it brought you a smile.
And remember …
To discover more Redlands Coast experiences, go online to visitredlandscoast.com.au or drop into the Redlands Coast Visitor Information Centre, 50 Middle Street, Cleveland. The centre is open 9am to 4pm daily (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day; all good for the other 10 days of Christmas though).
Okay, one last time ….
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Twelve artists creat-ing
Eleven dippers dipping,
Ten prawns a-pealing,
Nine sandy trekkers,
Eight hikers a-hiking,
Seven bats a-swinging,
Six Flinders a-landing,
Five golden rays,
Four strolling boards
Three night herons,
Two twister lures,
And a picnic for the fam-i-ly
