Easter, Considered and Shared
Easter is well and truly here, yet this year it feels a little different. With the rising cost of living, many Australians are looking for ways to celebrate without overextending. It feels like the perfect moment to step back and explore what a truly Australian Easter can look like over the long weekend: thoughtful, simple, and well spent.
Let’s take the chance to reconnect with our homes, our surroundings, and the people we gather around. To rest a little longer, cook with intention, and find joy in the simple rituals that define this time of year, especially when planning your Easter long lunch ideas in Australia.
Easter is made for long lunches, whether at home or under open skies. Linen layers, soft pastels, earthy greens, quirky pieces, and glassware set the scene. Simple, shareable dishes with a few candles or fresh florals create a table that feels relaxed and elegant, a perfect prelude to adventures in the bush or a weekend spent exploring the outdoors.
However you spend it, we hope it brings ease, warmth, and moments truly well shared.
How paper mâché Magazine is Hosting at Home This Easter
Easter at home has a way of feeling effortlessly joyous. The smell of hot cross buns warming in the oven, the kids dressed in the cutest clothes with chocolate-smudged smiles, and loved ones rolling in through the door. There is a sense of ease, a slowing of time, and a chance to linger over simple pleasures, making it the perfect moment to explore Easter recipes for entertaining at home.
Forget basic pastels. Take a more considered approach for your table, drawing inspiration from modern Easter tablescape ideas for entertaining. Soft neutrals layered with muted greens and touches of powder blue create a calm, sophisticated base, while chocolate and caramel accents add subtle warmth. Sculptural florals and carefully placed seasonal vegetables bring an elevated, curated feel. Small details like striped linens or artisanal ceramics give the table a modern, effortless touch.
Tablescape 1: Long Lunch, Light and Layered
Start by setting the scene for a relaxed Easter long lunch at home. Choose a space that feels easy to gather in, where conversation can unfold and kids can drift in and out after a morning of chocolate-fuelled excitement. If you have a deck or outdoor space, even better.
For the table, begin with a soft base like the Lim Striped Tablecloth by Olive’s House. From there, layer things in naturally. Keep it light, a little undone, and welcoming, so it feels like somewhere everyone can settle in and stay awhile.
01. Aretae cocktail napkins, 02. Large Flocked Rabbit, 03. Eleven Events candles & holders, 04. Olive’s House Lim Striped Tablecloth, 05. Graza Olive Tray, 06. Eleven Events Viola Glass , 07. Robbii Designs Sabre cutlery set, 08. Gaia Two- Tiered Serving Tray, 09. Chocolate Chubb Plate
Tablescape 2: Sharing, Made Simple
A quieter take on Easter entertaining. Designed for smaller gatherings, when the table is set for your nearest and dearest rather than a full house. Effortless, but still considered, with just enough detail to make the moment feel special without overthinking it.
01. Olive’s House O&H + B.G Studio Linen Tablecloth, 02. Woven Bunny Hunter Basket,03. Nara Charcuterie Board 04. Jedda Clay Candle Holder 05. Étoile Glassware Set, 06. Woven Bunny with Bow, 07. Aretae Dinner Plates, 08. Nara Cheese Knife Set, 09. Olive’s House Sid Ceramic Wine Bucket
A Must For The Table: Hot Cross Bun Recipe
For the buns:
1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
3 ¾ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dried currants or raisins
For the crosses:
75 grams flour
5 to 6 tablespoons water
For the glaze:
3 tablespoons apricot jam
1 tablespoon water
Instructions:
Gently warm the milk with sugar until dissolved and starting to steam. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm. Stir in yeast, cover with a tea towel, and let it bubble for 10 minutes.
In a stand mixer, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, salt, spices, and orange zest. On low, pour in the milk and yeast mix, add vanilla and eggs, and mix until dough begins to form. Add butter one tablespoon at a time. Once fully incorporated, mix on medium-high for 3 minutes, then cover and rest 15 minutes.
Sprinkle currants over the dough and knead again on medium-high for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a covered bowl and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubled. Punch down, divide into 15 pieces, roll into balls, and place on a lined baking tray. Cover and let rise 30 to 60 minutes until almost doubled.
Preheat oven to 190°C. Make the flour paste and pipe crosses onto buns. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden. Heat jam with a dash of water, strain, and brush over buns for a glossy finish. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
From the Editor: Easter in the Bush
Easter was always synonymous with adventure for me. Growing up in Far North Queensland, it meant days spent outdoors, immersed in the smells, tastes, and rhythms of the land. I remember being six or seven, fishing at the Bohle River in Townsville. My father had set crab pots the night before and we spent the morning collecting them, casting lines, and seeing who could reel in the first fish. I had my lucky rod, bright pink, and it never failed me.
One day stands out vividly. We had collected all our crab pots, a very successful morning with eight mud crabs, and cruised along the boat ramp ridge. Three crocodiles were sunbathing nearby and one, as long as our boat glided past us, all my dad did was squeeze his knees together and put his finger on his mouth to say shh. Heart racing, awe-struck, we carried on, loaded the boat, and eventually settled by the river.
With the sun dipping low, we sat around a fire and cooked the mud crabs we had caught. The smoky aroma, the sweet, briny taste, and the laughter shared in that moment are etched in memory.
In time, it’s the simplest acts that stay with you, the ones that never asked for attention.
Equally vivid is the smell of damper, baked over a fireplace at our cattle farm in Topaz on the Tablelands. This was never strictly camping, but a core memory of Easter nonetheless. I had just finished some driving lessons with my pop and we gathered around the fire while my nan prepared a golden, rustic damper. The warmth of the fire, the smell of freshly baked bread, and the sharing of family stories made a simple meal feel extraordinary.
These are the little moments Easter invites, simple, grounding, and shared. Cooking outdoors, whether mud crabs by a river or damper by a fire, is more than food. It is about patience, connection, and the quiet joy of being present. For many, these moments become some of the most memorable family easter activities outdoors Australia has to offer.
Memories built to last.
Where To Wander This Easter: paper mâché camping recommendations
- Buranga Farm Verrierdale, Queensland
- The Blue Lagoon, Upper Orara, New South Wales
- Bahwidgee on Tumut River Bombowlee, New South Wales
- Misty Mountain Kunghur, New South Wales
- OZ Sky Ranch Tambourine Mountain, Queensland
- Noosa Equestrian & Camping, Tandur, Queensland
Simple Australian Bush Meals to Try
Traditional Camp Fire Damper: Recipe by my Nan, who is no stranger to country living. Growing up in Bathurst and creating her family in the Northern Territory. She has some stories to tell. Most of the time, her stories are expressed and told when she cooks, or at the dining table.
Rustic and golden, best served warm from the coals
- 3 cups self-raising flour
- 1 cup boiled pumpkin
- Good pinch of salt
- 85 grams butter
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions:
Mix the butter and flour with your fingers, then mix in the rest with a knife.
Quickly Kneed the dough with loose flour on your bench around 6 to 8 times.
Have the fire going for a while, so there are coals ready. Bury a 60cm hole next to it.
Put your dough in a pot with flour on the bottom so it doesn’t stick, and pop the lid on top. Now, place half the coals at the bottom of the hole, put the pot in the hole and top with the remaining coals/ fire. Cook for 20 mins.
Once cooked, pull the damper out and pull it apart while it’s warm, enjoy with some butter.
Dad’s Vegemite Whiting: Fresh whiting, butter, and Vegemite, finished with lemon over coals. Effortless, sweet, smoky, and unforgettable.
Best cooked on the fire, wrapped in foil
- Freshly caught whiting
- 1 Tablespoon of butter per fish
- Vegemite, as much as you like on your toast, per fish
- Sliced Lemon, 3 slices per fish
Instructions:
Stack the ingredients on the fish with the lemon on top. Once the flavours have been layered wrap the fish in foil and sit on the fire for 10-15mins.
Enjoy with a side mango salad, fresh lettuce leaves mixed with chopped mango and green goddess dressing.
Easter, Well Shared
Whether gathered around a carefully set table at home, lingering over hot cross buns with loved ones, or cooking simply under open skies in the bush, Easter offers a rare chance to slow down. It is a season to savour small pleasures, to reconnect with family and friends, and to let the rhythms of the outdoors or the quiet comfort of home guide the weekend.
This Easter, may your days be filled with warmth, laughter, and the joy of moments truly shared. The table, the fire, the outdoors, or the kitchen all hold the same magic when approached with care, attention, and a sense of presence.
At its heart, Easter is not just about tradition. It is about the people and moments that make it unforgettable.
Written by Bailey Doyle
