SHOP

First Date? Get Outside. Go!

Words by
Georgina Reid

Oh, the first date. We’ve all been there – So much promise, anxiety, excitement, and potential pain. They’re carved into memory when they go swimmingly, and also when they sink. Here at The Planthunter, we reckon to give your first date the best chance of success, you gotta take it OUTDOORS! Let me tell you a story…

My best first date ever was with my current partner. I was struggling to remove myself from a previous boyfriend and my heart was in a bit of state. I was due to meet my now boyfriend in half an hour and was in tears with a twisted up stomach and second thoughts about taking home made baba ghanoush on a first date.

My flatmate at the time sat me down at the kitchen table, fed me a shot of Frangelico (it was all we had in the way of alcohol) and pushed me out the front door with my basket of baba ghanoush and biscuits. I took a deep breath, put my shoulders back and took myself and my funny little basket to the local park.

As it turns out, bringing the baba ghanoush was an inspired decision on my part… I hardly had to talk to win him over – The dip did it all! We spent all afternoon in the park, moved to a local restaurant for dinner and ended up with a little kiss on the street outside my house at midnight. That first date set the tone for what has become the most fulfilling and rich relationship of my life. Now, every year on the anniversary of our love, we celebrate Baba Ghanoush Day.

I’m telling you this story because I reckon there are two things that ensure a great framework for a first date: Food and nature. Food goes without saying, right? Nature, also does too, I reckon. There’ve been hundreds of studies suggesting spending time in nature lowers stress and anxiety levels, promotes feelings of wellbeing and more, so as far as I’m concerned I reckon its likely being outdoors will have a positive effect on romance too! It did for me…

We recently did a little Instagram call out to uncover the best outdoor places in and around Australia’s capital cities to take a first date. We’ve compiled ours, and our readers suggestions below. Now go! Get dating, get outside and get loving!

(Mum tip: If you’re going on a first date with someone you don’t know particularly well, make sure you let someone know where you’re going and what time you’re expecting to return. Safety first, people)

Melbourne

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The Womens Memorial Garden at Kings Domain, Melbourne / Image by John Torcasio, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

Sydney

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Wendy Whitelys Garden / Image by Georgina Reid

Adelaide

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Carrick Hill / Image by Marionlad, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

Perth

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Rottnest Island / Image by Liese Coulter, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

Hobart

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Mount Wellington, Tasmania / Image by Adavyd, sourced from Wikipedia commons

Darwin

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Nightcliff Jetty, Darwin / Image by Bidgee, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

Brisbane

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Tropical Glass dome at Mt Coot-tha botanic Gardens

Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens / Image by James Nyland, sourced from Wikipedia Commons

End

Author
Georgina Reid is a writer and the founding editor of Wonderground. Her prose and poetry have been published in books and magazines nationally and internationally. She’s the author of The Planthunter: Truth, Beauty, Chaos and Plants and lives by the river on Darug land.