Got grandkids for the weekend in Gloucester? Here’s how to fill the days with memorable moments.

I’ve got nine grandkids aged from 18 months to 23 years old and not one of them calls me grandma. To this lot I’m Mimi and my husband John is Da. Between us we’ve worked out exactly how to fill a weekend in Gloucester so nobody gets bored, including us.

Saturday morning, easing in

We start easy, with a walk around Gloucester District Park where the river bends lazily past and the Buccan Buccans stand watch over the whole valley. There’s always birdlife to spot, sometimes even a platypus if you’re up early enough, and a human sundial that gets a good workout when the grandkids try to tell the time without sneaking a look at their phones.

From there it’s a short stroll back towards town, past the playground at Billabong Park where the flying fox never gets old no matter how many times they’ve done it.

Time it right and the monthly Gloucester Farmers Market will be setting up too, which buys us another hour of wandering while the little ones inspect every stall.

Shops, sourdough and a bit of magic

No trip through Church Street gets past Batter & Dough Patisserie without a stop. Sourdough loaves lined up like they’re posing for a photo, pastries filled and plain, and a vanilla slice that never lasts the walk home. We always buy more than we need, which is exactly the point.

Breakfast happens at The Common Café, coffee in the sun and something warm on a plate, with Gloucester Gallery tucked just behind for a quick look at whatever local artists are showing.

A few steps further up Denison Street, the Visitor Information Centre is worth ten minutes if you want the full list of bushwalks. Around the corner on Church Street, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service office doubles as the regional hub for Barrington Tops, handy if you’re planning to head up that way later.

There’s always time for a bit of retail therapy at Uptown Country, which has stepped in nicely to fill Gloucester’s fashion boutique gap, country style with a bit of polish. I usually walk out having bought myself something I didn’t know I needed.

A quick detour to Gloucester Creatives is worth it too, a lovely local space packed with handmade work from artists and makers around the valley. It’s the sort of shop where you go in for a browse and come out with a gift for someone back home.

But the real excitement, as far as the grandkids are concerned, is Forest Of Play. It’s not just a toy shop, it’s the kind of place that feels like stepping into a storybook. I defy any grandparent to leave without buying at least one thing for a birthday that’s still months away.

Lunch, sunset and pizza at home

Lunch is at Roadies Café next door, where the vintage motorcycles on display keep the kids entertained between mouthfuls and give me a moment to imagine myself on one, briefly.

Then it’s home for Da-made pizza from our own pizza oven and a glass of Faull’s Ridge local verdelho while the sun goes down over the valley. It’s our favourite activity watching the grandkids chasing our dog Peanut round the lawn until everyone’s had enough fresh air for one day.

Sunday, the big decision

Sunday always starts with a family conference. There are three contenders: a walk up the Buccan Buccans for those spectacular views over the valley; a full day trip up to Barrington Tops or Gloucester Tops for waterfalls and cascades if everyone’s got the stamina; or a picnic and swim at The Steps Barrington, a few kilometres out of town on the river.

Most weekends we land on The Steps. It’s got everything little adventurers need: a day pass to play in the river and mountain bike tracks for the older grandkids to test themselves on. There’s enough room on the water for canoes, kayaks and the rubber rings we bring along purely for the fun of watching Da fall out of his.

Honestly, I could sit on a pool noodle in that river all afternoon and call it a perfect weekend. The grandkids go home exhausted and happy, which is really all any of us are after.