It was baskets overflowing with eggs and the sound of children's laughter that echoed throughout Hunter Valley Gardens on Easter Sunday.
As part of the gardens' Mega Creatures event, 5000 people from near and far searched the rolling green between enormous plastic dinosaurs, frogs and bugs for as many chocolate treats as they could find.
The Hyde family from Brisbane was visiting the Hunter Valley for four days, and they were excited to be celebrating the magic of Easter.
"We're here visiting my parents who are still living here and have been for 40 years. We're here to do the egg hunt with the kids and let them look at the dinosaurs and the bugs," Michael Hyde said.
The Collins family from Lower Belford said coming to Hunter Valley Gardens was a chance to celebrate Easter in their own backyard.
"We've got my husband Matt and our four children today and we decided to wake up, and the kids had chosen croissants for breakfast, after the Easter Bunny had come," Anita Collins said.
"Now we're here to enjoy the Easter egg hunt."
Visiting from Killara in Sydney, the Kim family was enjoying a weekend in the Hunter.
"We are celebrating Easter with the family out in the park and with the kids, and we're enjoying the sun," Ron Kim said.
Hunter Valley Gardens events manager Kathryn Peters said Sunday's egg hunt event was all about "kids collecting some eggs and eating some chocolate".
"There's lots and lots of chocolate to be found and the weather has absolutely done its best for us," she said. "We've had a marvellous event so far, and the sun is shining and everyone's very much enjoying hunting."
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