One thing that’s never really made much sense is our desire to stand over a hot grill on an even hotter day, but the backyard barbecue is an icon of Queensland summer. Pull out the tongs, grease up the hot plate and host a barbecue, block party or neighbourly gathering of sorts this weekend. Afternoon sunshine radiating down, beers in a bucket, free-range snags charring on the grill, laughter and tunes filling the air, with the festivities roaring far into the night – it’ll be your garden’s finest act of merrymaking yet.

An obvious criteria for making the most of these last few days of official summer, but heading to the beach to take one more dip in the big blue will remind you how good the crisp waves feel as they wash over your shoulders, while the grains of sand envelop your toes. Eat a hearty serving of fish and chips, slurp down some ice-cream and swig back a few ginger beers – these memories of a laid-back day by the surf will keep you coming back throughout autumn, and perhaps even the sunnier days of winter.

Cherries, green grapes and mangoes are heading out of season locally, with raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches and apricots to closely follow. Buy a tray of mangoes and gluttonously eat one each day – as well as freezing away extra cheeks for unlimited smoothies when your cravings kick in. Make lots of fruit-filled Pimm’s and punch with the berries and stonefruit and invite friends around to kick back on the verandah.

One foodstuff you’re not going to be craving once the mercury drops is the humble homemade popsicle. Make a batch (or four) this weekend, take them into work to share with the team and savour that first feeling of the icy cylinder resting on your tongue and quenching your thirst. Try these edible flower and elderflower pops or these strawberry, peach and coconut popsicles to stick to a fruit base. Or get experimental with this carrot cake and almond butter popsicle recipe, or this maple brown derby cocktail pop concoction for a post dinner party dessert.