Australia's "big things"

Noosa River, Queensland, Australia 1970’s - Built circa 1977 in Noosa Council's workshop for Rotoract as a float for the Festival of the Waters Parade. The Pelican was an appropriate choice for a float as it was the emblem of Noosa Council (It was later changed to the Boronia). The Big Pelican featured on post cards and other tourist material as ‘Percy the Pelican’ thought to be named after Mr Percival from the motion picture ‘Storm Boy’...... 2007 – Agreement with Noosa Council for a permanent location in the foreshore park in front of Pelican Boat Hire. Pelican Boat Hire agreed to complete a full restoration of the structure with a fence and garden. www.pelicanboathire.com.au/thebigpelican.htm One of Australia's "big things"

2022 On our way home from Queensland, we stayed overnight in Ballina, the home of the Big Prawn. The Big Prawn's story began in 1989 when it was built without a tail. Its first home was on top of a service station. Brothers Attila and Louis Mokany, from Hungary, developed service stations around NSW and decided to build big things to help attract road trippers to their business. The sculptures they built were a tribute to the main industries in each town. Goulburn got a big Merino ram, Taree a big oyster and Ballina got a big prawn. South Australian sculptor James Martin was the man behind the crustacean's design. 2017 article www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-01/big-prawn-still-celebrates...

At the Big Pineapple in 2013. It has a long history as a tourist attraction, and now is the host to Saturday Markets. A music festival is happening there in April. It is 16 metres high and was originally opened on the 15 August 1971. It is situated on a 165 hectare site. The Big Pineapple features two rides: One on a Nut Mobile, the other on a small train that takes passengers on a tour of the plantation and lets them optionally disembark at a small zoo situated on the property. The rides take visitors around the plantation while the driver broadcasts information about the plants at the plantation, along with a history. The plantation also features a small animal farm where visitors may feed the animals. Such animals include: dingoes, a deer, a donkey, alpacas, pigs, chickens, ducks and various birds. The plantation once housed a Macadamia Nut factory. They still grow macadamia nut. In 1971, Mr & Mrs Bill Taylor purchased a modest pineapple farm of 23 hectares on the coast side of the Bruce Highway. The Big Pineapple was opened by the Minister for Labour and Tourism, the late John Herbert on 15 August 1971. In 1972, the attraction was the recipient of the first award presented by the Australian National Travel Association for a tourist development in Queensland. Wikipedia

On the way back from our holiday in NSW in 2017, we paused here at Coffs Harbour so I could take a photo of the BIG BANANA, set in a banana plantation. We have driven past many times on our travels, but I had only taken a photo once, from the car. Claiming to be the first and most famous of Australia’s “Big Things” (although it was actually pipped by the Big Scotsman in Adelaide) the Big Banana was commissioned by John Landi to attract people to his roadside banana stall at Coffs Harbour, NSW. Over the years, the attraction has had mixed fortunes, but is now the centrepiece of an amusement park. The Big Banana itself is made out of concrete. It was designed by engineer Alan Chapman and built by Alan Harvey, opening on 22 December 1964. australianfoodtimeline.com.au/big-banana/ The big things have become something of a cult phenomenon, and are sometimes used as an excuse for a road trip, where many or all big things are visited and used as a backdrop to a group photograph. Many of the big things are considered works of folk art and have been heritage-listed. Wikipedia

Lamb Sculpture on the New England Highway, New South Wales, Australia. Guyra is between Armidale and Glen Innes. 'Guyra, ‘Top of the Range’ is centrally located between the major population centres of the New England Region...Held every year during the last week of January, Guyra’s Lamb and Potato Festival is building a reputation with 1,000s of holiday travellers for the delicious lamb and potato meals served during the period.' focusmag.com.au/ne/featured/guyra-lamb-and-potato-festival Return to Queensland via the New England Highway. Day 8 Sydney to Lake Macquarie. Day 9 Lake Macquarie to Stanthorpe. Day 10 Stanthorpe to home. 2012 Road Trip to Sydney. Round trip 2670 kms. Day 9 Lake Macquarie to Stanthorpe via the New England Highway.

Lamb Sculpture on the New England Highway, New South Wales, Australia. Guyra is between Armidale and Glen Innes. 'Guyra, ‘Top of the Range’ is centrally located between the major population centres of the New England Region...Held every year during the last week of January, Guyra’s Lamb and Potato Festival is building a reputation with 1,000s of holiday travellers for the delicious lamb and potato meals served during the period.' focusmag.com.au/ne/featured/guyra-lamb-and-potato-festival Return to Queensland via the New England Highway. Day 8 Sydney to Lake Macquarie. Day 9 Lake Macquarie to Stanthorpe. Day 10 Stanthorpe to home.ydney. Round trip 2670 kms. Day 9 Lake Macquarie to Stanthorpe via the New England Highway.

The Big Cow was built in the 1970s to attract tourists to a working dairy farm at 9-11 Ayrshire Rd, Yandina. It is one of the many Australian Big Things. It was sculpted by Hugh Anderson, who also sculpted the Big Bulls in Rockhampton. The Big Cow is seven times the size of an Ayrshire cow on which it is modelled. It is made of concrete and described as "able to withstand a cyclone"... in 2020 the Big Cow was moved to Highfields. www.highfieldspioneervillage.com.au/thebigcow We stayed overnight nearby, with friends Helen and David.