Drove past the Big Pineapple on numerous occasions while staying at Palmwoods, every time I passed there were car loads of tourists pulled up outside scratching their heads at the closure of the attraction. It has obviously been closed for quite some time judging by its state of disrepair yet it is still advertised along the highway and outside the main entrance with what appears to be fairly new sinage. I've also checked its web site and there is no mention of its closure, it must be very dissapointing for tourists especially if they've come along away to visit. Such a shame that its become so run down I have very fond memories of it from when my children were little.
glassies said
06:21 PM Apr 27, 2011
typical sunshine coast cant be bothered to get some one out there to get rid of the sign and keep the area at least a bit tidy.
sandsmere said
07:13 PM Apr 27, 2011
Just another touristy thing that priced themselves out of the market .
P2 said
07:24 PM Apr 27, 2011
Hey Gilly, I hate to admit it but I have very fond memories of it when I was at school, was always a yearly excursion, sh.t I am feeling old Cheers Pauline
jimricho said
07:34 PM Apr 27, 2011
The first "Big" as I recall was the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour. It was original and a success. After that it seems to me that all the other "Bigs" are a case of "me too" and thus lack originality apart from maybe the theme. I think the most cringe-worthy one is the "Big Gumboot" in Tully, and to think that they and Innisfail fought over it!
Ma said
08:25 PM Apr 27, 2011
Big Prawn is also closed now.
jack biggles said
04:03 PM Apr 28, 2011
Ma wrote:
Big Prawn is also closed now.
Such an eyesore that one Ma. First time I saw it, I was like, "What the heck is that" ......I nearly drove into the table drain on the side of the highway
Ma said
05:13 PM Apr 28, 2011
We went past it a few months ago and it was quite obvious that nothing had been done on the site for many a moon. Certainly not a good advertisement for the local council me thinks.
petengail said
05:25 PM Apr 28, 2011
Ma wrote:
We went past it a few months ago and it was quite obvious that nothing had been done on the site for many a moon. Certainly not a good advertisement for the local council me thinks.
drove past it this afternoon... looking more and more dreary... at least with the Ballina bypass we wont have to see it any more....
jimricho said
05:28 PM Apr 28, 2011
Some of these "Bigs" are put there by business owners to promote their enterprises (Big Banana, Big Pineapple), others by councils, and some by local committees/service clubs. What seems like a good idea at the time can sometimes later languish as businesses change hands or go bust, committee/club enthusiasm wanes or councils get changed and/or get "landed with it"
jimricho said
05:31 PM Apr 28, 2011
If I recall correctly the Ballina "Big Prawn" was part of a Roadhouse/servo set up (I could be wrong as it's a while since I travelled that way). If so it's probably got nothing to do with the local council.
sandsmere said
05:36 PM Apr 28, 2011
The best big of he lot is the BIG POO . At Kiama , NSW . A giant turd built by the locals as some sort of protest against recycling water .
Been there since around 2004 .
Ma said
05:49 PM Apr 28, 2011
jimricho wrote:
If I recall correctly the Ballina "Big Prawn" was part of a Roadhouse/servo set up (I could be wrong as it's a while since I travelled that way). If so it's probably got nothing to do with the local council.
Councils can act quick enough when it comes to the little bloke and serving "Notice to Clean Up".
jimricho said
05:53 PM Apr 28, 2011
You're not wrong Ma. There's two rules, one for them and one for the rest of us
Pejay said
08:10 PM Apr 28, 2011
From what I understand the Big Pineapple went into liquidation and was sold, bought by a car/bike enthusiast (?) and will reopen sometime in the future as a new venture, but the pineapple itself is to remain as I think it is 'heritage listed' - could be wrong, but I think that's what I read in a coast paper a while ago.
Gerty Dancer said
09:08 PM Apr 28, 2011
Drove past a closed-down sad looking Big Orange near Mildura. Didnt seem to be as many orange orchards as there used to be either. Imported orange juice apparently.
Firefly said
09:19 PM Apr 28, 2011
Seen the big prawn a few weeks ago too and it is very run down. Another thing thats an eyesore is that old mosque looking thing up that way, can't remember where but its elephants are all over the place.
Was it a restaurant or something in its hey day?
Ma said
09:32 PM Apr 28, 2011
It was a mosque with a restaurant at the side at one time. It's just north of Coffs Harbour, can never remember the name of the place though. The Lions Club do a very pleasant Stop Revive Survive there in the park adjacent to the eyesore
Firefly said
09:42 PM Apr 28, 2011
Thanks Ma, knew it was up that way somewhere.
Travel Bug said
10:57 PM Apr 28, 2011
G'day Ma and Firefly, the name of the place with the mosque is Woolgoolga. Cheers.
Ma said
11:29 PM Apr 28, 2011
I knew that TB............giggle............. Just testing...........
Firefly said
07:01 AM Apr 29, 2011
Thanks for that TB, had no idea to be honest, just knew the general direction.
jimricho said
07:26 AM Apr 29, 2011
That edifice at Woolgoolga is actually a Sikh temple and not a mosque. (There is no love lost between the Sikhs and the Muslims) It may seem a bit pedantic but I mention this to point out that it is not associated with Islam. The Sikh community in that area goes back generations.
The temple is up on a hill on the RH side of the highway (travelling north). There is also a motel at the bottom of the hill on the LH side that is just that, but done in an Indian architectural style, maybe that is one with the restaurant.
-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 29th of April 2011 07:32:17 AM
Firefly said
07:31 AM Apr 29, 2011
Ahh ok Jim, thanks. Was it a place of worship at one stage or built as a restaurant? I always thought it was an amazing structure when it was not in ruins. Its a shame it has fallen into such disrepair, as have so many other icons I guess.
Firefly said
07:32 AM Apr 29, 2011
Sorry, I posted while you were ammending your post Jim.
jimricho said
07:33 AM Apr 29, 2011
Hi FF,
I was editing my post when you put yours up so I may have answered your question, I'm going on memory so I could stand to be corrected.
Jim
jimricho said
07:34 AM Apr 29, 2011
We must stop meeting this way, people will talk!
Father Ted said
10:30 AM Apr 29, 2011
jimricho wrote:
We must stop meeting this way, people will talk!
Disgusting behaviour,what kind of impression are you giving our visitors.Tut.Tut.By the way the place with the crook and damaged Elephants was a Restaurant once.It is now an eyesore on the Eyesore Hwy.The Temple on the top of the Hill is in good nick.Those Elephants really look crook,I bet more than one child has nightmares over the beasts apperances.
Firefly said
03:15 PM Apr 29, 2011
jimricho wrote:
We must stop meeting this way, people will talk!
Good to know we can still get that reaction mate.
Ted, it is ordinary thats for sure. It was an amazing place once.
Cruising Granny said
10:07 PM Apr 29, 2011
There was a big orange near Berri in SA's Riverland. There's the big lobster at Kingston SE, the big galah at Kimba, (no comment), the big Merino at Goulbourn. I was impressed with the big sheep which was moved to a more prominent location in 2008, but couldn't be climbed because of some OH&S issues. I thought it was a great statement to the region's primary industry. Of course there's Rockhampton's cattle roundabouts. I think it all started with the dog on the tuckerbox. Britain has it's statues, Europe has it's sculptures, most cities have statues and scultures commemorating something or other. Australia has big stuff.
Drove past the Big Pineapple on numerous occasions while staying at Palmwoods, every time I passed there were car loads of tourists pulled up outside scratching their heads at the closure of the attraction. It has obviously been closed for quite some time judging by its state of disrepair yet it is still advertised along the highway and outside the main entrance with what appears to be fairly new sinage. I've also checked its web site and there is no mention of its closure, it must be very dissapointing for tourists especially if they've come along away to visit. Such a shame that its become so run down I have very fond memories of it from when my children were little.
Just another touristy thing that priced themselves out of the market .
Cheers Pauline
Big Prawn is also closed now.
Such an eyesore that one Ma. First time I saw it, I was like, "What the heck is that" ......I nearly drove into the table drain on the side of the highway
We went past it a few months ago and it was quite obvious that nothing had been done on the site for many a moon. Certainly not a good advertisement for the local council me thinks.
drove past it this afternoon... looking more and more dreary... at least with the Ballina bypass we wont have to see it any more....
The best big of he lot is the BIG POO . At Kiama , NSW . A giant turd built by the locals as some sort of protest against recycling water .
Been there since around 2004 .
Councils can act quick enough when it comes to the little bloke and serving "Notice to Clean Up".
Seen the big prawn a few weeks ago too and it is very run down. Another thing thats an eyesore is that old mosque looking thing up that way, can't remember where but its elephants are all over the place.
Was it a restaurant or something in its hey day?
It was a mosque with a restaurant at the side at one time. It's just north of Coffs Harbour, can never remember the name of the place though. The Lions Club do a very pleasant Stop Revive Survive there in the park adjacent to the eyesore
Thanks Ma, knew it was up that way somewhere.
G'day Ma and Firefly, the name of the place with the mosque is Woolgoolga. Cheers.
I knew that TB............giggle............. Just testing...........
Thanks for that TB, had no idea to be honest, just knew the general direction.
That edifice at Woolgoolga is actually a Sikh temple and not a mosque. (There is no love lost between the Sikhs and the Muslims) It may seem a bit pedantic but I mention this to point out that it is not associated with Islam. The Sikh community in that area goes back generations.
The temple is up on a hill on the RH side of the highway (travelling north). There is also a motel at the bottom of the hill on the LH side that is just that, but done in an Indian architectural style, maybe that is one with the restaurant.
-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 29th of April 2011 07:32:17 AM
Ahh ok Jim, thanks. Was it a place of worship at one stage or built as a restaurant? I always thought it was an amazing structure when it was not in ruins. Its a shame it has fallen into such disrepair, as have so many other icons I guess.
Sorry, I posted while you were ammending your post Jim.
I was editing my post when you put yours up so I may have answered your question, I'm going on memory so I could stand to be corrected.
Jim
We must stop meeting this way, people will talk!
I was impressed with the big sheep which was moved to a more prominent location in 2008, but couldn't be climbed because of some OH&S issues.
I thought it was a great statement to the region's primary industry.
Of course there's Rockhampton's cattle roundabouts.
I think it all started with the dog on the tuckerbox.
Britain has it's statues, Europe has it's sculptures, most cities have statues and scultures commemorating something or other.
Australia has big stuff.