Australia’s ‘big things’ have long been a part of childhood holidays. From fruit, to seafood, rum and bushrangers, our big Aussie icons are so uniquely Australian, with both the icons and their surrounding regions apart of nostalgic holiday memories for many families over the years.
As the Summer road trip season is about to hit, why not enjoy a trip down memory lane by taking a detour to visit one of the unique big Aussie things scattered across the country.
How many big things have you ticked off? Here are the top Aussie ‘big icons’ according to a recent Wotif.com survey:
1. The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour NSW
Travellers have been stopping by this famous yellow fruit for banana splits since 1964, however it offers so much more than a ‘banana’, with activities including a fun park with a toboggan track, waterpark, mini golf, ice skating rink and more.
2. The Big Pineapple, Sunshine Coast QLD
Located in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, the Big Pineapple has been a holiday stop for many Aussies for more than 30 years and is even heritage listed. Travellers can go inside the Big Pineapple, learn about pineapple farming, take the train through bamboo forest and to the neighbouring zoo, Wildlife HQ.
If you’re headed to Ballina or passing through, The Big Prawn is a ‘big icon’ to add to the road trip list, especially if you are a crustacean lover. Located on River St, it has recently had a makeover, now freshly painted and available for photos over a bite to eat day and night.
4. The Big Golden Guitar, Tamworth NSW
Tamworth is not only the home of country music in Australia, but also the Big Golden Guitar, standing tall in front of the local Tourist Centre. A tribute to the town’s country music, it’s a replica of Australia’s Annual Country Music Award’s gold guitar trophies and is a must for fans of the country music scene.
5. The Big Ned Kelly, Glenrowan VIC
The notorious bushranger can be found towering six metres tall in the town of Glenrowan, which is the historic region of the last siege of the infamous Kelly gang in 1880. Plenty of travellers stop to take a photo with the Australian folk hero, while learning about his colourful story at local attractions and museums.
6. The Big Rum Bottle, Bundaberg QLD
Four and a half hours north of Brisbane, Bundaberg is home to the iconic big Bundaberg Rum bottle, outside the Bundaberg Rum distillery where travellers can go on a one hour tour and learn about the 125 year history of rum crafting.
Famous for its mangoes, travellers going to North Queensland should stop off at the giant sized ‘Big Mango’, located outside the Bowen visitor information centre. It’s well worth stopping in and taking a break from the tropical north heat with a fresh mango sorbet.
*The Wotif® survey was conducted in February 2016 with more than 1,800+ Australian respondents.
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