Big Banana

For the Havana Brown song, see Big Banana (song).
The Big Banana
Slogan "It's a whole bunch of fun!"
Location Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 30°16′29.15″S 153°08′01.67″E / 30.2747639°S 153.1337972°E / -30.2747639; 153.1337972Coordinates: 30°16′29.15″S 153°08′01.67″E / 30.2747639°S 153.1337972°E / -30.2747639; 153.1337972
Opened 22 December 1964
Operating season Year-round
Area 45 acres (18 ha)
Rides
Total 12
Water rides 8
Website www.bigbanana.com

The Big Banana is a tourist attraction and amusement park in the city of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. The grounds of the park are set amongst a banana plantation, featuring a large walk-through banana. Built in 1964, it was one of Australia's first Big Things. Other attractions include a downhill toboggan ride, ice skating rink, a water park and the World of Bananas educational experience. Plantation tours are also available.[1] On the evening of Australia Day 2014, a disused scenic lookout attraction was destroyed by fire.[2] In keeping with the plantation theme, banana-related products are shown or sold in the park which also boasts a souvenir shop and restaurant. In January 2014, during the peak tourist season the Big Banana received close to 150,000 visitors.[3]

The original Big Banana has been copied by the Big Bananas at Carnarvon, Western Australia.

In 2011, Huffington Post included the Big Banana in their list of the "Top 10 Pieces of Folly Architecture."[4]

Attractions

Along with the Big Banana, the site includes laser tag, mini golf, ice skating, a theatre providing an educational experience, and a toboggan ride and a water park[5]

Postage stamps

Australia Post issued a set of 50c postage stamps in 2007 commemorating big things, including the Big Banana.[6] The other big thing stamps were:

See also

References

  1. "About the Big Banana", official website.
  2. "Fire rips through Big Banana's lookout". The Coffs Coast Advocate. 27 January 2014.
  3. White, Greg (1 February 2014). "Big Banana shrugs off fire and declares business as usual". The Coffs Coast Advocate.
  4. "PHOTOS: 10 Architectural Puzzlers". Huffington Post. 10 November 2011.
  5. "Rides and Attractions", The Big Banana. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  6. "Australia salute Big Things". Gibbons Stamp Monthly. June 2007. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009.

External links

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