88-539: The Big Pineapple Music Festival is held annually at the Big Pineapple Landmark, in Woombye, Queensland , Australia . The festival features a range of artists from a variety of genres and first occurred on 21 April 2013 with over 8,000 tickets purchased. The festival was initially developed by the new Big Pineapple landmark owners, in an attempt to pull the business out of bankruptcy. From 2016-2019,
176-646: A 109-acre farm, and of the top six South East Queensland production areas, Woombye and Palmwoods had the smallest average farm sizes, with the greatest percentage of the farm used for pineapples. In the mid-1950s Woombye ranked third of the top six South East Queensland areas by number of growers, and second of the top six South East Queensland areas by production. In the 1970s pineapples were Maroochy's third largest agricultural industry after sugar and dairy farming. Meanwhile, changes were taking place in Australian culture that would impact on tourism. After World War II
264-440: A Queensland tourism and travel advice website called ' Queensland '. Through the website, TEQ provides information and travel guides on Queensland's 13 regional tourism destinations: The agency also periodically also releases reports based on studies on niche markets, for example, ecotourism , backpacking and Bed and breakfast markets . The agency was responsible for the successful promotion campaign for Hamilton Island that
352-622: A Reserve proclaimed by Governor George Gipps in 1842. Gipp's proclamation was rescinded by the Crown Lands Alienation Act 1860 , which allowed for post-survey selection, and timber-getting licenses. In the early 1860s Edmund Lander leased the Mooloolah Back Plains run around the future site of Nambour , and timber getters started to exploit the area, working inland along waterways. The Alienation of Crown Lands Act 1868 also stimulated settlement, and by 1871
440-421: A cottage to the west. Associated structures to the east include tram tracks, two tour stations, and a ticket office for the plantation train; a machinery shed, an animal nursery, a lagoon, and a koala enclosure. There is also a Nutmobile/Rainforest Tour station to the north of the restaurant building. The Big Pineapple structure and retail and restaurant buildings are strikingly visible from the approach road from
528-534: A curved staircase, along with an audiovisual story about the pineapple industry and other tropical fruits. Local agricultural producers and co-operatives participated in the development of the displays, most notably the Golden Circle Cannery . A shop and restaurant building was located just north of the Big Pineapple structure, and a cottage was located nearby. The capacity of the facilities
616-556: A dangerous weapon (knife). Police also conducted a total of 260 random breath tests on and around Nambour Connection Road on the day of the festival, with no positive readings recorded. In 2016, the Police Force conducted searches of between 1000 and 2000 people entering the Big Pineapple Music Festival. Drug-detection dogs were used during these searches and detected 18 patrons. Further investigation of
704-555: A development application for the Big Pineapple with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council. The application contained plans to expand the Big Pineapples current facilities by developing a hotel with 120 rooms, a potential brewery/winery, food hub and additional camping facilities. The development application has been approved by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and the Big Pineapple is set to undergo
792-433: A family fun park, a travel centre, food-based tourism, an eco-tourism destination with walking trails, outdoor sport and recreation, educational facilities, health and wellbeing services, along with tourist accommodation such as a holiday recreational vehicle park and glamping sites. In 2017 the new owners explained that they intended to restore the popularity of the site to increase tourism, but not to directly replicate
880-432: A free ticket, 200 people volunteered to assist with running and cleaning up the festival. The Big Pineapple Music Festivals in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 sold out, with all available tickets being purchased before the festival date. This year's Big Pineapple Music Festival set a new record for the time taken to sell out, with all 16,000 available tickets purchased within two weeks of being on sale. The owners and organisers of
968-505: A glut of pineapples in the process. Queensland production of pineapples doubled between 1932 and 1942, and doubled again between 1952 and 1956, to a total of 12,316 acres (4,984 ha) by the latter date. In 1947 the Northgate Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing Cannery (later Golden Circle ), owned and controlled by growers, began operations. Although pineapples boomed in the post war period, marketing issues led to
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#17327901140591056-447: A royal visit, interest in the Big Pineapple is still strong. The Big Pineapple was rated as one of Australia's most popular destinations for selfies, and the on-site cafe does a good trade in retro merchandise. As at early 2017, the Big Pineapple was still updating attractions, with the popular music festival continuing well, with the new owners also undertaking whole of site master planning and community consultation. In February 2017,
1144-444: A significant refurbishment valued at $ 6.8 million. The Queensland Government is providing funding equal to $ 2.5 million, to support the crucial upgrades of the refurbishment such as Wi-Fi, kiosk and online ticketing and extensive landscaping. The development plan is estimated to take 10 years to complete and will include glamorous camping, eco-villas, a hotel and nature walks through the food preparation hub. The redevelopment will debut
1232-460: A similar project in Hawaii , and in 1984 they developed and operated the "Hawaii Tropical Plantation" in partnership with two Hawaiian companies. The Sunshine Plantation expanded in 1976 when Taylor Family Investments Pty Ltd purchased eight hectares of land from Keith and Ailsa Heinrich, to the west of the original attraction. At 3am on 11 September 1978 an early morning fire completely destroyed
1320-421: A spin on the train line, and derailed. A 22-year-old suspected brewery tour patron was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, and later ordered to pay for the damage to the train system. Meanwhile, Big Pineapple workers refurbished the locomotive, and also replaced 700 sleepers and the 250 m (820 ft) of track damaged by the vandal. The train system was reopened in 2024. The Big Pineapple complex
1408-640: A style that is characteristic of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Here, the focus has been on education and the agricultural heritage and ecology of the region. Attractions besides the Big Pineapple have included: the Big Cow; the Buderim Ginger factory at Buderim which was later relocated to Yandina , Australia Zoo , Forest Glen Deer Park , and the Superbee. Related to tourism developments
1496-486: A tree top challenge, as well as host more music events and a regional food event. The Tourism Industry Development Minister has advised the project will attract 160,000 extra visitors and pump approximately 4.5 million in the local economy annually. The Big Pineapple Music Festival was first held on 20 April 2013 and has taken place annually since. In 2013, over 8000 tickets were purchased by people from Brisbane , Gold Coast , Adelaide , Perth and Cairns . In exchange for
1584-498: Is a heritage-listed tourist attraction and big thing at Nambour Connection Road, Woombye , Sunshine Coast Region , Queensland , Australia. It was designed by Peddle Thorp and Harvey , Paul Luff , and Gary Smallcombe and Associates . It is also known as Sunshine Plantation. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 March 2009. The 2-level Big Pineapple is 16 metres (52 ft) high and
1672-405: Is a part of a "big" group of Australian tourist attractions. Alongside the Big Pineapple is Coffs Harbour's ‘ Big Banana ’, Ballina's ‘Big Prawn’ and Goulburn's ‘ Big Merino ’. The Big Pineapple comprises a 170-hectare site, with a total capacity for 16,000 people. The Big Pineapple went into liquidation in the 2000s and was purchased by Brad Rankin and Peter Kendall in 2011. In 2017, the pair lodged
1760-762: Is located on the rise of a hill on the northern side of the Nambour Connection Road at Woombye. The original Sunshine Plantation area (the Big Macadamia and the Nut Factory are not included within the heritage boundary) comprises approximately 22.86 hectares (56.5 acres) of pineapple plantations, sub-tropical rainforests and orchards. Major structures on the site include a replica pineapple (the Big Pineapple), an entrance pavilion and two large, two-storey restaurant and retail buildings, with
1848-579: Is the Queensland Government 's lead marketing, experience development and major events agency, representing the state's tourism and events industries. TEQ operates on a national and international level, looking at new and innovative ways to make the most out of emerging opportunities which benefit Queensland 's tourism industry and economy. The agency commenced life as the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation in 1978. It
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#17327901140591936-647: Is the advertising phenomenon of the Big Thing. Big Things were used in California from the 1920s to lure customers off the highways to stop at food stalls, and they first appeared in Australia in the 1960s. The earliest Australian Big Things included: Big Things were usually built by entrepreneurs or by the local community, and almost all featured something that the town or district was famous for, usually flora or produce. Steel framing and fibreglass appear to be
2024-748: The Big Merino at Goulburn (all in New South Wales), and the Big Lobster at Kingston SE ( South Australia ). The Big Pineapple attraction went into receivership in 2009 and was closed in October 2010. The Nutmobile was sold in July 2011 to the Bromet family, to promote macadamia nuts and tourism at the town of Bauple . In late August 2011 the Big Pineapple complex and its surrounding farmland
2112-612: The Blackall Range was a successful fruit growing area, and in 1901 Woombye was promoted as the fruit growing area in Queensland with the greatest potential. Around this time pineapples were overtaking citrus as the crop of choice in the area, especially at Woombye, with its well-drained soil and rolling hills. In 1914 the Brisbane district still produced most of Queensland's pineapples, while rising pineapple districts included
2200-627: The COVID-19 pandemic began, it was then cancelled in August. The 2021 festival went ahead as scheduled on 22 May. The first Big Pineapple Music Festival was patrolled by 30 Queensland Police Officers and accompanying drug-detection dogs . Upon entry, Police officers carried out searches on approximately 1000 patrons. These searches resulted in 40 drug detections. 15 of the 40 individuals detected were arrested on drug offenses, with possession of MDMA ( ecstasy ) accounting for half of
2288-686: The Moreton Central Sugar Mill , the Golden Circle Cannery , the Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing (COD), the Sugar Board, CSR limited , Buderim Ginger Factory , and the Australian Macadamia Nut Society. The Big Pineapple was soon followed by other Big Things in the area. In October 1971 another 16-metre (52 ft) high pineapple was opened, this time at a Gympie service station, by
2376-538: The 18 patrons resulted in 21 drug related offenses being recorded collectively. In 2018, the Queensland Police force executed drug raids on two homes in Warana and Parrearra, a few days before the sixth Big Pineapple Music Festival. The officers found an ounce of cocaine , MDMA crystals, over 200 MDMA pills and close to $ 8000 cash. Police allege the illicit substances were destined to be sold to patrons at
2464-600: The 1980s a number of changes occurred. In 1981 the Taylor's sold the Sunshine Plantation to Lanray Holdings, although the titles for their 1971 and 1976 land purchases remained under the name of Taylor Family Investment Pty Ltd until August 1993, when Sunshine Securities Pty Ltd became the registered proprietors. A lower retail area for the market building was opened in 1982, and in 1984 the Nutcountry Tour
2552-571: The Big Macadamia was purchased from the Heinrichs by Sunshine Land Nominees Pty Limited. Part of this land was leased to CSR Limited in 1979, and the lease was later transferred to Macadamia Nuts Pty Ltd. By 1980 the Sunshine Plantation included the newly opened Macadamia Nut Factory, operated by CSR Limited, and the Nutmobile tour. By 1980 visitors could shop in the Tropical market, and eat in
2640-639: The Big Pineapple Music Festival. A 20-year-old man found at the Warana property was charged with 12 offences, and a 23-year-old man at the Parrearra home was charged with 4 drug offences. Drug-detection dogs were utilised by Police officers to passively search 1000 to 2000 of the 14000 festival patrons (Lyons, 2018). 17 people were identified and charged with possession of drugs. In 2019, the Queensland Police Force employed uniform officers, drug-detection dogs and undercover officers to monitor
2728-520: The Big Pineapple Music Festival. Police officers and accompanying drug-detection dogs searched approximately 1000 patrons, of which 45 people were arrested on drug-related charges. The charges included possession of cocaine , LSD , marijuana , MDMA and amphetamine . The Queensland Music Awards (previously known as Q Song Awards) are annual awards celebrating Queensland, Australia 's brightest emerging artists and established legends. They commenced in 2006. Big Pineapple The Big Pineapple
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2816-470: The Big Pineapple experience, with a range of new attractions and services proposed. The former Sunshine Plantation tourist attraction, now known as The Big Pineapple, is located on the north side of the Nambour Connection Road (former Bruce Highway ), just to the west of the current Bruce Highway. It holds a fond place in the memories of many domestic and overseas tourists who drove or were driven north of Brisbane on holiday road trips after 1971. Apart from
2904-522: The Big Pineapple was selected to host a Midnight Oil concert, as part of a reunion tour which took place in October 2017, seen by promoters as linking two Aussie 1980s icons. As of March 2019, the Big Pineapple hosts the TreeTop Challenge, the highest ropes course in Australia. In September 2020, the sugar cane train was taken out of service for repairs. In May 2021, the train was removed without permission from its storage tunnel, taken for
2992-648: The Big Pineapple's skin was also replaced. 1988 witnessed the construction of the Tomorrow's Harvest hydroponics farm, a large greenhouse which displayed innovative technology, and RAPS Night Time family restaurant opened in June that year. In 1989 the 16-metre (52 ft) high Big Macadamia, known as the Magic Macadamia was opened. From 2000, the Big Macadamia housed the Rainforest Creatures of
3080-531: The Gold Coast, and until the 1960s development remained low-key and family oriented, dominated by foreshore and riverside camping grounds, and flats and motels. In many parts of the Sunshine Coast there was a conscious reaction against the style of development that had taken place on the Gold Coast. Like the Gold Coast, on the Sunshine Coast the seaside entertainments of an earlier era have evolved into large scale tourist attractions. However these have developed in
3168-538: The Maroochy Shire included coffee , ginger , strawberries and citrus . Dairy farming also played an important part in the local economy from the 1890s. The fruit industry in the Maroochy Shire was stimulated when the North Coast Railway was constructed northwards from Brisbane after 1886. The railway reached Woombye in 1890, and met the line from Gympie at Cooroy in July 1891. By 1900
3256-536: The Night display, but by mid-2007 this attraction was closed, as was the Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse. The original Macadamia Nut Factory is no longer open to visitors, although the current Nutmobile Tour passes by a more recent factory building further to the north. In 1990 the Bruce Highway was realigned, bypassing the Big Pineapple along with Woombye and Nambour, but the tourist attraction continued to attract
3344-736: The North Coast Line ( North Pine to Gympie), the Tiaro and Mount Bauple district, Maryborough , and the Pialba district. In 1916 unused Crown Land near Beerburrum's railway siding was surveyed into portions for returned soldiers to grow pineapples. Some land at Woombye and Palmwoods was also resumed under the Soldier Settlement scheme . Beerburrum Soldier Settlement was the largest soldier settlement area in Australia by 1921, but it had failed by 1932, and helped to produce
3432-512: The Plantation Train Ride, a one kilometre two-foot gauge track which still has the steepest incline and sharpest bend of any Queensland passenger rail track. A crane placed the leaves on top of the 16-metre (52 ft) steel-framed fibreglass Big Pineapple that became the symbol of the plantation. Lyn Taylor was responsible for much of the design and layout of the project. The Big Pineapple could be entered, and its interior included
3520-659: The Queensland Director General of Tourist Services, John Wilson (Gympie's pineapple was demolished in 2008). In 1976 a Big Cow was built north of Nambour for a farm park. As acknowledgement of the Taylors' achievements, on 12 March 1972 the Australian National Travel Association presented the Sunshine Plantation with the first annual award for tourist development in Queensland. In 1982 the Taylors were invited to build
3608-541: The Queensland Outback. Additionally, a $ 10 million Queensland Outback Tourism Infrastructure Fund was announced to fund a range of ‘Outback Tourism’ projects, including luxury glamping and a glass-floored bridge crossing Cobbold Gorge in Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region . In 2019, over 1 million visitors travelled to Regional Queensland. TEQ’s next campaign, ‘The Year of Indigenous Tourism’,
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3696-483: The attraction was unique for the Queensland tourist industry, combining the specific promotion of tourism with the promotion of the area and its tropical production as a whole. A 1980 promotional booklet for the Sunshine Plantation claimed that in 1971 the concept and design was original and unique in the world. At the opening the Maroochy Shire Council chairman, Eddie de Vere, drove a gold spike into
3784-481: The building which housed the tropical market and restaurant next to the Big Pineapple, following an attempted burglary. However, two months later on 19 December the Governor General , Sir Zelman Cowan , opened a new Tropical Village complex, which now had a separate restaurant building to the north of the rebuilt retail building. In February 1979 the 10.2 hectares (25 acres) future site of the Nut Factory and
3872-484: The census recorded 104 people living and working in the Maroochy region, although only 31 were permanent settlers. At this time there were about 180 acres (73 ha) under pineapples in Queensland, mostly near Brisbane. Maroochy developed as a region of small farms, and by the mid-1880s the region had 116 people employed in mixed farming, 70 in sugar, 52 in timber, and only 15 in grazing. The Maroochy Divisional Board
3960-569: The charges. In 2014, the Police used drug-detection dogs to passively searched 1100 of the 8000 people that attended the Big Pineapple Music Festival. This resulted in a detection rate of 7.2%, with 80 people testing positive for drugs. Of these 80, 18 law breakers were identified and charged with 19 drug offenses. 18 people were charged with possession of dangerous drugs, including MDMA , ecstasy , cannabis , methylamphetamine and cocaine , and 1 person received an additional charge of possession of
4048-546: The construction of new car parking facilities, accommodating a further 20 coaches and 420 cars. A pedestrian bridge was constructed to span the highway. Also in 1987 the Sunshines Restaurant was doubled in size (the restaurant building seems to have been expanded to the west), and a new reception area and Tourist Information Centre was added. The Big Pineapple structure was refurbished and moved about 15 metres (49 ft) east at this time. There are indications that
4136-527: The crops flourishing in the 15-acre government garden at Brisbane that he had laid out in 1828. In the 1870s and 1880s experiments in pineapple growing occurred in what would become the Maroochy Shire , but the first commercial pineapple crop in the area was at Thomas Davey's Woombye farm in 1895. The area between the Mooloolah and Maroochy Rivers was closed to settlement prior to 1860 as part of
4224-404: The east. The entrance to the plantation, the Big Pineapple and the main buildings are located at the top of the hill and overlook the pineapple plantation, animal nursery and wild fowl lagoon. The entrance pavilion is an open gabled pavilion over framed with round timber poles and houses the entrance ticket booth and information centre. It has a corrugated iron roof. The Big Pineapple, adjacent to
4312-474: The entrance pavilion, is a hollow structure, 16 metres (52 ft) in height and cylindrical in shape. The shell of the main body is formed in fibreglass supported internally on a steel frame. The fibreglass has been moulded to replicate the skin texture and colour of a pineapple and has been formed in several pieces which are rivet-fixed together. The stalk of the pineapple and the surrounding viewing platform are formed in steel which has been painted. Internally
4400-461: The expansion of the leisurewear department. In 1993 the tornedo-damaged roof of Tomorrow's Harvest was replaced, Plantations Restaurant received a colonial-themed makeover, and punkahs (mechanical fans) were added to the upstairs retail area. During 1994 Sunshines Restaurant was refurbished, and the servery counters were rebuilt. However, RAPS restaurant closed in September that year. The Farm Show
4488-430: The festival contacted Tourism Queensland and requested permission to expand the length of the festival from one day to two days. This request was approved and the festival organisers planned to deliver the first two-day Big Pineapple Music Festival in 2020. In 2020 the event was initially postponed from May to November 2020, due to Federal government restriction of non-essential event numbers to 500 maximum, imposed when
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#17327901140594576-462: The festival has occurred annually. However, from 2014–present the festival has taken place mostly at the end of autumn, during the second half of May. In recent years, the festival has recorded attendance above 15000, with the 2016, 2017 and 2018 festivals selling out. In 2019, the festival increased the number of available tickets to 16,000 and sold out in just two weeks. The Big Pineapple in Woombye
4664-829: The festival has repeatedly sold out, with the 2019 Big Pineapple Music Festival reporting a record attendance of 16,000 people. The Big Pineapple Music Festival has consecutively won the ‘People’s Choice Award Festival of the Year’ for 2018 and 2019 at the Queensland Music Awards. The Big Pineapple Music Festival showcases emerging and established Australian artists, with the occasional international act. Noteworthy acts that have performed on Big Pineapple Music Festival's stages include Peking Duk , Hayden James , Bliss N Eso , Allday , Vera Blue , Touch Sensitive , PNAU , Hermitude , John Butler Trio , Birds of Tokyo and Grinspoon . Festival organisers had plans to expand
4752-538: The festival to a two-day event in 2020, but the event was cancelled in 2020 due to restrictions imposed when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. The Big Pineapple Music Festival is held annually in Woombye, Queensland , Australia . The festival was developed by new owners of the Big Pineapple landmark, as a turnaround venture of a broader strategic plan, to help the business emerge from bankruptcy. The festival first occurred on 21 April 2013. Since its debut in 2013
4840-596: The financial year from 1955 to 1956 the larger pineapple growers (those producing over 2,500 cases per year) grew a smaller percentage of the region's total crop than in Central Queensland . Large producers also grew less of the crop around Palmwoods than in the Mary Valley and Glasshouse areas, which reflected the trend towards small farms in the Maroochy Shire. The average South East Queensland pineapple grower had 10.6 acres (4.3 ha) under pineapples, on
4928-703: The first Golden Pineapple Week in 1955, along with Miss Golden Pineapple, to promote Maroochy pineapples. In the mid-1950s the vast majority of Queensland's pineapple growers were in South East Queensland , and two thirds of South East Queensland's production came from three main zones: the Palmwoods-Woombye-Nambour area, the Mary Valley , and the Glasshouse Mountains - Beerwah area. In South East Queensland in
5016-419: The form of the item they are advertising, and are loosely defined as being at least twice the size of the object they represent and at least twice human size. Big Things have been called outdoor cultural objects which serve to construct and assert the identity of a town or area, and they have also been described as one of Australia's most distinctive home-grown forms of folk art. (The term "outdoor cultural object"
5104-459: The growing, production and consumption of various tropical agricultural products, and a 1978 information booklet stated that the crops grown at the plantation were representative of over half the agricultural production in Queensland. A central feature of the attraction continues to be the sugar cane train which takes visitors on a guided educational tour of the plantation. In the Big Pineapple structure visitors see displays and gain an understanding of
5192-526: The iconic value of the Big Pineapple structure itself, as a roadside attraction of the Big Thing variety, the entire 40 hectares (99 acres) complex, with its retail and restaurant spaces, train ride and Nutmobile, crops, rainforest, Macadamia Nut Factory, Big Macadamia, Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse, Farm Show, Wildlife Gardens, and Animal Nursery, represents an early attempt at agri-tourism in Queensland. Big Things are large advertising objects, usually in
5280-547: The items selected "inherently represent an important part of our history or will have contributed to our cultural identity and will have won a lasting place in our minds and memories." In June 2007 Australia Post issued five stamps celebrating Australia's Big Things, and the Big Pineapple was one of the five Big Things selected - along with the Big Golden Guitar at Tamworth , the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour, and
5368-766: The most common building materials. It was within this context of pineapples, tourism and Big Things that Taylor Family Investments Pty Ltd purchased a 23 hectares (57 acres) pineapple farm southeast of Woombye in January 1971, from Gordon Ollett. Bill Taylor had worked at the United Nations for 20 years and had been head of the Development Finance Section, and Lyn Taylor was an interior designer in New York City . They returned to Australia in 1970. In 1971 Bill and Lyn Taylor embarked on what
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#17327901140595456-460: The new owner. Meanwhile, in 1983, the then Prince of Wales (now King Charles III ) and his then wife, Diana, Princess of Wales , visited the Plantation and rode on the train during their official visit to Australia. In 1986 more properties were purchased, including land south of the current Nambour Connection Road. 1987 saw land purchased on the southern side of the highway, which allowed
5544-413: The owners demonstrated their intent to facilitate a positive future through announcements about planning to include new attractions, supported by community consultation. Following economic assessments, the owners announced that they saw potential in facilitating a range of new uses that complemented the heritage and qualities of the site. They suggested there was strong potential for the future delivery of
5632-551: The previous experience such as in the heyday of the 1980s. As of 2017, the Big Pineapple features the heritage-listed Big Pineapple visitor area, the Wildlife HQ zoo , along with the popular Big Pineapple Music Festival and other events. Visitors are able to climb the Pineapple. While visitation is lower than in the heyday in the 1970s and 1980s when it was among the most popular tourist attractions in Australia and featured
5720-407: The production and processing of various tropical fruits, nuts and cane; in the restaurant visitors can sample various fresh tropical fruits, and in the market they can purchase fresh fruit and fruit jams. Authenticity was demonstrated by the plantation being a working farm, and by its links to and partnerships with local grower co-operatives, industry associations and significant institutions such as
5808-406: The public, and it was upgraded further during the 1990s. In 1991 a mini tornado damaged the Tomorrow's Harvest attraction, closing it for seven weeks while temporary repairs were effected. In December 1991 the Rainforest train stop was opened, adding rainforest walks and the animal nursery to the Train tour. In 1992 an Arts and Crafts Gallery opened in the lower retail area beside the train station and
5896-409: The shell of the Big Pineapple is unlined and the texture of the moulding is visible on the inside. It is divided into two levels for the purpose of exhibiting displays and for accessing the viewing platform above. Each floor is supported on exposed round steel posts which are painted. A central steel post extends up through the structure to provide additional support to the two floor levels and to support
5984-610: The state election. DTESB, which also includes the Office of Small Business, leads whole-of-government tourism initiatives and recognises the essential role of partnerships with industry and government in tourism industry development. The portfolio partners include: The Tourism Group of Tourism and Events Queensland, The Events Group of Tourism and Events Queensland and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation. Tourism and Events Queensland collects statistics related to tourism in Queensland. Focus areas include source markets, destination markets and aviation. The department has developed
6072-452: The tourism industry and government with the aim of identifying and agreeing on key priorities to drive future Queensland tourism industry growth and jobs. A key aspect of the partnership is the annual DestinationQ Forum and Destination Success; a long-term 20-year plan for the Queensland tourism industry. Tourism and Events Queensland developed the ‘Queensland Asia Tourism Strategy 2016-2025’ to attract more Asian travellers to Queensland, meet
6160-443: The two storey Tropical Restaurant. The top floor was known as the Polynesian Restaurant, with bamboo ceiling lining and thatched counter decorations, and the bottom floor was the Hibiscus Room. The Nutmobile tour started just north of the restaurant building and ran westwards to the Macadamia Nut Factory, the largest in Australia, where tourists could view displays, observe the sorting room, or buy macadamia products. At this time there
6248-464: The use of cars increased, and during the 1950s Australia was second only to the United States in car ownership per head of population. More car travel also led to more garages and fuel stops, and motels and caravan parks were built to accommodate those families taking to the roads for their ever-lengthening holidays. Annual leave increased from one week in 1941 to two weeks in 1945, three weeks in 1963 and four weeks in 1974. Roads were improved, and access
6336-478: The viewing platform and the stalk of the pineapple above. The first level is accessed via external steps. The ceiling and central core are lined with fibre-cement which has been painted to resemble the flesh of a pineapple. The floor is lined with linoleum tiles. The second floor is accessed via an open-riser, curved staircase with steel stringers, unpainted timber treads and a curved steel balustrade. Tourism Queensland Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ)
6424-560: Was a large carpark on the site of the present Tomorrow's Harvest greenhouse. Starting to the east of the market building, the train tour travelled past a variety of tropical crops, including: Within the train track was the Children's Farm (with the current mansard-roofed barn) and Animal Nursery. A tunnel under the train track led to a rainforest walk. In its first 10 years the Sunshine Plantation grew in popularity with attendance of 250,000 visitors in 1972 to over 1,000,000 in 1980. During
6512-783: Was added to the Train Tour in September 1995, and guided tours of the Macadamia Nut Factory, when it was not processing, started in December. Roughend Pineapple Party Ltd became the new owner of the complex in July 1996, and a Wildlife Garden featuring koalas and other Australian native animals had opened in April that year. The 'Bromeliad Feature' was added to the Tomorrow's Harvest attraction in February 1996. The 'Wildlife Garden' featuring koalas and other native animals
6600-582: Was announced by the Queensland Premier in November 2019. To support the 2020 campaign, the Queensland Government committed $ 10 million to create tourism jobs for Indigenous Queenslanders. An additional $ 200,000 was announced for a ‘Year of Indigenous Tourism Festivals and Events Fund’ to showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture. The campaign was extended to 2021. Tourism and Events Queensland’s most recent campaign, ‘Good to Go’,
6688-512: Was coined in the 2004 publication "Monumental Queensland: Signposts on a Cultural Landscape" by Lisanne Gibson and Joanna Besley.) The Big Pineapple appears to be the most widely recognised Big Thing in Queensland. The first pineapple plants in Queensland were landed at the new Redcliffe settlement by the brig Amity in 1824, and in 1829 the Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser listed 34 pineapple plants amongst
6776-404: Was created in 1890 (becoming the Maroochy Shire in 1902), and would develop into Queensland's largest fruit growing area between the 1880s and 1915, thanks to its climate and rainfall, with bananas being grown from the 1880s, and pineapples from the 1890s. It was possible for small farmers to make a living out of pineapples as thousands of plants could be cultivated in each acre. Other crops grown in
6864-548: Was dubbed the ' Best job in the world '. The 2009 Unreal Deals campaign was the agency's most successful domestic retail campaign ever. Other campaigns have targeted the Gold Coast , Sunshine Coast , tropical North Queensland and the Whitsundays . In 2019, Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk , declared 2019 ‘The Year of Outback Tourism’ and announced a $ 3 million campaign to promote holiday destinations across
6952-508: Was extended to include a section of rainforest. That same year verandahs were added to complement the upstairs restaurant (now called Sunshines Restaurant); Troppo's Restaurant (later the Plantation Restaurant) was opened downstairs, and Queensland's Hidden Treasures was opened to display Queensland gems and minerals. In 1985, by which time tourism had overtaken sugar as Maroochy's biggest industry, Queensland Press Limited became
7040-532: Was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage domestic tourism. This campaign involved transport, accommodation, experiences and activity operators completing a ‘COVID Safe program’ to provide safe experiences for visitors. Tourism and Events Queensland has engaged in several key partnerships with the Queensland Government and the state’s tourism industry, including DestinationQ. This strategic partnership promotes ongoing engagement between
7128-492: Was marked by David Low's election as Maroochy shire chairman in 1952 on a tourism platform. The late 1950s witnessed the first use of terms " Sunshine Coast " and " Gold Coast " to market Queensland's beach culture, and by 1960 the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau was promoting "The Sunshine State" as a nickname for Queensland. Development on the Sunshine Coast was less intense than on
7216-654: Was opened in April. Roughend Pineapple became the new owner of Sunshine Plantation in July. In 2006 the Big Pineapple was one of 12 Queensland icons, including the Cane Toad, Macadamia Nuts, and the Great Barrier Reef , selected from nominations received by the National Trust of Queensland . Another 24 icons had been selected between 2004 and 2005. According to the National Trust of Queensland,
7304-521: Was opened up to previously isolated natural attractions. The Bruce Highway was finally surfaced with bitumen all the way from Brisbane to Cairns by 1962, and the Pacific Highway was fully surfaced with bitumen by the late 1960s, which helped bring more New South Wales tourists north into Queensland. In the Maroochy Shire, the immediate post war period saw a shift in emphasis from traditional agricultural pursuits to coastal tourism. This shift
7392-503: Was originally opened on 15 August 1971. It is situated on a 165-hectare (410-acre) site. Under new ownership the owners are facilitating new attractions such as the Big Pineapple Music Festival and the Big Pineapple was also selected to host Midnight Oil within their reunion concert series in 2017. The owners are also embarking on a master planning process through community consultation to further rejuvenate
7480-499: Was set up by the government of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen on the recommendation of a government inquiry, headed by businessman Frank Moore (later Sir Frank). Moore was the first chair of the corporation 1978–90. Tourism and Events Queensland is located at 515 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley. The Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games (DTESB) was created on 3 April 2012, following
7568-495: Was sold to a consortium that has maintained it as a tourism attraction and market hub for Queensland produce, following extensive repair of the visitor area. In April 2013 the first Big Pineapple Music Festival was held with Birds of Tokyo headlining the event. The Festival has steadily grown in profile and popularity, and is regularly sold out. The Music Festival is now an event of national standing, having been awarded as one of Australia's top regional music festivals. In 2017
7656-518: Was tested from the opening, and modest expansions of the restaurant, market and sugar cane train occurred in the early years of operation. One product which proved popular was the range of tropical fruit jams which were made on site. In 1972 demand for these jams outgrew the production kitchen and the Taylors entered into a joint venture with local passionfruit farmers Bill and Noelene Hughes to form Sunshine Tropical Fruit Products. The Sunshine Plantation provided visitors with an opportunity to learn about
7744-525: Was then a new concept in agri-tourism, using Maroochy's agricultural heritage to attract tourists. The pineapple farm became an agri-tourism project showcasing over 40 varieties of fruits, nuts, spices and sugar cane: the Sunshine Plantation. The Maroochy Shire Council and the Queensland Government supported the venture, and on 15 August 1971 the plantation was opened by the State Minister for Labour and Tourism, John Herbert . Mr Herbert claimed that
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