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86-470: The Big Pineapple 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

172-639: 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

258-602: 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 Gipp's proclamation was rescinded by the Crown Lands Alienation Act 1860 , which allowed for post-survey selection, and timber-getting licenses.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

344-420: 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

430-533: 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 was tested from

516-432: 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

602-475: 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

688-495: 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

774-523: A hospital was opened in 1930. With the start of major development in South East Queensland in the late 1950s, Maroochy Airport (now Sunshine Coast Airport , the major regional facility) was opened in 1961. The Shire grew rapidly from this point onwards. Fires were a persistent problem in the hinterland region, and on Anzac Day in 1948, a fire significantly damaged the Shire Chambers. In 1978,

860-481: A reasonable admission charge or even for free, others may be of low quality and overprice their goods and services (such as admission, food, and souvenirs) in order to profit excessively from tourists. Such places are commonly known as tourist traps . Within cities, rides on boats and sightseeing buses are sometimes popular. Novelty attractions are oddities such as the " biggest ball of twine " in Cawker City, Kansas ,

946-445: 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,

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1032-454: 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

1118-639: A small party including two Aboriginal men from the Brisbane River region who spoke the Yuggera language. Their name for the local black swan was "Muru-kutchi" or "red-bill". Petrie hence named the area Maroochy. The area was originally incorporated as part of the Caboolture Divisional Board on 11 November 1879 under the Divisional Boards Act 1879 . On 5 July 1890, Maroochy split away and

1204-419: 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

1290-615: 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

1376-732: A supposed UFO crash site near Roswell, New Mexico and the alleged Loch Ness monster sightings in Scotland . Ethnic communities may become tourist attractions, such as Chinatowns in the United States and the black British neighborhood of Brixton in London , England. Tourists also look for special local culinary experiences such as street kitchens in Asian metropolises or the coffeehouse culture in Central Europe . In particular, cultural property and

1462-523: Is 16 metres (52 ft) high and 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

1548-662: Is a good example of a region marketed and branded as a place for tourists to visit, mainly known for its Châteaux of the Loire valley . A tropical island resort is an island or archipelago that depends on tourism as its source of revenue. The Bahamas in the Caribbean , Bali in Indonesia , Phuket in Thailand , Hawaii in the United States , Fiji in the Pacific, and Santorini and Ibiza in

1634-732: 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

1720-602: Is marketed or markets itself as a place for tourists to visit". It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps". Fátima town, for example, is a popular tourist destination in Portugal . Siem Reap town is a popular tourist destination in Cambodia , mainly owing to its proximity to the Angkor temples. The Loire valley , the third tourist destination in France ,

1806-416: Is not enough to prevent destruction, robbery and looting. The founding president of Blue Shield International Karl von Habsburg summed it up with the words: “Without the local community and without the local participants, that would be completely impossible”. Maroochy Divisional Board The Shire of Maroochy was a local government area about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Brisbane in

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1892-631: 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

1978-715: 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

2064-594: 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

2150-634: The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota , or Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska , where old cars serve in the place of stones in a replica of Stonehenge . Novelty attractions are not limited to the American Midwest, but are part of Midwestern culture . A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is significantly dependent on revenues from tourism, or "a country, state, region, city, or town which

2236-750: The Local Government (Reform Implementation) Act 2007 passed by the Parliament of Queensland on 10 August 2007, the Shire of Maroochy merged with the Shire of Noosa and the City of Caloundra to form the Sunshine Coast Region . The Shire was subdivided into 12 numbered divisions, each of which returned one councillor, and an elected mayor. The Shire of Maroochy included the following settlements: - split with

2322-650: 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

2408-614: The Nambour railway station , where they were to continue meeting until 1978. With the passage of the Local Authorities Act 1902 , Maroochy became a shire council on 31 March 1903. The first land sale in Maroochydore in 1908 allowed 8.1 square kilometres (2,002 acres) along the coast to be opened up, allowing for the development of the towns of Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba . The council commenced supplying electricity in 1927, and

2494-522: The Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland , Australia . The shire covered an area of 1,162.7 square kilometres (448.9 sq mi), and existed as a local government entity from 1890 until 2008, when it amalgamated with its neighbours to the north and south to form the Sunshine Coast Region . In 1842, Andrew Petrie explored the coast north of Brisbane and discovered the Mary River with

2580-580: 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

2666-555: 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

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2752-469: 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

2838-512: 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

2924-623: 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

3010-525: 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

3096-521: 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

3182-466: The Mediterranean are examples of popular island resorts. France , the United States , and Spain were the three most popular international destinations in 2017. The total number of international travelers arriving in those countries was about 234 million, contributing 8.9%, 7.7%, and 14.9%, respectively, to the total GDP of those countries. Although some years back, Africa was lean on tourism,

3268-524: 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

3354-711: 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

3440-503: 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

3526-627: 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

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3612-608: The Shire moved its offices to a new location in Bury Street, Nambour, with the old facility in Civic Square remaining as a civic hall. On 15 August 1986 a fire damaged this beyond repair—it was bulldozed three years later to make way for the new Centenary Square development. In 2000, Queensland police arrested a man for using a computer and a radio transmitter to take control of the Maroochy Shire wastewater system and release sewage into parks, rivers and property. On 15 March 2008, under

3698-472: The United States, owners and marketers of attractions advertise tourist attractions on billboards along the sides of highways and roadways, especially in remote areas. Tourist attractions often distribute free promotional brochures to be displayed in rest areas , information centers, fast food restaurants, and motel rooms or lobbies. While some tourist attractions provide visitors a memorable experience for

3784-472: 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

3870-421: The author's personal assessments. Sometimes it is particularly emphasized that this particular tourist attraction has not yet been in the focus of the international tourism industry. Some of the sights are internationally known or target the national or local market. Some attractions are reserved for the local population or are rarely advertised because the main traffic routes and main airports are too far away. In

3956-473: 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

4042-427: 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

4128-435: The continent is currently regarded as the second fastest growing tourism region with over 67 million tourists visits to Africa in 2018. Ethiopia , with a growth rate of 48.6% in 2018, is at the top of the list of African tourist centers. Other tourist locations in Africa include Cape Town, South Africa , Giza Necropolis , Egypt , The Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya , Victoria Falls , Zimbabwe and Zambia . From

4214-407: 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

4300-466: The destination and contribute to the overall experience of the trip. The ultimate primary purpose of attractions is to attract the customer's attention so that they can come to a specific location and explore the various attractions on vacation. In the travel and tourism industry, attractions therefore play a particularly important role as this attracts tourists from all over the world. Tourist attractions are also created to capitalize on legends such as

4386-403: 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

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4472-473: 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

4558-507: The event of war, many tourist attractions are a special goal in order to cause lasting damage to the enemy or to finance the war. International attempts are therefore made to protect and preserve these economic and cultural foundations of a community, city or country. There is intensive cooperation between the United Nations , UNESCO and Blue Shield International on the protection of cultural goods and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, cooperation between organizations and state authorities

4644-404: 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

4730-468: 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

4816-421: 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

4902-419: 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"

4988-459: 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

5074-469: 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

5160-536: The individual places of the UNESCO World Heritage Site have developed into tourist attractions. If too many tourists frequent individual places, this can lead to environmental pollution and resistance from the local population, such as in Barcelona or Venice. With regard to this whole subject, there are already lists of destinations that are not recommended to tourists. There are innumerable lists and reviews of tourist attractions. Visitor statistics, cultural significance, beauty or age are used and these always reflect

5246-421: 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

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5332-504: 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

5418-460: 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 the construction of new car parking facilities, accommodating

5504-461: The object of cultural niches like industrial tourism and creative tourism. Many tourist attractions are also landmarks . But sports events such as a soccer game, Formula 1 race or sailing regatta can also attract tourists. Tourists' expectations when visiting a particular place are related to several features of the chosen destination: culture, architecture, gastronomy, infrastructure, landscape, events, shopping, etc. These features attract people to

5590-501: 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

5676-412: 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

5762-434: 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

5848-448: The primary motivations for a region to promote itself as a tourism destination is the expected economic benefit. According to the World Tourism Organization , 698 million people travelled to a foreign country in 2000, spending more than US$ 478 billion. International tourism receipts combined with passenger transport currently total more than US$ 575 billion – making tourism the world's number one export earner. Tourist attractions can: In

5934-406: 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

6020-406: 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

6106-409: 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

6192-401: The tourism industry supply perspective, a destination is usually defined by a geo-political boundary, and destination marketing is most commonly funded by governments. From the traveler perspective, a destination might be perceived quite differently. Tourism generates substantial economic benefits for both host countries and tourists' home countries. Especially in developing countries, one of

6278-627: 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

6364-464: 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

6450-1202: 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. Tourist attraction Places of natural beauty such as beaches , tropical island resorts , national parks , mountains , deserts and forests , are examples of traditional tourist attractions which people may visit. Cultural tourist attractions can include historical places, sites of significant historic event , monuments , ancient temples , zoos , aquaria , museums and art galleries , botanical gardens , buildings and structures (such as forts , castles , libraries , former prisons , skyscrapers , bridges ), theme parks and carnivals , living history museums , public art ( sculptures , statues , murals ), ethnic enclave communities, historic trains and cultural events. Factory tours, industrial heritage, creative art and crafts workshops are

6536-553: 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

6622-741: 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

6708-497: 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

6794-404: 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

6880-499: 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

6966-477: 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

7052-627: 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,

7138-513: 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

7224-478: Was proclaimed as a Maroochy Division in its own right, with an area of 1,265 square kilometres (488 sq mi) and headquarters at Nambour . It did not initially contain Buderim or Kenilworth . The first elections were held on 13 September for three councillors, each of whom represented one subdivision. By 1895, council chambers had been erected firstly on Blackall Terrace and then at Station Square adjacent to

7310-493: 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

7396-581: 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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