Big Banana
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox amusement park
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The Big Banana is a tourist attraction and amusement park ('The Big Banana Fun 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, XD Theatre, Mini Golf, Giant Slide, Laser Tag, a water park, the World of Bananas educational experience, and escape rooms. Plantation tours are also available.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On the evening of Australia Day 2014, a disused scenic lookout attraction was destroyed by fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In keeping with the plantation theme, banana-related products are shown or sold in the park which also has a souvenir shop and restaurant.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In January 2014, during the peak tourist season the Big Banana received close to 150,000 visitors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Big Banana has been a family owned business since it was opened by Betty and John Landi, and Stella and John Enveoldson in 1964.
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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Attractions
Current
The park's rides include an 82m slide,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> dodgems, a 4D Cinema, a toboggan and water slides. Other attractions include laser tag, mini golf, an ice skating rink, a theatre providing an educational experience, a reptile zoo, and escape rooms.<ref>"Rides and Attractions", The Big Banana. Retrieved 13 August 2015.</ref>
In 2022, plans were submitted for the park to construct an alpine coaster, known as Plantation Coaster.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The ride, expected to cost $5.5m, was approved in 2023,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and construction began in April 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The ride is expected to be open in late 2025.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Former
The park featured three scenic monorail sets driven on a two beam track. The monorail's track linked display buildings and transported visitors up the steep slope of the plantation.
In 2005, a broken down set was being pushed by one of the two other sets to a maintenance shed for repairs when the coupling system failed and the broken down set ploughed into the lagoon within the park.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The track passed by a lagoon that featured an animatronic bunyip, which was shut off in 2005 due to budget constraints.
Much of the track remains throughout the park and plantations while the two car sets that remained have been left unattended on tracks each near a disused buildings.
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Carriages belonging to one of the two remaining train sets now out of service, next to an unused green house.
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One of the two remaining train sets now out of service with a driver car and carriage belonging to the other set in the foreground.
Postage stamps
Australia Post issued a set of 50c postage stamps in 2007 commemorating big things, including the Big Banana.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The other big thing stamps were:
- (Big) Golden Guitar at Tamworth, New South Wales
- Big Lobster at Kingston SE, South Australia
- Big Merino (sheep) at Goulburn, New South Wales
- Big Pineapple at Nambour, Queensland
See also
References
External links
Template:Mid North Coast NSW Template:Amusement parks in Australia