The Big Banana - 50 Years, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
S 30° 16.488 E 153° 08.036
56J E 512881 N 6650756
Built in 1964 by the local banana farmer, John Landi, this ICON had the 50 year celebration in 2014, for which there is a plaque below the ginormous banana.
Waymark Code: WMV3D5
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 02/16/2017
Views: 3
From the Monuments Australia website (
visit link) John Landi wanted to draw more customers to his fruit stall on the Pacific Highway, just north of Coffs Harbour, and having heard of the Big Pineapple in Hawaii, decided to make a similar structure to draw attention to the local Banana Industry.
"Builder Alan Harvey started the construction in September 1964 with the work to be completed before Christmas. The biggest banana in the world was officially opened on December 22 that year."
The plaque below The Big Banana, towards the highway, reads:
"This plaque commemorates 50 years of
THE BIG BANANA
Opened on 22nd December, 1964, to advance the Banana Industry and Tourism in Coffs Harbour, The Big Banana generated a spirit of warmth, goodwill and entrepreneurial endeavour, which resulted in many similar developments across our continent.
"Big Things" are now a form of artistic expression unique to Australia.
Unveiled 28th February 2015 by
Mr Andrew Fraser MP
Member for Coffs Harbour
Cr Denise Knight
Mayor of Coffs Harbour
OWNERSHIP HISTORY
John & Betty Landi
John & Stella Enevoldson
1964-1987
Horticultural World Pty Ltd
Harold Mitchell, Ian Ditchfield
Bob Johnson
1987-1992
Kevin & Marie Rubie
Mary-Anne Costar
1993-2005
The Village Building Co. Ltd
Kevin & Marie Rubie
2005-Present"
Access: Lots of parking within the complex, and able to enter from the north or south.
(re-)Visited: Thursday, 16/2/2017