Big Banana

For the Havana Brown song, see Big Banana (song).

The Big Banana
Interactive map of The Big Banana
LocationCoffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates30°16′29.15″S 153°08′01.67″E / 30.2747639°S 153.1337972°E / -30.2747639; 153.1337972
Opened22 December 1964
Slogan"It's a whole bunch of fun!"
Operating seasonYear-round
Area45 acres (18 ha)
Attractions
Total13
Roller coasters1
Water rides8
Websitewww.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 notable attractions include an alpine coaster, toboggan ride, giant slide, and water park. Plantation tours are also available.[1] In keeping with the plantation theme, banana-related products are shown or sold in the park which also has a souvenir shop and restaurant.[2] In January 2014, during the peak tourist season the Big Banana received close to 150,000 visitors.[3] 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."[4]

A species of plant described in 2023, Pittosporum kororoense, was given the common name "Big Banana Pittosporum" due to its very limited range in rainforest within close proximity to the attraction.[5]

Attractions

Current

The park's rides include an 82m slide,[6] 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.[7]

In 2022, plans were submitted for the park to construct an alpine coaster, known as Plantation Coaster.[8] The ride, expected to cost $5.5m, was approved in 2023,[9] and construction began in April 2025.[10][11] Plantation Coaster opened on 13 December 2025.[12]

Former

The park featured three scenic monorail sets driven on a two beam track. The track passed by a lagoon that featured an animatronic bunyip, which was shut off in 2005 due to budget constraints. The monorail's track linked display buildings and transported visitors up the steep slope of the plantation. In 2005, a broken down train 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.[13]

On the evening of Australia Day 2014, a disused scenic lookout attraction was destroyed by fire.[14]

  • Carriages belonging to one of the two remaining train sets now out of service, next to an unused green house.
  • 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.[15] The other big thing stamps were:

See also

References

  1. ^ Ruby, Kevin. "About the Big Banana". Official Website. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010.
  2. ^ www.dinkumweb.com.au, Dinkum Web Solutions -. "The Big Banana Fun Park :: Gift Shop". bigbanana.com. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  3. ^ White, Greg (1 February 2014). "Big Banana shrugs off fire and declares business as usual". Coffs Coast Advocate.
  4. ^ "PHOTOS: 10 Architectural Puzzlers". HHuffington Post. 10 November 2011.
  5. ^ Benwell, Andrew S. (8 March 2023). "Pittosporum kororoense (Pittosporaceae, Apiales), a new species from Coffs Harbour, Mid North Coast of New South Wales". Telopea Journal of Plant Systematics. 26. Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust: 25–32. ISSN 0312-9764.
  6. ^ Deans, M (26 October 2016). "An 82m long, six-storey high rush". Coffs Coast Advocate. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Rides and Attractions", The Big Banana. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Coffs Harbour's Big Banana lodges plan for new toboggan ride". Australasian Leisure Management. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  9. ^ Ferrari, Andrea (4 September 2023). "Big Banana Fun Park to build Alpine Coaster". News of the Area. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  10. ^ Ramsey, Britt (1 April 2025). "Construction underway on new Big Banana coaster". NBN News. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Big Banana Fun Park starts construction on new Plantation Coaster". Australasian Leisure management. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  12. ^ "The Big Banana's new Plantation Coaster gets grand opening". Australasian Leisure Management. 13 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Banana express hits rock bottom". Coffs Coast Advocate. 12 January 2005. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Fire rips through Big Banana's lookout". Coffs Coast Advocate. 27 January 2014.
  15. ^ "Australia salute Big Things". Gibbons Stamp Monthly. June 2007. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009.
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