I always looked forward to trips up the highway because I knew mum and dad wpuld stop at the Gympie big pineapple. Climbing up to the top was always a hilight for me.
Great job, and thanks for acknowledging the Gympie pineapple. I just listened to a podcast on Queensland agritourism and was thoroughly disappointed that they only mentioned the Woombye one.
Thanks for keeping it alive. I’m still trying to dig up. The Abc actually did a documentary series in the late 90s or very early 2000s but very sure it was in the late 90s that went around doing the research on these big things and where the farmer who built the original Gympie one was very passionate about saying that the one in Nambo looks nothing like it. I suppose the icing on the cake is now they are rebuilding it The way it should be because the last time I was down there I still enjoyed plenty of mango parfait through the early 2000s. But of course it’s all being restored and my footage. I took about one year ago being down there and looking at the tragedy of seeing the train line. The good news is that new train has been fully restored, and they will be opening up the additional phases over the coming couple of years and planting all those pineapples so I think it’s fantastic and thanks for compiling this wonderful thing for us, stay safe
@@IBISChannel32 I believe they built everything, the outer was one mold, from memory, about 8ft by 6ft, and that was just repeated, both him and his business partner have now passed away, but back then they were the go to people for Fiberglass in Queensland, I have great childhood memories of the Big Pineapple's owners filling us full of parfaits and milkshakes.
@@huch1966 Thanks a lot for this... sounds like your dad had a prolific career! As you can imagine it was difficult finding any information and I had very few sources! But hey, it's cool that this video has brought forth more sources like yourself!
@@IBISChannel32 Hi, I found the book, it has the whole history of the Big Pineapple, there is a lot of informaation. "Our Sweetest Icon" By Kerry Brown.
Hi Kim - @huch1966 - thanks for correcting the statement that both were manufactured by the same firm. The Big Pineapple at Woombye was definitely made by Fibreglass Industries in Brisbane. We ate A LOT of pineapples while our dads were designing the structure. Apparently my dad was obsessed with getting the colours right. I also remember being at the opening ceremony in 1971 when it was “crowned”.
Woombye and Gympie are only about an hour’s drive apart. That part of River Road in Gympie was known more by it’s other name (the Bruce Highway) until recently when the Gympie bypass was opened. Having been lucky enough to have been in both pineapples I would say the Woombye pineapple was more spacious and had easier access to the good views from the top. It was sad to see the Gympie pineapple go though. Do you know there once was a big cow beside the highway in between the pineapples as well? 😂
The true facts, my uncle was the owner of the big pineapple, in Gympie. And owner of the service station. His pineapple was of a large size, but only two thirds the other. No Bull just FACT.
This was great! Thanks so much for making it. Informative and funny, I didn't even know the Gympie one existed.. perhaps that's saying something for the sunny coasts one. 😏😛
I always looked forward to trips up the highway because I knew mum and dad wpuld stop at the Gympie big pineapple. Climbing up to the top was always a hilight for me.
Thanks for the vids mate! Have thoroughly enjoyed watching. :)
Great job, and thanks for acknowledging the Gympie pineapple. I just listened to a podcast on Queensland agritourism and was thoroughly disappointed that they only mentioned the Woombye one.
Great video, thank you very much for making it.
Thanks for keeping it alive. I’m still trying to dig up. The Abc actually did a documentary series in the late 90s or very early 2000s but very sure it was in the late 90s that went around doing the research on these big things and where the farmer who built the original Gympie one was very passionate about saying that the one in Nambo looks nothing like it. I suppose the icing on the cake is now they are rebuilding it The way it should be because the last time I was down there I still enjoyed plenty of mango parfait through the early 2000s. But of course it’s all being restored and my footage. I took about one year ago being down there and looking at the tragedy of seeing the train line. The good news is that new train has been fully restored, and they will be opening up the additional phases over the coming couple of years and planting all those pineapples so I think it’s fantastic and thanks for compiling this wonderful thing for us, stay safe
You too! Thanks for your comment!
The Big Pineapple wasn't manufactured in Gympie, it was build by Fiberglass Industries in Brisbane, this was my father's and his partners company.
Ah, thanks. Did his company build the outer skin or the metal frames as well?
@@IBISChannel32 I believe they built everything, the outer was one mold, from memory, about 8ft by 6ft, and that was just repeated, both him and his business partner have now passed away, but back then they were the go to people for Fiberglass in Queensland, I have great childhood memories of the Big Pineapple's owners filling us full of parfaits and milkshakes.
@@huch1966 Thanks a lot for this... sounds like your dad had a prolific career! As you can imagine it was difficult finding any information and I had very few sources! But hey, it's cool that this video has brought forth more sources like yourself!
@@IBISChannel32 I have a book that has the history of the Pineapple and a lot of other Queensland things, I'll let you know the name if I can find it.
@@IBISChannel32 Hi, I found the book, it has the whole history of the Big Pineapple, there is a lot of informaation.
"Our Sweetest Icon"
By Kerry Brown.
Hi Kim - @huch1966 - thanks for correcting the statement that both were manufactured by the same firm. The Big Pineapple at Woombye was definitely made by Fibreglass Industries in Brisbane. We ate A LOT of pineapples while our dads were designing the structure. Apparently my dad was obsessed with getting the colours right. I also remember being at the opening ceremony in 1971 when it was “crowned”.
I had no idea there were two at one time! Nice one.
Another interesting topic...I'm struggling to recall if I ever saw the Gympie one, I think so, but definitely went inside the other one as a kid
yeah great video!
Woombye and Gympie are only about an hour’s drive apart. That part of River Road in Gympie was known more by it’s other name (the Bruce Highway) until recently when the Gympie bypass was opened. Having been lucky enough to have been in both pineapples I would say the Woombye pineapple was more spacious and had easier access to the good views from the top. It was sad to see the Gympie pineapple go though. Do you know there once was a big cow beside the highway in between the pineapples as well? 😂
The true facts, my uncle was the owner of the big pineapple, in Gympie. And owner of the service station. His pineapple was of a large size, but only two thirds the other.
No Bull just FACT.
I would have thought Gympie’s was a bit smaller than the Woombye one.
👍 Great video!
I grew up in munduberra where the big mandarin is
And was supprised to see it in a vid
Every time we went to Hervey Bay for holidays in the early seventies we stopped at the pineapple servo for fuel and a snack
This was great! Thanks so much for making it. Informative and funny, I didn't even know the Gympie one existed.. perhaps that's saying something for the sunny coasts one. 😏😛
It's time we give the underdog some attention!
I remember when there were two pineapples; I must be getting old!
We all are mate 👍😁
Observation decks make everything better, so I’m going to give The Big Pineappe the point of superiority over The Giant Pineapple
Great video, thank you very much for making it.