Lexi Webster
Australia is known for its Big Things, which include oversized renderings of various objects that have become staples of regional tourism. One of these is the Big Peanut, which is located in Atherton, Queensland. The Big Peanut fronts a Peanut Fruit Shop just north of Tolga, QLD. In 2018, the town of Kingaroy, Queensland, also began campaigning for its own Big Peanut, which would be two storeys high and recognise the town's lengthy contribution to the Queensland economy through its peanut farming. The campaign raised over $3000 in four days through a GoFundMe page.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Kingaroy, Queensland |
| Population | 10,000 |
| History | First place in Australia where commercial peanuts were planted |
| Significance | Recognises the lengthy contribution of Kingaroy peanuts to the Queensland economy |
| Design | Two-storey-high peanut with cogs and gears from farming implements |
| Height | Approximately 2.5 metres tall |
| Funding | Gofundme page, fundraising campaign, donations from townspeople and large peanut businesses in the region |
| Site | Confirmed in the grounds of the Kingaroy Bowls Club on Youngman Street |
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What You'll Learn
The Big Peanut will be built at the Kingaroy Bowls Club
Australia is known for its "Big Things", which include oversized renderings of various objects, such as sheep, cows, fruit, and vegetables. These large structures are a staple of regional tourism, with each town vying to have the most impressive and unique "Big Thing".
One such example is the Big Peanut, which will be built in the town of Kingaroy, Queensland. Kingaroy has a long history with peanuts, being the first place in Australia where commercial peanuts were planted. The town is also known for its contribution to Queensland's economy through peanut farming.
The Big Peanut will be constructed at the Kingaroy Bowls Club, which is located on the main highway, Australia's Country Way. This strategic position will allow the club to capture tourists coming in and out of Kingaroy. The bowls club was already looking to expand its capacity, and the addition of the Big Peanut will further enhance its appeal.
The townspeople of Kingaroy have shown genuine support for the idea and are eager to help fund the project. A community group, "Kingaroy Needs A Big Peanut", has been actively campaigning and fundraising for the construction of the Big Peanut. They have approached large peanut businesses in the region, such as the Peanut Company of Australia (PCA) and Crumptons, for funding. The group has also received support from local politicians, including Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and Federal MP David Littleproud, who recognize the potential for the Big Peanut to boost tourism and local jobs in the South Burnett region.
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The peanut sculpture will include cogs and gears from farming implements
Australia is home to many "Big Things", including a Big Peanut in Atherton, Queensland. This Big Peanut, however, is not a sculpture but a fruit shop just north of Tolga, QLD.
In 2018, the town of Kingaroy in Queensland, known for its lengthy contribution of peanuts to the Queensland economy, campaigned to build a two-storey-high Big Peanut sculpture. The campaign group, started by a group of Kingaroy friends, noted that the town needed a Big Peanut to attract tourists. The sculpture would be built at the front of the Kingaroy Bowls Club on the main highway, bringing tourists in and out of the town.
The campaign group approached large peanut companies in the region for funding and put together a business plan. They also sought support from the local council and state government. Despite the campaign, Kingaroy lost the bid for Australia's next Big Thing to a Big Melon in Chinchilla, Queensland.
Although the town lost the bid, the campaign group remained determined to see the project through. In 2020, a GoFundMe page organised by local businesswoman Abigail Andersson raised over $3000 in just four days. Andersson envisioned the peanut sculpture incorporating cogs and gears from farming implements, symbolising the families who worked tirelessly to establish the peanut industry in the region. The sculpture was estimated to stand at 2.5 metres tall.
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Kingaroy is famous for its peanuts
Kingaroy, a town in Queensland, Australia, is famous for its peanuts. It is known as the "peanut capital of Australia" and has a long history of peanut farming. In fact, the town was the first place in Australia where commercial peanuts were planted in 1901.
The peanut industry in Kingaroy developed as a commercial enterprise in the South Burnett region, centred upon Kingaroy, and has been managed from this town since the 1920s. The Queensland Peanut Marketing Board was established in 1924 to transform the crop into a marketable condition, and the town became a hub for the storage, processing, and marketing of peanuts.
The Kingaroy Peanut Silos, a group of three concrete silos constructed between 1938 and 1951, are a dominant feature in the town's skyline and a symbol of the peanut industry in Queensland. The silos were built to meet the storage needs of the growing peanut industry, providing a place to store nuts in dry conditions, treat them if affected by damp, protect them from pests, and control their distribution to the market.
Over the years, Kingaroy has faced challenges due to unpredictable summer rainfall and changing weather patterns impacting the peanut crop. Despite this, the town remains committed to promoting its brand as a peanut-growing region. Efforts to build a two-storey-high "Big Peanut" structure in Kingaroy have gained support from the community and local politicians, who recognise its potential to boost tourism and the local economy.
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The Big Peanut will be two-storeys high
Australia is known for its "Big Things", which include oversized renderings of various objects, such as sheep, cows, fruit, and vegetables. One of these "Big Things" is the Big Peanut, which will be built in Kingaroy, Queensland, a town known for its lengthy contribution to the Queensland economy through peanut farming.
The Big Peanut will be two storeys high and is expected to attract tourists to the region. It will be constructed in the grounds of the Kingaroy Bowls Club on Youngman Street, which is located on the main highway, Australia's Country Way. This strategic location will bring tourists in and out of Kingaroy, and the club already has parking, toilets, a bar, and kitchen facilities to accommodate visitors.
The idea for the Big Peanut was conceived by a community group called "Kingaroy Needs A Big Peanut," who felt it was ridiculous that the town, famous for its peanuts, did not already have one. The group has been working on designs and fundraising pitches to large peanut businesses in the region. A GoFundMe page created by local businesswoman Abigail Andersson raised over $3000 in just four days. Andersson shared that the sculpture would include cogs and gears from farming implements, representing the families that worked hard to establish the peanut industry in the region.
The Big Peanut is expected to be approximately 2.5 metres tall and will be a source of pride and tourism for the town. It will also pay homage to the town's history and celebrate 100 years of the legume being iconic to the region.
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The Big Peanut lost to the Big Melon in a nationwide competition
The Big Peanut in Kingaroy, Queensland, lost to the Big Melon in a nationwide competition. The melon structure was awarded to Chinchilla, a major watermelon grower and the neighbouring town of Kingaroy.
The campaign to build a Big Peanut in Kingaroy was led by a community group called "Kingaroy Needs A Big Peanut". They believed that a giant structure would lure tourists to the town, which is famous for its lengthy contribution to the Queensland economy through peanut farming. The group had prepared designs and fundraising pitches, approaching large peanut companies in the region for funding.
The competition was organised by booking company Wotif, with four towns vying to win a new Big Thing. The mayor of Western Downs regional council, Paul McVeigh, said that the Big Melon would bring tourists to Chinchilla, and that the council plans to make it the centrepiece of their biannual watermelon festival.
Despite the loss, the campaign group in Kingaroy remains determined to build a Big Peanut. They have continued to raise funds and have received support from local politicians. A GoFundMe page created by local businesswoman Abigail Andersson raised over $3000 in just four days. The sculpture, which would be approximately 2.5 metres tall, is intended to be constructed by the community and for the community.
Although the Big Peanut in Kingaroy has not yet come to fruition, there is a smaller Big Peanut in Atherton, Queensland. This Big Peanut fronts a peanut fruit shop just north of Tolga and is known for wearing a hat and a big smile.
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Frequently asked questions
The Big Peanut is planned to be built in Kingaroy, Queensland, which is known for its lengthy contribution of peanuts to the Queensland economy.
Kingaroy was the first place in Australia where commercial peanuts were planted.
The Big Peanut will be approximately 2.5 metres tall and will include cogs and gears from farming implements to represent the families that contributed to the peanut industry in the region.
No, there is another Big Peanut in Atherton, Queensland, which fronts a Peanut Fruit Shop just north of Tolga.
