Leslie Massey
Australia is known for its large structures that resemble local produce, such as the Big Banana, Big Pineapple, and Big Fruit Bowl. In 2019, the town of Chinchilla, located 300km west of Brisbane, was unveiled as the winner of a nationwide competition to find Australia's next big thing. Chinchilla, known as the melon capital of Australia, was awarded a four-tonne, nine-metre-long watermelon structure, which sits by the side of the Bruce Highway. The Big Watermelon is one of Queensland's finest attractions, with visitors able to wander inside and stick their heads out of the window for a photo.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | By the side of the Bruce Highway, Queensland, Australia |
| Nearby Places | Gumlu, Brisbane, Warrego Highway, Visitor Information Centre, Sydney |
| Weight | 4-tonne |
| Length | 9-metre long |
| Width | 3-metre wide |
| Owner | Chinchilla, the "melon capital of Australia" |
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What You'll Learn
The Big Melon in Chinchilla, Queensland
Chinchilla has a long history of watermelon cultivation and was once responsible for supplying 25% of Australia's watermelons. The Big Melon was the result of a nationwide competition by the travel website Wotif to find and fund Australia's next incredible roadside attraction. Thousands of suggestions poured in, and the Big Melon emerged victorious over other contenders, including the Big Peanut in Kingaroy, the Big Kilt in Glen Innes, and the Big Tulip in Mittagong.
The Big Melon is a popular tourist attraction, with many visitors stopping to take photos with the giant watermelon slice. It is easily accessible, with free entry, ample parking, and walking distance to the visitor information centre. The structure's impressive size, craftsmanship and attention to detail, with its bright pink and green colours, make it a striking addition to the town.
The Big Melon in Chinchilla joins the ranks of other famous "Big Things" in Australia, such as the Big Banana, Big Pineapple, and Big Fruit Bowl. These larger-than-life structures have become iconic landmarks and popular roadside attractions, drawing visitors from all over to pose for photos and marvel at their size. The Big Melon is expected to boost tourism in the region and has already brought attention and recognition to Chinchilla and its rich history of melon production.
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The watermelon is 9 metres long and weighs 4 tonnes
The Big Watermelon in Australia is 9 metres long and weighs 4 tonnes. It is located in Chinchilla, Queensland, which is known as the "melon capital of Australia". The structure is made of fibreglass and was built in Sydney over five weeks before being delivered to Queensland in 2019. It sits by the side of the Bruce Highway at an open-air fruit and veg shop.
The Big Watermelon is not the only giant fruit structure in Australia. There is also the Big Banana, the Big Pineapple, and the Big Fruit Bowl, among others. These structures are popular tourist attractions and have become iconic landmarks in their respective regions.
Chinchilla won the right to host the Big Watermelon as part of a nationwide competition to find Australia's next "Big Thing." The town is a major watermelon grower, and the Big Watermelon is a fitting tribute to its agricultural heritage.
The Big Watermelon is a source of pride for the people of Chinchilla and has helped to put their town on the map. It is a unique and quirky attraction that draws visitors from all over, boosting the local economy and raising the profile of the region.
The structure is impressive, not only for its size but also for its design. It is described as having a cartoon-like cheekiness that begs to be explored. Visitors can even walk inside the watermelon and stick their heads out of the window for a unique photo opportunity.
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The structure was built in Sydney
The Big Watermelon is located by the side of the Bruce Highway, near an open-air fruit and vegetable shop. It is around three metres wide, and people can walk inside and stick their heads out of the window for a photo. The structure is made of fibreglass and has a cartoony, cheeky appearance.
Chinchilla won the Big Melon structure as part of a nationwide competition to find Australia's next big thing. The town of Kingaroy, also in Queensland, had campaigned to build a giant peanut but congratulated Chinchilla on their win.
The Big Watermelon in Chinchilla is not the first in Australia; Gumlu is home to the original Big Watermelon.
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Chinchilla is known as the 'melon capital of Australia'
Chinchilla, a rural town in the Western Downs Region of Queensland, Australia, is known as the 'Melon Capital of Australia'. The town is approximately 300 kilometres (190 miles) northwest of Brisbane. Chinchilla produces 25% of Australia's melons, including watermelons, rockmelons, and honeydews. The town's agricultural roots are celebrated during the biannual Chinchilla Melon Festival, a popular family-friendly event featuring various melon-themed activities and attractions.
The first Chinchilla Melon Festival was held in 1994 by local producers and businessmen to lift the community's spirits after a severe drought in the early 1990s. The festival has grown significantly since its inception, with an estimated 10,000 visitors on the main day of the 2011 festival. In 2009, the Melon Festival won the Queensland Regional Achievement and Community Award for Tourism Event. The festival features unique events such as melon skiing, melon bungee, melon bullseye, melon ironman, melon chariot races, a pip-spitting competition, and melon-eating races.
In 2018, Chinchilla reinforced its reputation as the 'Melon Capital of Australia' by winning a nationwide competition to build Australia's next big thing. As a result, the town was awarded a four-tonne, eight-to-nine-metre-long Big Melon structure, which was unveiled in November 2018. The Big Melon was built in Sydney over five weeks and delivered to Chinchilla, where it stands next to the town's information centre.
While Chinchilla's economy has diversified in recent years, with the oil and gas extraction industry dominating employment, the town continues to be known for its agricultural contributions, particularly melon production. The town's charm extends beyond its agricultural roots, with the Chinchilla Weir offering a serene natural retreat just outside the town for fishing, picnicking, and camping during the summer months.
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The Big Watermelon lives a few metres away from the Big Pumpkin
The Big Watermelon is a nine-metre-long fibreglass structure in Queensland, Australia. It is located in Chinchilla, a town known as the "melon capital of Australia", which is situated about 300 kilometres west of Brisbane. The Big Watermelon sits by the side of the Bruce Highway at an open-air fruit and veg shop. It is said to be around three metres wide, and visitors can go inside and stick their heads out of the window for a photo.
Gumlu, a small town on the map, is the original home of the Big Watermelon. Here, the Big Watermelon lives a few metres away from the Big Pumpkin. The Big Pumpkin is a three-metre-tall attraction located outside a fruit and veg shop. The Big Watermelon and the Big Pumpkin are both well-loved attractions in the state, with the former being one of Queensland's finest attractions.
In 2019, Chinchilla won a nationwide competition to be the home of Australia's next big thing, which was a four-tonne, nine-metre-long watermelon structure. The neighbouring town of Kingaroy, known as the "peanut capital of Australia", had also participated in the competition with a campaign to build a Big Peanut. Despite losing to Chinchilla, Kingaroy decided to go ahead with building the Big Peanut.
The Big Watermelon in Chinchilla was unveiled in 2019 and has since become a popular attraction, drawing visitors and boosting tourism in the region.
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Frequently asked questions
The Big Watermelon is located in Gumlu, Queensland, Australia.
The Big Watermelon is around three metres wide.
The Big Watermelon was unveiled in 2019.
The Big Watermelon is made of fibreglass.
The Big Watermelon was built as part of a nationwide competition to find Australia's next big thing. Chinchilla, the melon capital of Australia, won a four-tonne, nine-metre-long watermelon structure.
