photo courtesy of Australia Post
Despite their kitsch, 1980s vibe, Australians still can’t get enough of Aussie ‘Big Things’ like the Big Banana and the Big Pineapple. Australia Post quizzed 1,000 Australians in August 2023 about our nationwide relationship with these giant roadside structures. It revealed that almost 90 percent of us have visited at least one of around 1,000 ‘Big Things’ scattered across the country. Australia Post is celebrating our love affair with these big, quirky sculptures with its latest $1 coin collection featuring some of the best known ‘Big Things’, including The Big Pineapple, The Big Jumping Crocodile, The Big Banana, Big Swoop and The Big Lobster.
“Our ‘Big Things’ are colourful, entertaining and truly make their mark in so many local communities across Australia. We’re celebrating some of our most iconic ‘Big Things’ with this new coin collection, in partnership with the Royal Australian Mint.” Australia Post General Manager Retail Product and Supply Chain Kayla Le Cornu commented. Le Cornu said that according to Australia Post research, we’re more likely to visit the Big Banana and Big Pineapple but topping the nation’s must-see list are the Big Tassie Devil (Mole Creek, Tas) and the Giant Koala (Dadswell Bridge, Vic).
Assistant Minister for Charities, Competition and Treasury Andrew Leigh said Australia’s ‘Big Things’ are loved by all. “Whether it’s The Big Banana, The Big Pineapple, or Canberra’s very own Big Swoop, the best ‘Big Things’ celebrate the character of our communities and give visitors a reason to smile and pop in for a visit. While the Mint’s ‘Big Things’ coins may be of standard size, the memories they evoke loom large,” Dr Leigh commented.
“’Big Things’ can be a one-trick pony if there isn’t something else to do onsite. Once you’ve got a photo, the chances of going back are low, unless there’s plenty of additional fun to be had. And while people often associate ‘Big Things’ with the 1980s, when a lot of them were built, we’re still building more ‘Big Things’ today.” University of Sunshine Coast lecturer and expert on Australia’s ‘Big Things’ Dr Amy Clarke commented.
Dr Clarke said that Aussies revealed the three most important factors for a good ‘Big Things’ visit – size, condition, and lots to do onsite. ‘Big Things’ that have all three do a great job of attracting people to regional towns.
Le Cornu said that Aussies told Australia Post what they’d love to see in their hometowns with some specific requests to consider, including::
- A big black swan in Perth
- A big gold nugget or pan in Ballarat
- A big surfboard on the Gold Coast
- A big quokka on Rottnest Island in Western Australia
- A big football or a big coffee in Melbourne
- A big Tassie tiger for Tasmania
Le Cornu said that fans and collectors can head into participating Post Offices or online from today (4 September) to buy individual stamps for $1.20, individual coins for $3 each and the full coin set and accompanying folder for $29. Plus one in every 10-coin set features a coloured Giant Murray Cod coin while the other coins can also be found in till change when making a cash purchase in participating Post Offices.
The full Australia Post Aussie ‘Big Things’ coin collection includes:
- The Big Pineapple (Sunshine Coast, QLD)
- The Big Banana (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
- Giant Koala (Dadswell Bridge, Vic)
- Big Tasmanian Devil (Mole Creek, Tas)
- Big Blue Heeler (Muswellbrook, NSW)
- Big Jumping Croc (Wak Wak, NT)
- The Big Lobster (Kingston, SA)
- Giant Ram (Wagin, WA)
- Giant Murray Cod (Swan Hill, Vic)
- Big Swoop (Canberra, ACT)