Covering The Big Topics

It's funny, the things you talk about with your kids.  While we were driving, after the Big Banana they wanted to know what other big things they could see.

So I told them about the Big Pineapple, how cool it was, how I used to go there when I was little.

'So what did you do there Mum?' they asked eagerly? Little tykes, keen to hear about what on earth people did at large fruit related amusement parks.

Not our family- random family from Wikipedia

'Um, well, you could climb up inside the pineapple which had pictures inside showing the history of pineapple farming in the district and had a charming view over the pineapple fields from the little balcony at the top.'

Silence.  Completely unimpressment (yes I just made up a word) radiated from the back seat.

I went on nervously.  'And then you could get on a little train that took you out among the pineapple plants so you could see them closer.  And then you could have an ice-cream or lunch at the cafe and maybe get a souvenier.'

'Aaah souveniers!' they said. 'We so want to go there!'  Clearly it's all about the toy at the end isn't it.  Sort of like a Happy Meal, but more expensive and slightly more nutritious.

I told them I thought it was shut, that being the rumour I'd heard on the large fruit related amusement parks grapevine.

We then spoke of the Big Prawn, and how it used to be in Ballina but the mayor or local council or someone who had the power said it had to be torn down.  I don't think it was an attraction as such, it was just outside a big seafood shop.  They still wanted to see it.   But last time I saw it, it's lovely pinky colour had faded to a sun bleached white.  Not very impressive to generation Z.  They of the multi use devices and nanosecond attention span.

Imagine a prawn cocktail made out of this baby.

But as it turned out, before I could even shout, "look kids, there's the Big Prawn", we had been shunted away from Ballina on the new fancypants bypass.  Another Pacific Highway town facing the dubious pleasure of no more drive through traffic.  No more chance sitings of the Big Prawn for us.  I have no idea whether it's still standing, glinting whitely in the sun, or has been bulldozed.

Ps.  I am very pleased to announce the Big Pineapple is back up and running after a brief closure.  It seems the community got together to save it, and now there are markets every weekend.  The train still runs, and you can still climb it.  I am just gutted we won't have time to visit this trip.  If you're going anywhere near south east Qld in the near future, try to drop in and relive my childhood for me.

Pps.  We have spent the weekend and the last couple of days catching up with some completely fabulous people in Brisbane.  There are lots of other people we haven't caught up with but wish we had.  Brisbane is totally full of excellent people who we love.  That's all.