MELONS are a big thing in Chinchilla.
Now there's a possibility of a melon being the biggest thing in the town.
The proposal for a big melon in Chinchilla is a finalist in travel company Wotif's Next Big Thing competition.
The decision was put into the hands of the public after a two-week nationwide search that saw thousands of Aussies submit their ideas for "big things" around the country.
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A big melon would join the ranks of other famous big Aussie landmarks such as the Big Pineapple on the Sunshine Coast, Gayndah's Big Orange and Bowen's Big Mango.
Western Downs deputy mayor, Andrew Smith, said he was excited there were two Qld options in the final four.
“It’s State of Origin all over again. There’s us (Chinchilla) and Kingaroy up the road up against Glenn Innes and Mittagong in NSW,” he said.
“Domestic tourism is something we strive to keep improving here in the Western Downs, to attract visitors to our region and support our local businesses, and we have a reputation for putting on great events such as the Chinchilla Melon Festival every two years.
“It would be a terrific drawcard because we know how popular all the ‘big’ things are, not just in Qld, but everywhere, so fingers crossed for the Big Melon.”
Voting has closed but the winner will be announced in mid-November.
The Next Big Thing shortlisted finalists include:
- The Big Melon, Chinchilla (Qld): Famous for its melon production and home of the popular Melon Fest, Chinchilla looks for a Big Melon to celebrate the region’s produce.
- The Big Kilt, Glen Innes Highlands (NSW): Featuring Glen Innes’ own signature tartan, the Big Kilt would highlight the towns early Scottish settlers and Celtic history.
- The Big Peanut, Kingaroy (Qld): Known as the “Peanut Capital of Australia”, Kingaroy’s soil makes it one of the world’s most ideal places to grow peanuts and houses Australia’s largest peanut processing plant, making the Big Peanut a natural fit.
- The Big Tulip, Mittagong (NSW): Gateway to one of Australia’s oldest floral festivals, Tulip Time, when more than 100,000 tulips get planted.
