If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, the original Big Pineapple must have an ego even bigger than he is! This North Coast icon has spawned spiky spin-offs around the world, from Woombye and Gympie in Queensland to Bathurst in South Africa, but to many he’s still the most scrumptious tropical treat.

At a modest four metres from supple bottom to prickly top, the West Ballina Pineapple is outsized by his imitators. But don’t let that put you off. Resting a quiet corner of a BP service station, he’s a quirky throwback to a gentler time – like Gumlu’s Big Watermelon, which is dwarfed by Chinchilla’s Big Melon – and every bit as scrumptious as ever.

The Big Pineapple was built in 1967 by local legends Merv Ryan and Darryl O’Meara. Ballina was home to large pineapple cannery at the time, and the owners were ‘pining’ for something to put them on the map – teehee!

When he was revealed to a curious public, he proved to be more popular than an ice-cold piña colada on a hot day.

Agadoo-doo-doo, push pineapple, shake the tree
Agadoo-doo-doo, push pineapple, grind your feet

Whilst our festive friend isn’t quite so popular these days, he’s certainly not lonely, with his disciples often stopping by for a photo. His best mate, The Big Prawn, also lives right down the road. Maybe they should change the name of the town to Ba-large-na?

Sorry, that joke was a bit ripe!

There’s just enough space to squeeze inside the juicy giant. It’s even possible to pop your cheery little face out the window for a memorable photo. Just look how happy my travel companions – Bigella Fernandez Hernandez Bigot and the diminutive Peter Poppins – were to meet him!

“It would be easy to fritter away an afternoon admiring The Big Pineapple,” chuckled Bigella.
it would be a fruit-ile endeavour

“The we’re all in agreeance,” I said, a grin creeping across my face, “that the Big Pineapple makes for a pine day out!”