Apples are the core industry of Queensland’s famous Granite Belt region, so it’s no surprise there’s a really, really big one in the village of Thulimbah.
At four metres tall and 4.5 metres wide, The Big Apple rises high over the renowned Vincenzo’s Café. A scrumptious Italian meal and a delicious red Big – what more could you ask for?
The steel-and-fiberglass Big Apple was built in 1978 by local legend Johnny Ross. It was then erected by hometown hero Brian Wilmot outside a petrol station in the apple-ropriately-named hamlet of Applethorpe.
Shockingly, it was originally painted a very a-peel-ing shade of green!
Turnovers were impressive until, in 2003, the unthinkable happened. The servo was redeveloped and The Big Apple was thrown into storage. Maybe they should’ve changed the name of the town to No-Applethorpe.
But The Big Apple wasn’t ready for the compost heap just yet. later that year it was painted up like a Royal Gala and transported to it’s current location beside the New England Highway.
That’s juiced down the road from Stanthorpe and its Big Thermometer. Some folks argue about which is more iconic but honestly, that’s like comparing apples and, well, 10-metre-tall hunk of meteorological measuring equipment.
She’ll Be Apples, Mate!
Nestled in the shadows of tThe Big Apple, Vincenzo’s offers a sumptuous array of pizza, pasta and panini. But there was only one treat I wanted to scoff down after a long afternoon taking photos with Big Things: their genre-defining apple pie.
When I swaggered in and ordered one, however, Bigella shot me a haphazard look.
“Don’t you think that might upset you-know-who?” she whispered, before gazing with deference towards The Big Apple.
“How insensitive of me,” I spluttered, before turning back to the well-presented counterperson. “I guess I’ll go with a succulent steak and pepper pie, then.”
He nodded solemnly, but when he returned with the golden treat, I Ieaned in close.
“Be a darl and pop a few of those freshly-baked apple pies in a paper bag for me,” I hissed surreptitiously, stealing a cautious glance towards Bigella. “You’d better double-bag it – I don’t want to upset you-know-who.”
The meat pie, which I delicately pecked at in the comfy confines of the restaurant, was fluffy, crispy, and oh-so-delicious. And the apple pie, which I finally plucked up the courage to cram into my gob that night when I was sure Bigella was asleep, was simply devine.
But don’t tell her I said that!
An Apple a Day Keeps the Boredom Away
Oversized orbs are applentiful across the wide, brown Land of the Bigs. There’s a fine example just down the road in Acacia Ridge – although I must warn you there are some rotten characters lurking around it!
Head down to New South Wales to discover a bushel of big beauties, with Apples in Batlow, Darkes Forest, Tallong, and Yerrinbool. They’re the envy (that’s a breed of apple) of all the other states!
Not wanting to be left out, Victoria boasts Big Apples in Bacchus Marsh and Gladysdale, with an ever-so-slightly-larger-than-average specimen in Somerville. Donnybrook, WA, has one, too. Even South Australia has a Big Apple in Balhannah.
And who could forget the Apple Isle? Tassie has a Big Apple resting above a shop in the tranquil village Spreyton.
You’ll have a tough time de-cider-ing which one to visit next!
