The Big Pumpkin
The Big Pumpkin, located along Bruce Highway in Gumlu, Whitsunday region, North Queensland, Australia, is one of the little-known yet fascinating sculptures in the list of Australia’s Big Things. The pumpkin has a missing slice on one side, exposing the ripe interior.
A local farmers’ roadside market is adjacent to the Big Pumpkin structure, where locals bring fresh produce from their farms, mostly fruits and vegetables, for sale. A few meters north of the Big Pumpkin sits the Big Watermelon.
Gumlu is a locality between Home Hill and Bowen in the Whitsunday region, best known for its April-May winter vegetables farming and mango harvests in November. Because of the fresh farm produce coming from this region all seasons, the Big Pumpkin and the Big Watermelon highlight the region’s commitment to agriculture.
Consequently, pumpkin farmers in Gumlu and Bowen, a nearby locality, have come together under the Bowen Gumlu Association to produce various pumpkins for export to Japan. The opportunity to export pumpkins serves the Japanese food market and rewards the farmers for their hard work and commitment to agriculture in the two towns.
Other popular Big Things that promote agriculture in Queensland include the Big Mango in Bowen, the Big Pineapple in Woombey, and the Big Strawberry in Elimbah. Another Big Pumpkin sits atop a store in Beaudesert, a rural town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia.
You can learn more about Big Things in Queensland by visiting the Queensland section of our blog. It highlights the many Big Things in this state, whether famous or not. You may also subscribe to our newsletter for updates about the Big Things of Australia, right into your inbox.
