B - Big Banana

 Welcome to our tour of Australia. During the month of April we are going to visit our favourite spots in Australia. Come join us on our walkabout through the land down under.

Yesterday we were inland visiting some of Australia's prehistoric wonders. Click here if you missed that post. Today we head towards the coast to visit the Big Banana and go tobogganing.

Australians love to build and visit "Big" things. All over the country there are "big" things including the Big Pineapple, the big Prawn and the big sheep but the Big Banana was the one that started the trend over 50 years ago. The Big Banana complex has many different attractions including ice skating, mini golf, banana plantation tour and more but we stopped here so we could go tobogganing. If you are looking for an icy chute to toboggan down you will be be out of luck but the metal chute that winds down the side of the hill behind the Big Banana is just as much fun. You can buy as many or as few rides as you want but you will definitely want to ride more than once.

What I loved: Flying down the side of the hill on the toboggan run is a real thrill as I was in control of the speed of the sled. It is as close as I will ever get to being a bobsledder and its not nearly as cold. It was a great way to have fun and enjoy a fun activity with my family.
 
Cost: Toboggan rides are $4-6 per ride depending on how many tickets you buy.
Some of the other attractions on site also have fees. Check the website for details.
More Info: Big Banana Web Site

The Big Banana is pretty big and you can walk through it. Behind the banana and store is a banana plantation and other attractions including the toboggan ride.

Your ride starts by being pulled up the hill by a cable.

Once you get to the top it is time to ride. You can either let gravity take you at full speed or you can brake as needed.

Amanda and Shellie decided to be nice and safe and not go down at full speed.

Tim and I chose the full speed route and I almost fell out of the sled on one of the corners due to taking the corner too fast..

The toboggan ride was a big thumbs up from everyone.

How to get there: 
Car: The Big Banana is located on the Pacific Highway just outside downtown Coffs Harbour. It is approximately 7 hours one way from Sydney.
Air: Coffs Harbour airport is the closest airport. (1 hour flight from Sydney)
From the airport it is about a 15 minute drive to the Big Banana.
Train: Daily service from Sydney to Coffs Harbour (9 hours from Sydney). From the railway station it is about a 10 minute drive to the Big Banana.

There is so much more to do in the area including the beaches, off shore fishing and nearby rainforests so check out the Coffs Coast Tourism website to find out what else you need to add to your itinerary.

Have you ever been to the Big Banana? What did you post about today?