Qld: Bowen s Big Mango to join Aussie list of big things

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2001
Qld: Bowen s Big Mango to join Aussie list of big things

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, April 12 AAP - The northern Queensland town of Bowen is banking on raising
its profile by building a giant replica of its most famous product -- the mango.

Situated on the Bruce Highway south of the town, the nine-metre-high and 6.5-metre-wide
Big Mango will join other Australian tourist icons such as the Big Banana, at Coffs Harbour,
and the Big Cheese, at Bega.

Big Mango Committee spokesman Clive MacNevin said the icon, which should be completed
in May, would put Bowen firmly on the tourist map.

"If you ask people where's Bowen, they don't know," Mr MacNevin said. "But they do
know about the Bowen mango."

Mr MacNevin said the Big Mango would be coloured like the real ones, with a mixture
of gold, green and "a touch of red from the sun".

A shop in the Big Mango would sell products such as mango chutneys and jams, dried
mangoes and mangoes themselves, when in season and there would also be a display on the
history of mangoes in Bowen.

Mr MacNevin said the committee hoped the Big Mango would convince tourists to make
the detour from the Bruce Highway into the town of 8,000, located midway between Mackay
and Townsville.

"People don't realise what a beautiful place Bowen and the area is," he said.

AAP/ch/jhm/ps

KEYWORD: MANGO

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