We grow big apples in Australia

@JudyEv (323706)
Rockingham, Australia
March 14, 2017 6:56pm CST
There are around 150 big icons situated throughout Australia. I've written about the ram in our state of Western Australia. There are a few 'big apples' around the country too. One is at Spreyton, a small town south of Devonport in Tasmania. There have been apple orchards in the area since 1908 and a premium fresh apple juice is produced here. The one shown is situated at the small town of Thulimbah, Queensland, opposite Suttons Apple Orchard and Cidery on the New England Highway. Thulimbah has a population of around 500. This particular icon was first crafted as a Granny Smith and erected at the petrol station in Applethorpe in 1978. It is made of fibreglass and steel and stands 4 metres tall. It is 4.5 metres in diameter. A local artisan, Johnny Ross, was responsible for its construction. In 2003, the site was redeveloped and the apple given a facelift. It is now a Royal Gala. Our area is a big apple-growing district. I picked apples one season while a teenager. The crates of apples were loaded on a carry-all on the back of a small tractor. The crates were sometimes so heavy that the front of the tractor was almost bouncing off the ground. I would sit on the bonnet – a bit of extra weight to help keep the front on the ground. The photo is from Wikimedia Commons: Stuart Edwards (Own work) [Public domain].
Wagin, Western Australia, is another Australian country town that has a 'giant' as a tourist attraction. Recently I wrote about the giant galah that stands in...
26 people like this
26 responses
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
15 Mar 17
Isn't that an amazing thing to see? Will have to share my photo of the huge orange.
2 people like this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv Will certainly have to dig that out. It is a landmark here and many joke about it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
@PatZAnthony I'm sure others would be interested too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
I hope you do. I'd love to see it. We used to have a big orange but it's been taken down.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
15 Mar 17
That is one fine looking apple!!
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
You'd really have the pip by the time you got through that!
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@youless (112091)
• Guangzhou, China
15 Mar 17
This apple is so large and I think Australia can win the title of The Big Apple as well as New York I wonder are there many apple trees in Australia? I know your country is full of kiwi but I am not sure whether it is the same for apples.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
I didn't know Australia was full of kiwis (apart from new Zealanders who are also called 'kiwis'). We do have a lot of apple orchards however including in our own district.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
15 Mar 17
We have a huge peach in Clanton Alabama.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
I don't think we have a giant peach. We have a giant olive somewhere.
@Yadah04 (3365)
• Philippines
14 Mar 17
Whoa, look what we got here again. The last time i checked, there was a big chook and now this humongous apple. What is next?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
There is a cow to come, and an olive, and a guitar, and a few other things.
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@Yadah04 (3365)
• Philippines
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv seriously? those i should wait for then.
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@Kandae11 (53601)
15 Mar 17
That is great - apples are so very healthy.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
They are. We have a lot of apple orchards around here.
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
15 Mar 17
One of these days I will get the chance to see and take photos with some of those big Aussie icons .. ;) ..
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
16 Mar 17
@JudyEv Yes I think I saw some few big things on our road trips but hubby didn' want to stop and take photos ..
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 17
@epiffanie Vince was always wanting to stop and take photos so now I take photos too and I don't get so impatient. :)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
Some shouldn't be too far away for you - at least than for us here in the West. :)
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@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Mar 17
galas are quite tasty although Fuji is my fav
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv many things taste different that fresh!
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
@Jessicalynnt I actually put on weight over that few months. :)
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 17
I never liked Golden Delicious until I went apple-picking. Straight off the tree they are to die for.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118221)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Mar 17
I wish we could grow apples in Florida, but our climate is not suitable for them. I love apples, and eat them all the time. We grow a lot of citrus here in Florida. I guess there are probably lots of people around the world that wish they could grow oranges, tangerines and grapefruit in their communities, so I guess I shouldn't complain about not being able to grow apples!
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@moffittjc (118221)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Mar 17
@JudyEv It might be our sandy soil that has something to do with it as well. I know that citrus adapts very well to our soil conditions, but I'm not sure if other fruit trees will do as well. Avocado trees do well hear, and so do pecan and peach trees, but I've never seen any apple or pear trees here before.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Mar 17
@moffittjc Maybe there are certain bugs in the area.
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
I wonder how come citrus fruits thrive but apples don't. Maybe it's the humidity. We have both around here so we're lucky in that respect.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21602)
• Canada
15 Mar 17
There is a giant peach in Geogia...somewhere I have a photo.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
It would be lovely to see it sometime if and when you find it.
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
15 Mar 17
That's a whole lotta apple pie!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
An apple pie to go with the Dorking roast chicken.
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@sunrisefan (28650)
• Philippines
14 Mar 17
It would serve better if the apple doubled as a water tank hehehe!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
Yes, that would have been a good idea.
@amandajay (23274)
• New Zealand
15 Mar 17
Haha big big collection of big big things... Hehe
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 17
@amandajay It seems there are plenty of them. I was surprised to read there are at least 150.
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
Yes, it's a bit of a trend in Australia.
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@amandajay (23274)
• New Zealand
16 Mar 17
@JudyEv oh i see.. Hope i can go to see them after coming to Australia...hehe
1 person likes this
15 Mar 17
I need that apple in my life.
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
You could have apple pie for months!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
@TheInvisibleMan Now we need a big cow to supply enough cream for that apple pie! I know just the one. Watch this space. :)
1 person likes this
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv Yeah. It would be amazing!
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@Nawsheen (28644)
• Mauritius
15 Mar 17
How i love eating apples...
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
They're a nice fruit, aren't they? Do they grow in your country? I'm afraid I know very little about Mauritius.
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@Nawsheen (28644)
• Mauritius
16 Mar 17
@JudyEv yes they are nice indeed. The climate here is not suitable for growing apples. We mostly have tropical fruits over here. The others we import
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@allknowing (130088)
• India
15 Mar 17
I am wondering why India does not think on those lines. I can already fantasize elephants and peacocks (lol)
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@allknowing (130088)
• India
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv I suppose that could be added too. But let them make a beginning. (lol)
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
And perhaps a tiger! Elephants need only be life-sized.
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@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
16 Mar 17
I have really enjoyed your photos of large animals and now the apple.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Mar 17
That's good. Do you have any 'big' things near you? I know there are at least a few in the US, probably a lot.
@antonbunot (11091)
• Calgary, Alberta
13 Sep 17
While you grow big apples in Australia, we grow small apples here in Canada. Here take a look the apple tree of my wife - -
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Sep 17
Did you post a photo? It's not showing up. I'm gone off apples since one rolled under my foot and deposited me on a rotten one.
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
15 Mar 17
I always wanted to pick apples, wishing apples grow here in the Philippines :(
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
I ate SO many apples during that stint. We were allowed to eat as many as we liked.
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@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv and now wanted to be a picker and eater, haha
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@Ronrybs (17795)
• London, England
15 Mar 17
I do like a nice Royal Gala, but doubt I could manage one that big!
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@JudyEv (323706)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Mar 17
Do you have Pink Ladies there? The apple variety I mean.
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@Ronrybs (17795)
• London, England
15 Mar 17
@JudyEv Too sweet for me
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