Australia’s next big thing: Chinchilla’s giant mellon

Australia’s next big thing: Chinchilla’s giant mellon
By Alexandra Coulton


You’ve heard of the big pineapple, the big banana, giant prawn and even the majestic big Marino.

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There’s no doubt that Australia has an obsession with big things.

And now there’s a new kid on the block.

Introducing Australia’s next big thing: Chinchilla’s giant melon!

As part of a campaign by Wotif, Aussies were asked to vote on what the next big thing should be.

Amongst the finalists was also the Big Kilt in Glen Innes, NSW; the Big Peanut in Kingaroy, QLD; and the Big Tulip in Mittagong, NSW.

Personally, we would have liked to have seen the kilt but each to their own.

As Australia’s melon capital and home to the world’s largest melon festival, Chinchilla has been gifted an eight-metre-wide melon structure which has become a ‘must see’ tourist attraction.

The new structure will be a major drawcard during the Chinchilla Melon Festival held from February 14-17, 2019. The western Queensland town will transform into a sea of pink and green to celebrate.

Chinchilla's Watermelon Festival Activities

More than 15,000 visitors from around the globe visit the biannual Chinchilla Melon Festival to try their hand at a range of fun and quirky melon-related experiences. Some of these include pip-spitting, melon skiing, melon hat wearing, farm tours and a street parade.

The upcoming festival will mark 25 years since the Melon Festival began. Festival Committee member Tania Thornton says bringing a ‘big melon,’ to the town has been a goal for the committee since the festival started.

“Every two years, Chinchilla transforms into a melon mecca drawing local, national and international crowds to experience one of the country’s most distinctive festivals,” she said.

“A Big Melon has been our dream since the beginning and we are so proud to be able to cement our status as Australia’s Melon Capital.”

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