Pineapple crush outrages Gympie

GYMPIE residents are dismayed the Pineapple is about to be crushed to make way for a redevelopment of the old Caltex Service Station site on the Bruce Highway.

GYMPIE residents are dismayed the Pineapple is about to be crushed to make way for a redevelopment of the old Caltex Service Station site on the Bruce Highway.

x The Gympie Timesx broke the story yesterday after residents voiced concerns about a demolition crew working on the site.

The Pineapple was offered to the Gympie Regional Council if they would dismantle it and take it from the site, but Gympie Regional Council declined the offer with Mayor Ron Dyne saying the expense of the removal would be too much for Council to take on.

Residents interviewed in today's x The Gympie Timesx Street Survey (above), including those unwilling to go on the record, all expressed their concern about the thought of losing the Gympie icon.

One person who knew the Pineapple more intimately than most was Peter Snelling.

Mr Snelling was a long term lessee of the Pineapple and he said it would be sad to see the Pineapple go.

"The Pineapple was very good to us and Caltex was brilliant," Mr Snelling said.

The Gunabul owner said he used to have the Pineapple opened to allow motorists and their children to walk inside the huge fruit.

centre up there. "Kids used to run up the stairs and look out the port holes. "It's sad but its progress, what do you do?" he said.

Mr Snelling thought the new developer could have incorporated the Pineapple into the redevelopment, but said "unless you have something to use it for it's not much good".

The Pineapple has stood on the corner of Monkland Street and River Road for 37 years and has always been a landmark to guide lost visitors around the gold city.

Gympie local historian Dr Elaine Brown said the Pineapple was a landmark that would be missed.

"I remember when it was first opened it was a real tourist attraction," Dr Brown said.

"It would be nice if we could keep it, but it is hard if it doesn't have any function."

It is thought the Pineapple structure will be pulled down on Monday to make way for the new retail development on the Bruce Highway.

Originally published as Pineapple crush outrages Gympie