FLASHBACK: Mackay’s ’Ivana the Banana’ on Harbour Rd
The story of how the icon came to be, and the cheeky reason why it’s better than Coffs Harbour’s big banana
Mackay
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EVERY Mackay child grows up keeping their eyes peeled for that big yellow banana when their parents drive down Harbour Rd.
Nashy's Compleat Angler owner Bruce Nash said the landmark was built 33 years ago when a fruit and vegetable shop then occupied half the premises.
But the 9.4m tall banana, later becoming "Ivana the Banana" from a naming competition, hasn't always looked so snazzy.
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Three years ago, Mr Nash gave it a much needed repaint and "dressed it up" in sunglasses to delight the kids.
The banana now trumped Coffs Harbour's famous big one, he said.
"I'm very biased, at least our banana's erect," Mr Nash laughed.
"It stands upright, its not a lazy banana."
Mr Nash said Mackay's banana was a landmark - used by locals as a directional reference point and by tourists as a picture opportunity.
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He said three lots of tourists had stopped to take a picture yesterday.
"The Mackay Regional Council regard it as one of the local icons," he said.
Ivana the Banana even inspired a namesake smoothie sold at a Mackay store at one point, he said.
WHAT DO YOU THINK: Is Mackay's big banana better than Coffs Harbour's and what else would you like to see the region have on a giant scale? Email heidi.petith@dailymercury.com.au
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