Big Banana lodges plan for new rollercoaster at Coffs Harbour
The ride will be almost a kilometre-long, with as many as 50 thrillseekers travelling per run. Here’s what you need to know about the proposed super attraction.
Coffs Harbour
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Plans to build a $3 million rollercoaster at The Big Banana theme park have been lodged with Coffs Harbour council.
The proposed Alpine Coaster will operate on an 872-metre long steel track and key elements of the development application include the construction of a terminal and storage shed building, a winch system and pedestrian access ramps.
The project would see the demolition of an old shed and the disused monorail track, and the removal of some vegetation.
The Alpine Coaster would run a course in part adjacent to the existing toboggan ride.
A development application for the new rollercoaster was lodged with City of Coffs Harbour this month, and is one part of a $50m masterplan for the largest theme park between Sydney and Queensland.
Thirty-four Wiegand-Toboggans would run on the new track, with a capacity of about 50 people per run.
Some 300 square metres of native vegetation would make way for the Alpine Coaster, including two turpentine trees, one pink bloodwood and one grey ironbark (all with trunk diameters of no more than 80cm).
The Big Banana theme park operates from 9am to 6pm seven days per week.
A report into the parking and traffic implications of the proposed Alpine Coaster has found existing carparking infrastructure is adequate.
With the assistance of a local engineer and builder, The Big Banana was first opened by Californian expat and banana grower John Landi in 1964 as part of a bid to draw attention to his roadside banana stall.
The new coaster would bring a final end for the old monorail track.
The two trains which plied the monorail were sold by Lloyds Auctions this year for an undisclosed price after being placed on the market with no reserve.
Lloyds Glenn Aylward said one buyer was a Queensland man and the other a firm in Coffs Harbour which for now remains anonymous.
The trains had fallen into disrepair after making their last run at the theme park in 2005.
As well as being memories for tens of thousands of visitors, the monorail carriages had a story or two to tell in themselves.
When shiny, new and willing they cantered around the park, past the Bunyip in the lagoon, through the culture centre and up to the hilltop restaurant.
But in their final year of service - perhaps annoyed that their time in the limelight was nigh - they were a source of drama.
One of the carriages ploughed into the lagoon - thankfully the train was empty. Only 15 minutes earlier, the carriage had been at the station with plenty of passengers who were told to disembark when it broke down.
Last year, council approved a plan for 40 new cabins, allowing for on-site accommodation at The Big Banana as part of the 20-year masterplan.
The amusement park - which includes laser tag, mini golf and an ice-skating rink - will host a new music festival in the New Year.
The two-day event (May 6-7) will showcase live music, local food, breweries and wineries.
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