Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple reopens after major redevelopment

A Sunshine Coast icon has officially relaunched and is ready to provide more memorable moments for generations to come. See the photos.

Big Pineapple grand opening - Family fun day out for (from left) Dominic, 2, Jordyn, Skyler, 3, and Nathan Radic from Caloundra. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

A Sunshine Coast icon has officially relaunched and is ready to provide more memorable moments for generations to come.

The first stage of the Big Pineapple’s redevelopment is now complete and features a new cafe, children’s playground, viewing platform and fully restored train.

The extensive renovation project has been undertaken by owner Peter Kendall and his company CMC Property.

The famous structure has a shiny-new look, courtesy of sandblasting, repairing and hundreds of litres of two pack marine paint to ensure the landmark stays bright for decades to come.

The Big Pineapple quickly became a food and tourism icon showcasing and celebrating Queensland’s world-class produce. In its heyday, the Big Pineapple was one of the nation’s most popular tourism attractions, luring over one million visitors annually – including the likes of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who visited in 1983.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli with Big Pineapple owner Peter Kendall. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

More recently the Big Pineapple site has diversified its attractions playing host to Wildlife HQ Zoo, the TreeTop Challenge high ropes and zipline course, the award-winning coconut foods producer COYO and Sunshine & Sons distillery.

It is also the venue for the popular Big Pineapple Music Festival, which is scheduled to be staged again in October.

“The Big Pineapple is undoubtedly the most recognisable tourism icon of the Sunshine Coast and so I am very proud of the team’s work to restore the pineapple to its original glory,” owner Mr Kendall said.

The Big Pineapple official reopening at midday June 11, 2024 attracted thousands to the popular ‘Big Thing’ that first opened in 1971. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

“This is just the first stage of the regeneration project. Our number one priority was to reopen the main Pineapple structure and cafe, and to get the train running again.

“We are awaiting some final certification for the train and hope to start public train rides soon, providing rides across the property including access to Wildlife HQ.”

Big Pineapple grand opening - Simone and Chiara Rimpici from Buderim and Audrey, Vera and Brielle Murphy from Buderim, tested the train at the Big Pineapple opening. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Former Big Pineapple employees from its heyday in the 70s and 80s Pam Thomas (left) and Patsy Flint, with author of Our Sweetest Icon Kerry Brown. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stoeckel welcomed the opening of the Big Pineapple by wearing a tribute shirt. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple owner Peter Kendall and Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli with Arlo the koala from Wildlife HQ. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple grand opening - Shontel Brake from Mooloolaba met the team from Wildlife HQ (from left) Hannah McCracken with Zeus the albino Darwin carpet python, Matt Elliott with American alligator Florida and Nikki Mikula with Jakko the frill neck lizard. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple grand opening - Suzanne Stoddart, Poppy McPherson, 22 months, Arlo the koala and Jarrod Schenk from Wildlife HQ. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple grand opening - Maya, 6, and Isla, 1, Clancy from Caloundra tested the new children’s playground at the Big Pineapple. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple grand opening - Lucy and Tahnee Neylor from Nambour on the train which once carried then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Photo: Michele Sternberg/Visit Sunshine Coast

Big Pineapple getting ready to reopen

After being closed for months, a much-loved Queensland tourism icon has announced it will reopen next week following a major redevelopment.

Following ongoing bitter legal drama, the Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple is finally set to reopen after a major redevelopment.

Founded in 1971, the heritage-listed structure celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021 and is a legacy reminder of an age old era in tourism when bigger was better.

Throughout the 1970s and ’80s the Big Pineapple was a tourism magnet attracting millions of visitors.

However, as theme parks and zoos became more popular, less families frequented the Big Pineapple and it eventually closed down in 2010.

New owners then took over in 2011 but the partnership between CMC Property, Rankin Investments and Rankin Super soured in recent years, despite the arrival of a number of businesses to the site including Wildlife HQ, Treetop Challenge and award-winning Cavu Distilling, which produces the Sunshine & Sons label.

The site also hosted the popular Big Pineapple Music Festival which is expected to return in October this year.

The Big Pineapple is set to reopen next week-. Picture - file.

Owners took to Facebook to share the exciting news and fresh renovations.

“Thanks for all your patience if you have been wondering what on earth we’ve been doing to everyone’s favourite pineapple,” they said.

“When we started to consider the entire redevelopment of the site last year it became obvious that the number one priority was to renovate and reopen the main building, rebuild the train, re establish the train rides with access to Wildlife HQ, reopen the pineapple structure and generally bring back the cool features that made the Big Pineapple iconic in the first place.

“It also became clear that to do this in a single stage would mean the entire facility would be closed entirely to the public for a number of years during construction.

Sunshine Plantation passenger train, Big Pineapple and Visitor Centre, Woombye, April 1976. Officially opened on the 15 August 1971.

“We then made the decision to do it in stages to allow public access to some of its iconic features as quickly as possible.”

Despite the wet weather setting the plans back by about two months, stage one of the renovation is nearly completed and will reopen to the public on Tuesday, June 11.

Big Pineapple Music Festival on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Contributed

As of Tuesday there will be a new cafe with fresh home-style food and premium coffee, a new children’s playground, a new viewing deck which surrounds the Big Pineapple structure and possibly more.

“And finally fingers crossed if we are able to complete the train re-registration in time, it will be running also but if not we will have it on display at the Plantation Station for everyone to see,” they said.

“Unfortunately we haven’t been able to complete the renovations to the inside of the Pineapple structure itself but our next priority is to restore it and reopen it for tours which should happen within a couple of months.

“Thank you all for your patience and understanding while we bring this much loved icon back to life.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast’s Big Pineapple reopens after major redevelopment