Goulburn has the big merino, Coffs Harbour has the big banana and Ballina has the big prawn – so why can’t Maitland have the big pumpkin?
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That is the question that an anonymous person has written to the Mercury, Maitland City Council and Maitland MP Robyn Parker to ask this week.
The Mercury wants the letter writer to come forward and tell the city more about the idea.
Former Maitland councillor Ray Fairweather first suggested building a big pumpkin where the visitor information centre is, near the junction of High Street and the New England Highway, about 30 years ago.
Despite rallying some public support to build the giant fruit-based tribute to the region’s pumpkin-growing history, the idea fell by the wayside.
“Maitland has been known for its pumpkins for a hundred years or more,” Mr Fairweather said.
“I had the idea for a quarter of the pumpkin to be taken out so people could go into the pumpkin to get their information.”
A new visitor information centre has since been built, so Mr Fairweather suggested a big pumpkin could be built at the Bolwarra lookout, which overlooks the plains where pumpkin farmers grew their crops.
“It could be leased out to someone who wants to sell tourism gifts,” he said.
“I’ve always had the view that Maitland has to make its tourist attractions because we don’t have natural attractions like beaches and things.
“That’s why I have been so heavily involved in Walka Water Works over the years.”
In the letter, the resident urged city leaders to think big.
The writer also lodged a submission to the state government to suggest a big pumpkin would be a cultural pursuit worth funding.
The submission, which was also forwarded to the Mercury, argued that the big pumpkin would be a tribute to the city’s history and create a tourist attraction with the opportunity to develop merchandise.
