The Big Mango

Australia is covered in big things, and one of the most colorful is The Big Mango. This giant fruit only sprouted up in 2002, but it has already been stolen and returned in a giant publicity stunt.

Erected next to the city of Bowen’s tourist information center, the giant mango sculpture pays tribute to the prosperous mango orchards in the area. Made of fiberglass, it cost $90,000 when it was originally built, joining the ranks of Australia’s giant roadside attraction collection. Weighing around seven tons it may even be the largest mango in the world. Unfortunately, its colossal size also made it the target of a renegade publicity stunt. 

In February 2014 the structure was stolen overnight. Unnamed thieves appeared in the night and managed to load the massive oddity onto the back of a truck and disappear. Soon after the theft, the mango was found not too far from its original location, somewhat well hidden underneath branches and a tarp. Later, a fast food chicken chain revealed that it was a publicity stunt, and posted videos of the heist on YouTube.

The Big Mango has since been returned to its home next to the tourist information center and still stands as a proud reminder that in Australia, there is nothing that can’t be turned into huge fiberglass statue.