Whether it’s a Big Banana, a Big Prawn, or a Big Merino, an infatuation with taking things that aren’t so big, supersizing them, and then putting them on display in miscellaneous regional towns is one of Australia’s many beautiful cultural quirks.
The latest edition to this list of great big objects comes as the Victorian town of Mildura celebrates more than a century of sultana production.
Unveiled on Tuesday, the sultana stands at 5.25 metres tall, roughly 525 times bigger than the average sultana and the approximate height of 260 Sunbeam sultana packs stacked end-on-end.
Commissioned by Sunbeam, which is most recognised by the little packets of sultanas found in the lunch boxes of Aussie children since the mid-1920s, the Big Sultana is a celebration of a key regional industry.
Mildura Rural City Council mayor Ali Cupper said the big Sultana was a “fun and fitting” way for locals to celebrate the growers, workers and families who had spent decades helping shape the region.
“There’s a real story behind (the sultana) about our region’s agricultural heritage and the generations of people who have contributed to it,” he said.
“Australia’s Big Things always attract a bit of good-humoured debate, and hopefully people will connect with this part of Sunraysia’s history.”
It will undergo a year-long exhibition before its continued presence in Mildura is re-evaluated.
Mr Cupper said council’s hope was for the Big Sultana to become an integral part of the area’s tourism.
“We hope it will become another drawcard for Mildura. Australia’s Big Things are well-loved road-trip stops, and we hope the Big Sultana gives people another reason to visit, explore the region and learn about its history.”
Sunbeam General Manager Elizabeth Miller said the Big Sultana was a “tribute to the history, growers, employees and local community” who have kept the area thriving for a century.
“For generations, our sultanas have been part of Australian lunch boxes and family recipes. It’s a wonderful way to mark 100 years of Sunbeam and celebrate the place where our story began,” she said.
“We wanted to celebrate our centenary in a way that felt distinctly Australian and connected to our Mildura roots. Supersizing the humble sultana felt like a fun way to do that.”
The Big Sultana can be found at the Ornamental Lakes Park in Mildura, just off Hugh King Drive.