From Destination Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands is the home of Australia’s newest Big Thing with the creation of ‘The BIG Pie’ now located at the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre in Mittagong NSW. The Big Pie has been erected in recognition that the Southern ‘Pie-lands’ is Australia’s Home of Pies as the region celebrates the month-long Pie Time festivities during June.

Not dwelling on the region’s disappointment last year at being a runner up with its Big Tulip finalist entry in leading online travel company WOTIF’s 18th Birthday Promotion ‘The Next Big Thing’ which got Australians to vote where they should build Australia’ next oversized tourist attraction, Destination Southern Highlands has now created its very own ‘Big Thing’ in the form of a giant sized orange pie.

Destination Southern Highlands’ Group Manager, Steve Rosa said, “We initially submitted an entry for the Big Pie in WOTIF’s promotion to recognize our positioning in the last two years as Australia’s Home of Pies with our innovative and award-winning destination marketing campaign Pie Time, but were advised there was already a big pie constructed on the Gold Coast in Queensland. It was then that we submitted an entry for recognition as Australia home of Tulips via Australia’s oldest Tulip Festival, Tulip Time. Whilst we were a little disappointed at not winning, we still wanted to have Australia’s ‘Next Big Thing’ to be based in the Southern Highlands. But, one thing that came out of our entry was the great support we had for a possible big thing that could support our other big tourist attraction, the Big Potato in Robertson.”

The Big Pie sits at over 2 metres wide by 1.5 high and is this month welcoming pie lovers to the Southern Pie-lands for the month of June. The stylized pie design and bright orange colour is reflective of Pie Time’s colour palette and imagery.  The Big Pie was created from a local wine pressing vat and is a now a magnet for photographers and selfie moments for both locals and visitors. Following Pie Time ‘The Big Pie’ will be positioned in the forecourt of the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre to promote the year-round Southern Highlands Pie Trail.