cane train occurred in the early years of operation. One product which proved popular was the range of tropical fruit jams which were made on site. In 1972 demand for these jams outgrew the production kitchen and the Taylors entered into a joint venture with local passionfruit farmers Bill and Noelene Hughes to form Sunshine Tropical Fruit Products. The Sunshine Plantation provided visitors with an opportunity to learn about the growing, production and consumption of various tropical agricultural products, and a 1978 information booklet stated that the crops grown at the plantation were representative of over half the agricultural production in Queensland. A central feature of the attraction continues to be the sugar cane train which takes visitors on a guided educational tour of the plantation. In the Big Pineapple structure visitors see displays and gain an understanding of the production and processing of various tropical fruits, nuts and cane; in the restaurant visitors can sample various fresh tropical fruits, and in the market they can purchase fresh fruit and fruit jams. Authenticity was demonstrated by the plantation being a working farm, and by its links to and partnerships with local grower co-operatives, industry associations and significant institutions such as the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, the Golden Circle Cannery, the Committee of Direction of Fruit Marketing (COD), the Sugar Board, CSR limited, Buderim Ginger Factory, and the Australian Macadamia Nut Society. The Big Pineapple was soon followed by other Big Things in the area. In October 1971 another high pineapple was opened, this time at a Gympie service station, by the Queensland Director General of Tourist Services, John Wilson (Gympie's pineapple was demolished in 2008). In 1976 a Big Cow was built north of Nambour for a farm park. As acknowledgement of the Taylors' achievements, on 12 March 1972 the Australian National Travel Association presented the Sunshine Plantation with the first annual award for tourist development in Queensland. In 1982 the Taylors were invited to build a similar project in Hawaii, and in 1984 they developed and operated the "Hawaii Tropical Plantation" in partnership with two Hawaiian companies. The Sunshine Plantation expanded in 1976 when Taylor Family Investments Pty Ltd purchased eight hectares of land from Keith and Ailsa Heinrich, to the west of the original attraction. At 3am on 11 September 1978 an early morning fire completely destroyed the building which housed the tropical market and restaurant next to