Giant strawberry plan approved by the council

UPDATE: SSS Strawberries has had their development application to build a giant strawberry building approved. 

EARLIER: The fate of a giant strawberry that could herald a delicious new era of tourism in Bundaberg will be decided at a council meeting tomorrow.

SSS Strawberries has proposed to build a big strawberry which will act as a shop, cafe, education tour and offices and tomorrow's planning committee meeting is D-Day for the big decision.

Toan Nguyen, whose family owns and runs SSS, said the family was excited to find out the project's fate after a year-long planning and application process.

"It's been a long process but we should know very soon," Mr Nguyen said.

"We have been in Bundaberg for six years and the Bundaberg community has helped us a lot and we want to give back."

Bundaberg and North Burnett Tourism manager general manager Rick Matkowski said the big strawberry would be a great way to promote the region as a fresh food destination.

"I think it would become a good landmark that people could go and visit," he said.

"Certainly the region is known as one of the food bowls of Australia.

"We've got some great fresh food here, particularly the horticulture and seafood."

Mr Matkowski said as long as the strawberry was done tastefully, it would be a great asset.

"It's a great place to have it because that area there is the working SSS farm," he said.

"There's not a lot of big things north of New South Wales and Southern Queensland."

Mr Matkowski said the proposed cafe would also be a plus for the Bundaberg community.

"These are the sorts of amenities people are looking for," he said.

Topics:  giant strawberry, sss strawberries, toan nguyen