On Australia Day 26th January, 2014 we went on a mini journey. Our destination was Mt. Spec on the Paluma Range north of Townsville. You can read about it HERE.
On route we arrived at Rollingstone Creek about 55km north on the Bruce Highway, where pineapple farms border the road before the creek.
We took a right turn to a sealed road that leads to Balgal Beach (free camping and stinger enclosure). A pineapple farm has been on that corner for as long as I can remember and I wanted pineapples to photograph. There were long rows of healthy looking plants but no pineapples.
Returning to the highway we took the dirt road to the left and BINGO another farm with thousands of plants bearing pineapples.
A truck selling farm fresh pineapples, watermelons and pumpkins parks on the right of the highway just before the Balgal Road turnoff.
S.T.OP.
Farm fresh pineapples are so tasty and thirst quenching while a box of farm produce makes a great gift for family or friends.
Rollingstone Creek has deliciously cool freshwater swimming holes and a free camping area at Vincent “Bushy” Parker Park. Download the fact sheet HERE.
Eating pineapples and creek swimming at Rollingstone Creek are two iconic Townsville Experiences.
Locals Tip
Turn left just over the bridge and follow the dirt track to the best water holes.
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has worked for Dole for about 25 years now. I remember seeing them in Hawaii for the first time and that was awesome 🙂
Like! pineapples are so tasty and refreshing esp when eaten in hot weather.
Are those pineapples on the stems close to being full-size or do they still have a bit of growing to do. Someone who was leaving Penang right when I arrived gave me all their plants. After a year, I was surprised to discover that the bromeliad was a pineapple plant. It’s only fruited once so far.
We do get different sized pineapples, but I think these had a way to go. Lucky you with your plant actually producing a pineapple. Did you know you can just stick a pineapple top into the ground and it will grow? We have done that a few times but they have never got fruit. I did know the pineapple was a bromeliad. I bet you got a surprise when your “bromedliad” grew a pineapple. 🙂
I’d love to go there Jan. The tropicalness of it all 🙂 And yes, you’re right you can’t beat fresh fruit right on the roadside fresh from the producer – I can just taste those pineapples.
Hi Jo, Everywhere in Townsville is green at the moment because we have had rain. Rollingstone where the pineapples grow is where the wet tropics start, so the pineapples will have been enjoying the rain too.
Oh I so love fresh Pineapples! When we lived in Glasshouse Mountains we used to walk past a Pineapple farm when dropping off and picking up our boys from School. One day I stopped to grab a pineapple that was on the ground…unfortunately the farmer saw me and thought he would be nice by replacing it with a “new” one. The one on the ground was so over ripe, perfect for smoothies…the fresher one that he gave me took weeks to ripen!!!
Ha Ha Lisa, the ripe one would have been much better! I thought you were going to say the farmer abused you!
It is such a large plantation!