10-tonne giant mango attraction goes missing in north Queensland
A Bowen Tourist Information employee arrived at work on Monday morning to find the 10-tonne fibreglass structure gone.
Bowen Tourism chairman Paul McLaughlin says there had been no planned maintenance for the popular tourist attraction.
Mr McLaughlin says an employee received a big shock when she arrived at work to find the tourist attraction gone.
"I got a phone call from Christin Short, the tourism manager ... I thought she was joking to start off with, but she said 'no, I'm serious', so I've come out and sure enough the mango has disappeared," he said.
He says CCTV vision shows the culprits using big machinery to take the mango.
"It looks like it was sort of two o'clock this morning-type thing - there was ... some heavy equipment and it looks like they've taken the mango, so we're just working through that now," he said.
Mr McLaughlin says he expects the popular attraction to reappear again.
"I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever come across something like this - I'm sure it won't stay gone forever," he said.
"I don't know where it is but I'm sure at some stage in the future we'll start getting some phone calls."
Police say they have not received an official complaint and are not investigating the mango's disappearance.
Whitsunday Mayor Jenny Whitney says the missing mango mystery could be a publicity stunt.
She says the Big Mango may pop up anywhere around the region.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-24/bowens-big-mango-goes-missing/5279796
A Bowen Tourist Information employee arrived at work on Monday morning to find the 10-tonne fibreglass structure gone.
Bowen Tourism chairman Paul McLaughlin says there had been no planned maintenance for the popular tourist attraction.
Mr McLaughlin says an employee received a big shock when she arrived at work to find the tourist attraction gone.
"I got a phone call from Christin Short, the tourism manager ... I thought she was joking to start off with, but she said 'no, I'm serious', so I've come out and sure enough the mango has disappeared," he said.
He says CCTV vision shows the culprits using big machinery to take the mango.
"It looks like it was sort of two o'clock this morning-type thing - there was ... some heavy equipment and it looks like they've taken the mango, so we're just working through that now," he said.
Mr McLaughlin says he expects the popular attraction to reappear again.
"I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever come across something like this - I'm sure it won't stay gone forever," he said.
"I don't know where it is but I'm sure at some stage in the future we'll start getting some phone calls."
Police say they have not received an official complaint and are not investigating the mango's disappearance.
Whitsunday Mayor Jenny Whitney says the missing mango mystery could be a publicity stunt.
She says the Big Mango may pop up anywhere around the region.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-24/bowens-big-mango-goes-missing/5279796
