Dadswells Bridge's Giant Koala named best big thing in Victoria

Ranked fifth across the country, the Koala was up against other 'big' things such as the banana, pineapple, prawn and merino.

Tourist attraction owner Pat Crute said she was 'delighted' to hear the news.

"During 2020 it's been pretty hard with the coronavirus restrictions," she said.

"During the first wave of restrictions, we were completely shut down for two months.

"We did some upgrades to the venue during that time."

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During the second wave of harsh restrictions, Mrs Crute said despite being open to the public, trade was "very very slow".

"We need the South Australian border open," she said.

"We need the football back. That is a huge driver of trade for us over the winter period.

"And now this year, with Port Adelaide being in the finals, it's a huge blow."

Mrs Crute said the business had picked up with many regional Victorians opting to travel intrastate.

"We've had quite a few people from places like Bendigo, Maryborough, Portland, Mildura," she said.

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"Quite a few people have come for trips to see the Giant Koala."

Alongside the option of viewing the Giant Koala in Victoria which stands at 14 meters tall, visitors can also visit an animal farm.

A few months ago Mrs Crute said the resident koala passed away about a month ago.

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"I've been trying desperately through all the zoos to get another one ready for when it's peak tourist time again," she said.

"People love it. They love they can come and see the Giant Koala and then see a real-life one as well.

"Now we've lost our koala it's a bit of a shame.

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"She was fairly old - about 13 we think."

Owning the business with her husband Doug for more than six years, Mrs Crute remains positive for the future.

"We never thought we would be faced with a time like this when we bought the business," she said.

"But we'll get through it."

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