Robertson's Big Potato sold to developer

The Big Potato at Robertson is officially off the market, with previous owner Heather Tait saying the hot commodity sold after it was on the market since 2020.

"It's a little sad, it's been a pretty sad week for me," she said.

"You know we've sold big potato and the death of the Queen. I'm still in mourning because I'm a real royalist.

We've been in Robertson since 1985, with a seven-day-a-week business whether it was the pub or the shop.

"So it's time to slow down.

"We are grateful to have had a business in Robertson, and we are very grateful to the townspeople.

"We have met some wonderful people. We are very grateful for the support. "

Heather said she and her husband Neil had wanted to sell the big potato and the supermarket for several years due to her ill health.

"Now it's happened. I think the biggest shock is that the 'Potato Heiress', my daughter Melanie, loses her title as does the 'Princess Royal' Sarah," she said jokingly.

"The new owner of the Big Potato is a developer from Burrawang (also in NSW's Southern Highlands).

"My husband Neil spoke to him yesterday after the settlement and gave him the name of the gardener that use to maintain the block of land for us.

"He assured us that he's going to keep it in the same condition.

"We sold our supermarket 12 months ago, but the condition of the sale was that we rented it back to him.

"He then wanted to buy the big potato, but the sale of that didn't actually take place until yesterday, so now he owns the real estate of both properties.

"It's in good hands."

While the ink dries on the settlement contract, Heather said she had fond memories of the big potato.

"It's been a marvellous experience to own such an icon," she said.

"My husband has spent thousands of dollars maintaining it, getting it repainted to look fresh and, of course, having a professional gardener looking after it all every week.

"Although I must give credit to Judy Hollis and her husband Allan. She was the person that put in the donated park benches and planted all the hedging and gardens there."

The sale comes after the Big Potato was named Australia's sh--test big thing in July 2022, although Heather doesn't like to use that term.

"We choose not to use the word. We choose to call it the most recognized big thing in Australia," she said.

"It has been amazing since that award.

"It's amazing the number of people who have come to Robertson on the weekend. The place is buzzing.

"My daughter Melanie was on the Living Room TV show after that, and the weekend after it aired was very busy.

"Everybody that bought a t-shirt or a hat or some of the memorabilia had said they saw the Big Potato on the Living Room show last night.

"It's been great for Robertson and the business."

IN OTHER NEWS:

Robertson and the Big Potato has played a large part in Tait's family, with playwright Melanie penning the 'Appleton Lades', a play based on the Robertson Potato Races.

"My daughter Melanie wrote a play about the potato race, and the rights to the play have been bought by a film company," Heather said.

"It's a great thing for Robertson to have a movie being filmed in town and written by a local Robertson kid.

"It will bring so much business to the place. It will be great.

"I'm proud of Melanie.

"The humble potato has been pretty good to our family and continues to be."

Filming is expected to take place in November.

The Taits bought the 2000sqm site in 2014 for $450,000, to use the property to expand their supermarket.

Modelled on the Sebago potato, the Big Potato was built in the mid-1970s by potato grower Jim Mauger.

Flanked by trees and picnic benches, it's 10 metres tall and four metres wide.