Cavendish bananas (Musa acuminata Colla., AAA group, Giant Cavendish subgroup, cv ‘Williams’) were obtained from three growing districts on the east coast of Australia spanning 2000 km of far north Queensland, Tweed Valley (northern New South Wales)and Coffs Harbour (mid-north coast of New South Wales). One car-ton of commercially mature, preclimacteric, non-ethylene treated Cavendish bananas from each growing region was obtained fromthe Sydney wholesale markets at three times at 6-monthly inter-vals. Lady Finger bananas (Musa acuminata × Musa balbisiana, AAB group, Pome subgroup) were obtained from the Tweed Valley on one occasion.