Australia's big things

The big things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures, some of which are novelty architecture and some are sculptures. There are estimated to be over 150 such objects around the country, the first being the Big Scotsman in Medindie, Adelaide, which was built in 1963. There are big things in every state in Australia.

Most big things began as tourist traps found along major roads between destinations.

The big things have become something of a cult phenomenon, and are sometimes used as an excuse for a road trip, where many or all big things are visited and used as a backdrop to a group photograph. Many of the big things are considered works of folk art and have been heritage-listed.^[1]

List of big things (by state or territory)

Australian Capital Territory

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
Giant Mushroom	Belconnen	1998	8 m × 4 m (26 ft × 13 ft)	Located in the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets,[2] the Giant Mushroom shelters a children's playground. It was officially launched in 1998 by the ACT Chief Minister.
Giant Owl	Belconnen	2011	8 m (26 ft)	Located at the main entrance to Belconnen town centre, the statue cost $400,000 and was built by Melbourne sculptor Bruce Armstrong.[3]

New South Wales

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
Big Ant	Broken Hill	1980		A bull ant sculpture designed by artist Pro Hart, which was erected in 1980 and originally stood at the Stephens Creek Hotel.[4] It was moved to its current location, next to the Tourist Information Centre in Broken Hill, after being donated to the city in 1990.
Big Apple	Batlow			Located in the middle of an orchard about 3 km north of Batlow, without public access. Only its top is visible from Batlow-Tumut Road, as it is largely blocked by apple trees.
Big Apple	Yerrinbool			Visible from the Hume Highway
Big Avocado	Duranbah			Located at Tropical Fruit World.
The Big Axe	Kew	1979	8 m (26 ft)	Located alongside the Kew Visitor Information Centre. The original sculpture was replaced in 2002 as a result of ant induced damage.
Big Ayers Rock	North Arm Cove	1990		This 1/40 scale model of Uluru was formerly an attraction at Leyland Brothers World, and now forms the roof of the Rock Restaurant. Technically not a "Big Thing" (as it is substantially smaller than the item it is modelled on), the Rock Restaurant is loosely grouped with the big things as an object of roadside art.
Big Banana	Coffs Harbour	1964	13 m × 5 m (43 ft × 16 ft)	Sometimes claimed to be the first Big Thing in Australia.[5] The Big Banana tourist complex includes a banana-themed souvenir shop, tours of the surrounding plantation and an indoor ski slope.
The Big Beer Can	Cobar	1990	5 m × 2.5 m (16.4 ft × 8.2 ft)	The Big Beer Can has a Tooheys New design, and is located above the entrance to the Grand Hotel.
Big Bench	Broken Hill	September 2002		As part of the Landscapes and Backgrounds exhibition, a 2.5 times scale park bench was constructed on the top of the Line of Lode, which is a high hill of mine deposits in the centre of the city of Broken Hill.
The Big Blue Heeler	Muswellbrook	2001	2 m (6.6 ft) high	Located adjacent to the town information centre.
The Big Bogan	Nyngan	2015	3.6 m (12 ft) high	The Big Bogan is the brainchild of Reverend Graham McLeod from Nyngan's St Mark's Anglican Church.[6][7]
Big Bottles	Mangrove Mountain and Hanwood
Big Bowl	Lake Cathie, New South Wales	1975		A 10-foot high replica of a lawn bowl, consisting of one-and-a-half tonnes of steel and concrete.[8]
Big Bull	Wauchope		14 m × 21 m (46 ft × 69 ft)	The Big Bull was pulled down in October 2007.[9]
Big Bunch of Bananas	Coffs Harbour			Formerly located in Sawtell, the Big Bunch of Bananas was relocated when the Pacific Highway bypassed the town and now lie just to the south of Coffs Harbour.
The Big Bicycle	Chullora	1997	9 m × 6 m (30 ft × 20 ft)	The bicycle built by Jonh Ridley, Andy Lugiz and Phillip Becker adorns the entrance to the Chullora Waste Transfer Station, Chullora.
Big Cheese	Bodalla			The Big Cheese is located at the former Bodalla cheese factory on the Princes Hwy, Bodalla. It is as of 2013 closed.
Big Cherries	Young			Originally located off Short Street, but moved with the tourist information centre to Lovell Street to the old railway station.
Big Chook	Moonbi	1970s	2 m × 4 m (6.6 ft × 13.1 ft)
Big Chook	Mount Vernon		4 m × 4 m (13 ft × 13 ft)
Big Flower	Ourimbah
Big Funnel Web Spider	Jamberoo, New South Wales	2015	19.7 m × 22.2 m (65 ft × 73 ft)	The Big Funnel Web Spider was built at Jamberoo Action Park located 20 minutes south of Wollongong and is a steel, fibreglass and concrete structure 420 times larger than a female Sydney funnel-web spider. It was awarded a Guinness World Record as the Largest Spider Sculpture in August 2015.[10]
The Big Gold Panner	Bathurst	1979	5 m × 3 m (16.4 ft × 9.8 ft)	Located in front of the Gold Panner Motor Inn.
The Big Gold Pick and Pan	Grenfell	2005	Pick 4 m, Pan 3 m (diam)	Located between the Goods Shed and historic Station Building at the old Railway Station precinct, just off the northern end of West Street.
The Big Golden Guitar	Tamworth	1988	12 m × 4 m (39 ft × 13 ft)	Modelled on the Golden Guitar trophies given to winners at the Country Music Awards of Australia ceremony night during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
The Big Knight	Knockrow			At the entrance to the Macadamia Castle, a nut-themed park and store.
The Big Hammer	Mudgee			Located at Fairview Artspace in Mudgee is a Tig Crawley's artwork "Water Hammer". This installation is located in the front garden and has beautiful view of Mudgee and the countryside
The Big Headphones	Newcastle	2015	3 m (9.8 ft)	Located on Darby St, this fully operational pair of headphones was designed by Mark Tisdell and built in collaboration with Tom Ireland (fabrication and design detailing), Sean Bell (graphics), Adrian Garner (electrical engineering), Brad Phillips and Rhian Leek (architectural design), with the support of the Darby Street Traders Group.
The Big Kookaburra	Kurri Kurri	2009	4.5 m (15 ft)	Sculpture by Chris Fussell.[11] It is located in Rotary Park.[12]
The Big Lamb	Guyra	1988		Erected by the town and district to promote the lamb and potato industries in New England. The lamb is stood over a potato plant.
The Big Merino	Goulburn	1985	15 m × 18 m (49 ft × 59 ft)	A sculpture of a merino ram, built in 1985.[13] Goulburn and The Big Merino were bypassed by the Hume Highway in 1992, leading to a reduction in visitor numbers. On 26 May 2007, Rambo (as the Merino is locally known) was relocated by low-loader to a new home within sight of the highway.[14]
The Big Miner's Lamp	Lithgow
Big Mosquito	Hexham	1993		"Ossie the Mossie" at the Hexham Bowls Club is modelled on the local Ochlerotatus alternans mosquito species, known as "Hexham Greys". It includes illuminated eyes which switch on at night.
Big Murray Cod	Tocumwal	1967	2 m × 7 m (6.6 ft × 23.0 ft)	Located near the corner of Delinquin Rd and Murray St, near the Murray River.
Big Orange	Tenterfield
The Big Oyster	Taree		12 m × 4 m (39 ft × 13 ft)
The Big Playable Guitar	Narrandera	1991	6 m × 2 m (19.7 ft × 6.6 ft)	The largest playable guitar in the world.
Ploddy the Dinosaur	Somersby	1963		Situated in the Australian Reptile Park, and commissioned by the Park's founder, Eric Worrell. The concrete structure, based on the shape of a Diplodocus, is 30 metres long and weighs almost 100 tonnes.[15]
The Big Potato	Robertson	1977	10 m × 4 m (33 ft × 13 ft)	A giant potato constructed by farmer Jim Mauger in 1977.[16]
The Big Poo	Kiama	2002	1 m × 5 m (3.3 ft × 16.4 ft)	The Big Poo was built by local residents as a protest against Sydney Water's decision not to reuse waste water in the area. Built from foam, it was unveiled by Ian Cohen on 29 April 2002.[17]
The Big Prawn	Ballina	1989	6 m × 9 m (20 ft × 30 ft)	On 24 September 2009, Ballina Shire Council voted to allow the demolition of the Big Prawn,[18] but this permission was never acted upon. Bunnings Warehouse purchased the site, and the Prawn, in August 2011, and stated their intention to retain and refurbish the Prawn as part of the redevelopment.[19] The prawn now sits on a stand next to the entrance of the Bunnings Warehouse carpark.
Big Rabbit Trap	Albert	2013		A Big Rabbit Trap, located on the roof of the Rabbit Trap Hotel.
The Big Rocket	Moree	2009	14 m (46 ft) high	The Big Rocket, launched during the International Year of Astronomy and the 40th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, contains two slides and a space-themed command centre playground.
Big Rubik's Cube	Maroubra	2008		A cement cube painted as per a Rubik's Cube on top of a storm water drain on Maroubra Beach.
The Big Slurpee	Coffs Harbour	2009	15.24 m (50 ft)	Dismantled in 2009.[20]
The Big Soldier	Uralla			In front of Hassett's Military Museum.
The Big Spider	Urana	2009		The Big Spider (named "Not so Itsy" by the artist) was created by Andrew Whitehead, a nearby resident of the town. The spider commemorates the local football club, who were, for many years, known as the Spiders, and is built from a range of materials – including a wash tub and a hot dog muffler.[21][22]
The World's Biggest Sundial	Singleton	1987		A 25-foot high sundial presented as a gift from Lemington Mine, to honour the occasion of the Australian Bicentenary. At the time of its creation, it was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest sundial,[23] and still lays claim to being the largest one-piece sundial in the Southern hemisphere.
The Big Swan	Dunedoo			In front of the Swan Motel.
Big Tennis Racquet	Barellan	3 October 2009	13.8 m (45 ft) long	Built in honour of Evonne Goolagong, who grew up in Barellan.[24]
The Big Trout	Adaminaby	1973	10 m × 3 m (32.8 ft × 9.8 ft)	Designed by Andy Lomnici, the Big Trout is located in the town of Adaminaby, near Lake Eucumbene in the Snowy Mountains. Opened in 1973, the trout is built from fiberglass over a steel frame.[25]
The Big Trout	Oberon
The Big Turtle	Forster			Carved from timber, the big turtle is located behind the main street of Forster on a riverside boardwalk.
The Big Ugg Boots	Thornton	20 April 2015		Mortels Sheepskin Factory is home to The Big Ugg Boots. These big ugg boots are 13 times the size of a women's US size 8 ugg boot. The Big Ugg Boots are located in the Hunter Region of NSW.
The Big Windmill	Coffs Harbour	1972		Although work started on the Big Windmill in 1972, the death of Franz De Kever in 1974 delayed completion until 1982, as it was not until the site was purchased by Hans Eecen that work was able to resume. The Big Windmill has since changed hands, and is now operated by Mark and Jodi Taylor. The site includes a 41-room motel and a restaurant.[26]
The Big Wine Bottle	Pokolbin	1998	7 m × 1.5 m (23.0 ft × 4.9 ft)	Located at the Hunter Valley Gardens. The neck forms a chimney for an open fire contained within.
The Big Wine Cask	Mourquong		8 m × 6 m (26 ft × 20 ft)	Located at the Constellation Stanley winery *Edit - as of Dec 2013 no longer there. Building is, but has been painted out and is not accessible*

Northern Territory

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
The Big Boxing Crocodile	Humpty Doo	1988	8 m × 8 m (26 ft × 26 ft)	Outside the United fuel station (formerly known as the Bush Shop) on the Arnhem Highway at Humpty Doo. The Boxing Crocodile was built by Ray Park in 1988[27] on a commission by Ray Whear who was the owner of The Bush Shop at that time. It was created to celebrate Australia winning the America's Cup in 1983 and to assist with attracting tourism to the area. The Boxing Crocodile is Humpty Doo's equivalent to the Boxing Kangaroo.
The Big Aboriginal Hunter	Anmatjere Community			Located approx. 150 km north of Alice Springs at the Aileron roadhouse/ caravan park.
The Big Jumping Crocodile	Mary River			Located at Mary Rivernear the entrance to Kakadu National Park.
The Big Stockwhip	Acacia		7 m × 10 m (23 ft × 33 ft)
The Big Stubbie	Larrimah

Queensland

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
The Big Apple	Thulimbah	1978	4 m × 4.5 m (13 ft × 15 ft)	From the "Landmark Legends of Stanthorpe", "The original Big Apple, a Granny Smith, lived at the petrol station at Applethorpe from 1978. The steel and fibreglass sculpture stands 4m tall and the apple is 4.5m in diameter. It was crafted by local artisan Johnny Ross. It went into temporary retirement in 2003 when the Applethorpe site was redeveloped. After a brief facelift, the re-grafted apple emerged as a Royal Gala apple slightly north of town at Thulimbah. Its new home is Vincenzo’s at the Big Apple, which is situated on the opposite side of the new England Highway to Suttons Apple Orchard & Cidery."[28][29]
Big Apple	Acacia Ridge			Located at 1102 Beaudesert Road.
Big Banana	North Mackay	1987	9.2 m × 1.8 m (30.2 ft × 5.9 ft)	[30]
Big Barrel	Bundaberg	2005	25 m × 10 m (82 ft × 33 ft)	The Barrel is an interpretive visitors' centre, gift and bottle shop for Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, located at 147 Bargara Road. According to a commemorative plaque inside the Barrel, it was opened by the Hon. Mr. Mark Vaile MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Nationals on Friday, 18 November 2005.
The Big Barramundi	Normanton	1995	7 m × 2 m (23.0 ft × 6.6 ft)	[31]
The Big Barramundi	Daintree	1986	7.5 m × 2 m (24.6 ft × 6.6 ft)	[32]
Big Bolt and Nut	Roma			Located in front of Banks Bolts and Fastners at 177–183 Raglan Street.
The Big Boot / Shoe	Chermside	1960s		A large shoe mounted on the roof of a car sales yard on the corner of Rode and Gympie Roads (621 Gympie Road). The boot originally came from a boot and footwear factory on the corner of Hale and Caxton Streets in Paddington, operated by the Morris family in 1960. In 1976, the factory became a restaurant called the Spaghetti Emporium, and the boot remained on the roof there until it was brought to its current location in the late 1970s as a marker for Boots Camping.[33]
The Big Brolga	Townsville	1988		[34]
Big Bulls	Rockhampton	1978		There were initially six bulls at many of the entrances into the city. Five of the bulls were created by sculptor Hugh Anderson.[35]
The Big Cane Toad	Sarina	1983	4 m × 1 m (13.1 ft × 3.3 ft)	“Buffy”, short for the cane toad’s scientific name ‘Bufo Marinus’, is located in Broad Street, Sarina. Built out of Paper Mache in 1983, for a float in the Apex Sugar Festival Parade, the Sarina council eventually cast the Big Toad in fiberglass to become a permanent fixture in the town’s centre.	[36]
The Big Captain Cook	Cairns	1972	14 m × 2 m (45.9 ft × 6.6 ft)	Modelled on the explorer Captain Cook.[37]
The Big Cassowary	Mission Beach		4 m × 4 m (13 ft × 13 ft)	Built by Darryl Lourigan.[38]
The Big Cockatoo	Mossman			In front of the Mossman Hotel and Holiday Villas.
The Big Cow	Yandina	1976	12 m × 7.62 m (39.4 ft × 25.0 ft)	[39]
Big (Mud) Crab	Cardwell	1986	4 m × 1 m (13.1 ft × 3.3 ft)	Built by Terry Tebble, senior preparator at the Queensland museum.[40] Located at Muddies Restaurant in Cardwell North. The original mold is kept at NatureWorks, a company near Samford, QLD.
Big Crab	Miriam Vale	1979		Located at the Shell petrol station and roadhouse on the corner of Dougall Street and Roe Street (Bruce Highway). Created by proprietor Lex Milner, who owned the service station at the time and wanted to promote his tasty mud crab sandwiches.[41]
Big Crocodile	Daintree	2001	2 m × 4 m (6.6 ft × 13.1 ft)	[42]
Big Crocodile	Hartley's Creek	1984	7.9 m × 1 m (25.9 ft × 3.3 ft)	Also known as 'Big Ted', this Big Thing is at Hartley's Creek Adventures, a crocodile farm with over 3000 crocs. Big Ted is a life-sized replica of one shot by Krys Pawlowski near Karumba in 1957.[43]
Big Crocodile	Normanton	1996	8.63 m (28.31 ft)	An accurate artist's impression of the largest recorded saltwater crocodile ever killed. "Krys the Savannah King" was shot in 1957 by Krystina Pawlowski on the banks of the Norman River.[44]
Big Deck Chair	Winton	2002	18.3 m (60.04 ft)	Located at the Royal Theatre, an open air picture show, on Elderslie Street. The chair was donated in April 2005 by the Free Masons Taskforce Victoria. Claimed to be the World's largest, but claim has not been verified.[45]
The Big Dinosaur	Ballandean	1998	2.1 m × 6.7 m (6.9 ft × 22.0 ft)	Also known as 'The Big Triceratops' or 'Fruitisforus', this large fibreglass triceratops was originally used as a float in the 1998 Apple & Grape Festival. After the festival, residents placed it on the roadside to help sell fruit for a local fundraiser, and it became a popular landmark. The triceratops was refurbished in 2009 to repair weather damage and then returned to its original post in front of the Ballandean railway station.[46]
The Big Dugong	Rockhampton	1992	22 m × 12 m (72 ft × 39 ft)	Located at the Rockhampton Dreamtime Cultural Centre.[47]
The Big Easel	Emerald	1999	25 m (82 ft)	The Big Easel, located off Capricorn Highway in Morton Park, holds a 7 m × 10 m (23 ft × 33 ft) reproduction of one of Van Gogh's Sunflower paintings.[48][49]
Big Golf Ball	Broadbeach
The Big Golden Gumboot	Tully	2003	8 m × 6.1 m (26 ft × 20 ft)	[50]
The Big Gun	Underwood			A 155 mm (6.1 in) field gun mounted on top of a two-story fruit shop. The gun was in a metal scrap yard that occupied the site in the 1960s before the shops and offices were built in the 70s.
The Big Hard Rock Guitar	Surfers Paradise	1996	10 m × 3 m (32.8 ft × 9.8 ft)	The iconic large guitar that fronts every Hard Rock Cafe. The Surfers Paradise location was established 22 March 1996.[51]
The Big Macadamia Nut	Nambour	1978	16 m (52 ft)	Six years after the Big Pineapple opened the owners built the Big Macadamia nut. Once part of the "Nut Country Tour", the building was eventually converted to the "Rainforest Creatures of the Night" display in 2000. The building has since closed, and remains unused as of June 2013.[52]
The Big Mandarin	Mundubbera	1983	11 m × 15 m (36 ft × 49 ft)	[53]
The Big Mango	Bowen	2002	10 m × 8 m (33 ft × 26 ft)	The Big Mango stands at the tourist information centre in Bowen.[54] In February 2014, the Mango was temporarily "stolen" by restaurant chain Nando's as a publicity stunt.[55][56]
The Big Marlin	Cairns	1980	10 m × 2 m (32.8 ft × 6.6 ft)	[57]
Big Meat Ant	Augathella	2011	5 m (16 ft)	A giant meat ant sculpture commissioned by Murweh Shire Council, in the hope of attracting "thousands of tourists".[58]
Big Merino	Blackall	1983	3 m × 4 m (9.8 ft × 13.1 ft)	[59]
The Big Miner	Rubyvale	1983		In front of the Bobby Dazzler mine. Missing its left hand in May 2012. Hand repaired and statue repainted prior to December 2012.[60]
The Big Mower	Beerwah	1974	11 m × 3.6 m (36 ft × 12 ft)	[61]
The Big Ned Kelly	Maryborough		7 m × 2 m (23.0 ft × 6.6 ft)	The Big Ned Kelly stands in front of the Ned Kelly Motel and service station. Built by Dat Romano.[62]
The Big Orange	Gayndah	1977		[63]
The Big Orange	Lockyer Valley			Corner of Lake Clarendon Way and Crowley Vale Road.
The Big Paperclip	West End, Brisbane		3 m × 2 m (9.8 ft × 6.6 ft)	This was a public sculpture that once stood on the lot next to Paul's dairy factory on Montague Road. The area is now part of the ramp onto the Go Between bridge, and the fate of the sculpture is unknown. Last photo located on the internet was dated 2007.
The Big Peanut	Tolga	1977		[64]
The Big Pelican	Noosaville			Mounted on a motorised float in parkland next to the Noosa River.[65]
The Big Pick, Shovel and Sieve	Sapphire	1999	4 m × 2.5 m (13.1 ft × 8.2 ft)	Located in front of the Blue Gem Store Van Park. Built by Barry Richardson and David Gould.[66]
The Big Pie	Yatala	late 1970s	4.5 m (15 ft) diameter	Mounted atop a 10 m (33 ft) pole next to the car park of the Yatala Pies drive-through pie shop.[67]
Big Pineapple	Gympie	1971	16 m (52 ft) high	Formerly located next to a service station on the Bruce Highway, the Gympie Big Pineapple was demolished in 2008 during redevelopment of the site.[68][69]
The Big Pineapple	Woombye	1971	16 m × 6 m (52 ft × 20 ft)	The Big Pineapple is a tourist attraction on the Sunshine Coast in South East Queensland, Australia. It is 16 metres high and is claimed to be the world's largest pineapple, gaining this title after a large pineapple-shaped water tower in Hawaii was dismantled in 1993 (see List of World's Largest Roadside Attractions). The pineapple was originally opened on 15 August 1971, and is situated on a 165-hectare site in Woombye.[70][71]
The Big Pumpkin	Beaudesert
The Big Red Elephant	Lockyer Valley			Located at 4138 Warrego Highway in Hatton Vale. Part of the "Jumbo" shopping centre.
The Big Redback	Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane	1996	5 m × 3 m (16.4 ft × 9.8 ft)	[72]
The Big Rig	Roma		over 30 m (98 ft) tall	A tourist attraction which commemorates the finding of oil in Roma.
The Big Rum Bottle	Bundaberg	1988	7 m × 1 m (23.0 ft × 3.3 ft)	The bottle started out as the Bundaberg Rum Company's pavilion at World Expo 88 in Brisbane, and is now located outside the visitors' centre at the Bundaberg Distillery. Since then there have been several copies of the bottle which are found in various locations throughout Queensland, one being outside of the Sundowner Saloon in Haigslea.[73]
The Big Sapphire	Anakie	1982	3.7 m × 2.26 m (12.1 ft × 7.4 ft)	Located in front of the Big Sapphire and Gemfield Information Centre at 1 Anakie Road, which was closed as of May 2012.[74]
The Big Sapphire Ring	Sapphire	1984		Located in front of Pat's Gems. Built by Victor Saunders.[75]
The Big Sausage King	Centenary Heights, Toowoomba			The Big Sausage King sits on the roof of Gray’s Modern Meat Mart in Centenary Heights. In 2010 it was stolen, and in spite of 10 kg (22 lb) sausage reward from the store and an additional $500 being offered by radio station Triple M, it was eleven months before it was discovered in a local quarry.[76][77][78]
The Big Shell	Tewantin	1960s	6 m × 2 m (19.7 ft × 6.6 ft)	The Big Shell is the entrance to a Hawaiian / tropical lifestyle store, full of little treasures and shells. The Shell is now under the third owner.[79]
The Big Spanner	Sapphire	1982	2 m (6.6 ft)	The first big thing in the area of Rubyvale and Sapphire, and was built by Allen May.[80]
The Big Strawberry	Elimbah			Outside Rolin Farms, a strawberry and orchid farm near Caboolture.
The Big Stubby	Tewantin	1966	9 m × 4 m (30 ft × 13 ft)	No longer there. Queensland's first big thing, built by George Clifford out of 17,000 empty stubby bottles.[81]
The Big Whale	Kinka Beach			Built by Kevin Logan.[82]

South Australia

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
The Australian Farmer (also known as the Big Farmer)	Wudinna	2008	8 m (26 ft)	Taking 17 years to develop from the initial proposal to the final unveiling, the Australian Farmer, located in the town of Wudinna in South Australia, was carved by artist Marijan Bekic and his son David between 2007 and 2009. Representing the early settlers of the region, the work stands at 8 m (26 ft) in height, and was carved out of approximately 70 tonnes (69 long tons; 77 short tons) of local granite.[83]
The Big Ant	Poochera	2008		Situated at The Poochera Roadhouse on Highway 1, South Australia.
The Big Bee	Kingscote
The Big Bob-tail Lizard	Port Lincoln			Outside the Aboriginal Arts Centre
The Big Cherries	Pages Flat			Located at Fleurieu Cherries on Pages Flat Road (B34) in Pages Flat, SA
The Big Church Block Bottle	McLaren Vale, South Australia	2010	10 m (33 ft)	The Big Church Block Bottle, named Our Work of Art, is a 10 m (33 ft) high replica bottle of Wirra Wirra, Church Block wine. The bottle was constructed to launch the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in March 2010, located at Southbank in Melbourne, Victoria. The bottle was located in Melbourne from 14 March 2010 through to 19 March 2010 before it was re-located to the Wirra Wirra vineyard in McLaren Vale, South Australia, during April 2010. The bottle was designed in five sectional pieces, made from steel framework covered in wire mesh. The mesh has been cladded entirely by recycled corks. Each cork was individually drilled and threaded onto elastic before being cable tied around each section of the bottle.[84]
The Big Dice	Barrier Highway			The Big Dice consist of six concrete blocks piled into a small pyramid. They can be found between Yunta and Mannahill, just off the Barrier Highway.[85]
The Big Galah	Kimba	1993	8 m × 2.5 m (26.2 ft × 8.2 ft)	Residing at the "Halfway Across Australia Tourist Shop" at Kimba, South Australia, the Big Galah was built from fiberglass over a steel frame by Robert Venning, and was opened in 1993. Modelled on the Galahs that frequent the region, it stands at 8 metres (26 ft) high and 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) wide, and weighs in the vicinity of 2.3 tonnes (2 long tons; 3 short tons).[86]
The Big Kangaroo	Border Village	1986	5 m × 2 m (16.4 ft × 6.6 ft)	Also known as "Rooey II", the Big Kangaroo can be found at Border Village in South Australia, located just shy of the border with West Australia.[87] Made from papier-mâché and fiberglass over a steel frame, from a design by Bill Metheral, Rooey was intended to capitalise on traffic journeying to Perth for the America's Cup, and was opened in 1986.[88]
The Big Lobster	Kingston SE	1979	17×15×13 m (56×49×43 ft)	Known locally as "Larry", the Big Lobster was designed and built by Paul Kelly (who also designed the Big Scotsman) as a means of attracting attention to the visitor centre and restaurant at which it is located. It was built in six months out of a steel frame with a fiberglass shell. The size is said to have been an error: the original plans were drawn in feet, but the designer misinterpreted them to be metres.[89]
Map the Miner	Kapunda	1988	8 m × 2 m (26.2 ft × 6.6 ft)	Named Map Kernow, the "son of Cornwall", Map the Miner represents the Cornish miners who once worked at the town of Kapunda. Standing at the southern end of the town, the work was built by Ben van Zetten and opened on 5 June 1988.[90] The statue was destroyed by a fire in 2006,[91] but has since been rebuilt.[92]
The Big Olive	Tailem Bend	2009	11 m (36 ft)	The Big Olive was constructed to attract tourists to The Big Olive processing plant and visitors' center. Located just outside Tailem Bend, it consists of two olives – one green and one black – which together stand at 8 metres (26 ft) and weigh over 1 t (2,200 lb). The olives were constructed out of fiberglass by The Newell Group, and were placed on the site in April 2005.[93]
The Big Orange	Berri	1980	15 m × 12 m (49 ft × 39 ft)	Located in the South Australian Riverland, the Big Orange was designed by Adelaide-based architect John Twopenny. It is constructed with fiberglass panels covering a steel frame, with the entire structure weighing in the vicinity of 85 tonnes (84 long tons; 94 short tons).[94][95] The structure consists of four levels, with a function room on the first floor, a souvenir shop and cafe on the second, a mural depicting the local scenery on the third, and a lookout on the fourth.[96] *Edit Dec 2013, now closed but can still get photos from the road*
The Big Oyster	Ceduna	1992		As with the Big Pelican, the Big Oyster was originally built as a float for a local festival – in this case, Ceduna's annual Oysterfest. Built by Leon Veerhuis out of ferro-concrete, it was retired from parade duties in 1994.[97] It is located next to an information booth on Eyre Highway just north of Ceduna.
The Big Pelican	Loxton	1992		The Big Pelican was originally constructed as a float for a local Mardi Gras in 1979. After being employed for this purpose on a number of occasions, including once in Adelaide, the papier-mâché structure was remodelled, and, in 1992, it was overlaid with fibreglass. Today it can be found at the Loxton Caravan Park.[98]
Another Big Pelican	Loxton	2015		This Big Pelican was carved from a single tree. It includes depictions of a pelican as well as an Indigenous and a European child holding a fish together. It was created by Ants Redgum Gallery and unveiled in August 2015. It is located in Jubilee Park on the Princes Highway (B1)
The Big Ram	Karoonda	2003	2 m × 3 m (6.6 ft × 9.8 ft)	The Big Ram in Karoonda recognises the importance of the sheep industry in the region. Instigated by the Karoonda Development Group and located on the Railway Lawns, the Big Ram is 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and 3 metres (10 ft) long, and is built from concrete. It was completed in 2003.[99]
The Big Rocking Horse	Gumeracha	1981	18 m × 17 m (59 ft × 56 ft)	Part of a complex that includes a wooden toy factory and a wildlife park, the Big Rocking Horse in the Adelaide Hills stands at over 18 metres tall and weighs more than 25 tonnes. Designed by David McIntosh and John Twopenny (the latter also designed The Big Orange), it took eight months to build at a cost of over $100,000. The steel structure incorporates three viewing platforms.[100]
The Big Scotsman	Medindie (Adelaide)	1963	5 m × 1 m (16.4 ft × 3.3 ft)	The Big Scotsman, affectionately known as 'Scotty', was erected in 1963 and thus predated the Big Banana by a year. Located at Scotty's Motel on the corner of Main North Road and Nottage Terrace in the inner-city suburb of Medindie, the Big Scotsman was designed by Paul Kelly, who later went on to build the Big Lobster.[101]
The Big Teddy Bear	Spencer Hwy, between Maitland and Minlaton, South Australia		4 m × 3 m (13.1 ft × 9.8 ft)
The Big Winch	Coober Pedy	1986	8 m × 5 m (26 ft × 16 ft)	The Big Winch acknowledges Coober Pedy's opal-mining industry. Built by Klaus Wirries in the 1970s, the original Big Winch was destroyed in 1986 and rebuilt shortly thereafter.[102]
The Big Wombat	Bookabie			Situated at Scotdesco Aboriginal Community (Tjilkaba), on Highway 1, South Australia. Link To Scotdesco Page and The Big Wombat
The Big Yabby	Clayton	1973	2 m (6.6 ft)	Built in 1973 by Henry Jones, the Big Yabby resides at the Murray River town of Clayton, and originally sat outside his family's Yabby City Restaurant. While the concrete yabby remains, the restaurant has since changed both owners and name to become Sails at Clayton, and yabbies are no longer on the menu.As of 2015, the Yabby is no longer there.[103][104]

Tasmania

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
Big Apple	Spreyton
The Big Cherry	Latrobe			Adjacent to the Bass Highway at The Cherry Shed.
The Big Coffee Pot	Deloraine			Constructed by the addition of a spout and handle to a grain silo.
The Big Penguin	Penguin	1975	3 m × 1 m (9.8 ft × 3.3 ft)	Constructed from fibro cement to mark the centenary of the proclamation of the township of Penguin. Unveiled 25 October 1975.
The Big Platypus	Latrobe
The Big Rock Lobster	Stanley			Mounted on the roof of Hursey Seafoods.
The Big Slide Rule	University of Tasmania (Hobart)			Located in the School of Mathematics and Physics.
The Big Spud	Sassafras
The Big Tasmanian Devil	Mole Creek		2 m × 3 m (6.6 ft × 9.8 ft)	Standing at the entrance to the Trowunna Wildlife park and Tasmanian Devil research centre.
The Big Thumbs Up	Scottsdale			Scottsdale, Tasmania.
The Big Wickets	Westbury		3 m × 8 m (9.8 ft × 26.2 ft)	Located at the front of the local cricket pitch, commemorating locally born player Jack Badcock.

Victoria

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
Big Abalone	Laverton North			A fibre glass replica of an abalone that used to sit atop a 5.3 m tower at the Plummer Road premises of the Australian Abalone Exports office. Once it was illuminated, and rotated slowly. It was removed after the business ceased operating.
Big Apple	Bacchus Marsh			The Apple was removed from display at the road side when the adjacent fruit shop closed down. It used to sit behind a fence next to a dumpster however this has now been removed. There is now a concrete version that is not quite as grand.
Big Lizzie	Red Cliffs	1915 - 1916	10.36 m × 3.35 m × 5.49 m (34.0 ft × 11.0 ft × 18.0 ft)
The Big Apple	Gladysdale			The fiberglass Big Apple hangs from a pole outside the Gladysdale Primary School which is the home of the annual Gladysdale Apple and Wine Festival. After sustaining damage from vandals some time ago it has been restored to its former glory by a local builder and aircraft engineer. Organisers of the festival are planning to unveil the restored apple at the 2014 event on 4 May 2014.
The Big Cherry	Glenrowan			Owners of the property removed the Big Cherry in 2010/11.
Big Cigar	Churchill			Replica of Sir Winston Churchill's cigar, after whom the town is named.
Big Coffee Maker	Brunswick		3 m × 1 m (9.8 ft × 3.3 ft)	Located outside Georges Gourmet Coffee, 340 Victoria Street, Brunswick, Melbourne.
Big Cows	Newhaven			The Big Cows are located outside the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory.
Big Dead Fish	Fish Creek			Positioned on the roof of the Fishy Pub.
Fairfield Industrial Dog Object (FIDO)	Fairfield	2000		Created in 2000 and positioned next to Fairfield Railway Station.
The Big Flower	Yarra Junction	March 2014		The Big Flower sits atop a florist on Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction
The Big Golf Ball	Clayton South			The Big Golf Ball is found at the Spring Valley Golf Course in Clayton South.
Big Hens	Meredith			Adjacent to the Midland Highway outside a battery egg farm.
Big Koala	Cowes			The Big Koala can be found next to Rusty Water Brewery and Restaurant on Phillip Island Road.
The Giant Koala	Dadswells Bridge	1989	14 m × 8 m (46 ft × 26 ft)	The Giant Koala is 27 km (17 mi) north-west of Stawell in the small township of Dadswells Bridge. The Koala is 14 m (46 ft) high, and weighs 12 tonnes (12 long tons; 13 short tons). It is made of bronze set on a steel frame. The sculptor is Mr Ben Van Zetton who was hired in 1988 to design and construct the piece.
Big Lizard	Marysville			The Big Blue-Tongued Lizard takes pride of place in Gallipoli Park, Marysville
Big Mallee Bull	Birchip
Big Mallee Root	Ouyen			The Big Mallee Root is an actual mallee root rather than an oversized replica like most of Australia's big things. It is on display in a park.
Big Miner	Ballarat	opened 1 December 2006		Located at Gold Rush Golf on the Western Highway (M8) on the eastern side of Ballarat with the Big Ned Kelly. “The Big Miner stands as a tribute to the tens of thousands of gold prospectors who frequented regional Victoria during the second half of the nineteenth century. The statue stands 8 meters tall (6 meters of statue on a 2 metre base). It has been hand sculptured from polystyrene and has a 1.5 ton steel frame. The 2 metre high concrete base is approximately 15 tons. It was designed by Wayne Johnston of 3D Theme Concepts and sculptured by Steve Bristow. Ballarat Mayor, David Vendy, officially unveiled the statue on 1 December 2006.”
Big Ned Kelly	Ballarat			Located at Gold Rush Golf on the Western Highway (M8) on the eastern side of Ballarat with the Big Miner.
Giant Murray Cod	Swan Hill		3 m × 9 m (9.8 ft × 29.5 ft)	Located at the train station.
The Big Ned Kelly	Glenrowan		6 m × 2 m (19.7 ft × 6.6 ft)	A tribute to the bushranger Ned Kelly.
The Big Pheasant	Tynong		8 m × 17 m (26 ft × 56 ft)	The Big Pheasant sits at the entrance to Gumbuya Park. It was the victim of an attack by vandals in October 2011,[105] and was restored to its previous condition by April 2012.
The world's largest rolling pin	Wodonga			The Big Rolling Pin sits atop a bakery and spins.
Big Smoke	Myrtleford			No longer painted as the 'Big Smoke' due to closure of cigarette factory, located on Myrtleford–Yackandandah Road
Big Strawberry	Koonoomoo		2 m × 4 m (6.6 ft × 13.1 ft)	Located at the Big Strawberry store on the corner of Goulburn Valley Hwy and Cobram-Koonoomoo Rd.
Big Tap	Cowes			The Big Tap suspended in the air above A Maze'N Things on Phillip Island Road.
Big Watermelon	Wantirna South			Situated outside a fruit and vegetable store on High Street Road
Big Wave	Newhaven			The Big Wave is a popular photo point, where you can ride the wave. Located at the Island Surf Experience, Phillip Island Road, Newhaven.
Big Wine Bottle	Rutherglen			A water tower in the shape and colour of a wine bottle. Located on the corner of Campbell St and Hopetoun Rd.
Big Wool Bales	Hamilton		3 m × 12 m (9.8 ft × 39.4 ft)
The Giant Worm	Bass		250 m × 4 m (820 ft × 13 ft)	Located on the Bass Highway, the Big Worm contains interactive displays and one can walk inside. There are also animals to view and a gift shop on the property.
Public Purse	Melbourne			Located at the North-West end of the Bourke Street Mall outside the GPO.
Giant Pocket Watch	Melbourne

Western Australia

Name	Location	Built	Size	Notes	Image
Big Apple	Donnybrook		7 m × 4 m (23 ft × 13 ft)
Big Banana	Carnarvon		6 m × 1 m (19.7 ft × 3.3 ft)
World's Tallest Bin	Kalgoorlie	1980	About 8 m (26 ft) tall	Located on Hannan Street[106]
Bert Bolle Barometer	Denmark	1985	Over 12.5 m (41 ft)	A working water barometer being the largest barometer in the world, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records. Built in the Netherlands by Bert Bolle and donated to the community of Denmark in 2007. The barometer was considered a monument and carried the name ’The Bert Bolle Barometer’. It was set up in The Barometer Tower in the Denmark Visitor Centre, but was removed in 2011
Big Bobtail	Kalamunda, Perth	2012	9 m × 1.3 m (29.5 ft × 4.3 ft)	Carved out of rammed earth by Yagan memorial artist Roman Antoniuk,[107] and modelled on a 300 mm (11.8 in) blue-tongued skink that lives on the block.
The Big Camera	Meckering			A building housing a museum of photography and a huge collection of cameras
Cow on the Corner	Brunswick Junction		5 m × 1.5 m (16.4 ft × 4.9 ft)
The Big Crocodile	Wyndham	1987	18 m × 3 m (59.1 ft × 9.8 ft)
The Big Lobster	Dongara
The Big Marron	Between Denmark and Walpole			Known as "Rex of the River", based on the local species of freshwater crayfish, the Cherax tenuimanus.
The Big Mushroom	Balingup			Situated in the gardens of the Old Cheese Factory, Nannup Road, Balingup.
Big Orange	Harvey		2 m (6.6 ft) diameter
The Big Prawn	Learmonth			Situated outside the MG Kailis dock, 20 km south of Exmouth.
The Giant Ram	Wagin		13×9×6 m (43×30×20 ft)
Leeuwin Way Whale	Eucla		10 m × 3 m (32.8 ft × 9.8 ft)	Situated in the carpark of the Eucla roadhouse, Eyre Highway.
The Big Wheelbarrow	Port Hedland			Situated at the entrance to the Wedgefield Industrial Area between Port Hedland and South Hedland.

In popular culture

Locations of a number of Australia's big things

• The London production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: the Musical references the Big Prawn, Big Merino, Big Pineapple and the Big Banana.
• The ABC produced a documentary titled Big Things as part of its programme The Big Picture.
• The National Museum in Canberra has a comprehensive multimedia exhibit displaying many big things.
• In 2007 Australia Post issued a set of 50c postage stamps commemorating five of the most iconic big things:
  • The Big Banana at Coffs Harbour (NSW)
  • The Big Golden Guitar at Tamworth (NSW)
  • The Big Lobster at Kingston SE (SA)
  • The Big Merino at Goulburn (NSW)
  • The Big Pineapple at Nambour (QLD)^[108]
• Danny Wallace mentions Australia's big things in his book Yes Man.
• Travel writer Bill Bryson details his visit to the Big Lobster and the Big Bull in his book Down Under / In a Sunburned Country
• In the Australian comedy film Young Einstein, when the titular character books into a hotel the desk clerk asks if he's "Here to see the Big Bed?"
• English stand-up comedian Ross Noble, visits many of Australia's big things during his 2009 tour Ross Noble's Australian Trip.

See also

• Dunedoo, New South Wales, which decided against "The Big Dunny"
• List of world's largest roadside attractions
• New Zealand's big things
• Novelty architecture

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big Things of Australia.

General references

• Clark, David (2004). Big Things: Australia's Amazing Roadside Attractions. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-300200-7. 
• Scutt, Craig. The Little Book of Big Aussie Icons. Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781741786002.

Specific references and notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big Things of Australia.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Big Things of Australia.

• Big Things of Australia, Postie Notes.
• Map of big things