The big things of Australia are large structures, some of which are novelty architecture and some sculptures. In Australia, big things have come to be seen as a uniquely Australian phenomenon, although they emerged at the same time as the so-called Roadside Giants (fibreglass sculptures of things) of the United States. These structures have become affectionately known landmarks scattered throughout the country. In 2022, there were just over 1075 big things in Australia.[1] There are big things in each state and some territories in continental Australia.
Originally, many of these big things were conceived as tourist traps strategically placed along major roads, enticing travelers to make a stop and explore the surrounding areas. They served as eye-catching attractions, drawing attention to local businesses and promoting tourism in the region. Over time, these structures have evolved beyond their initial purpose and have acquired a special place in Australian culture.
The big things have garnered significant attention from locals and visitors, becoming something of a cult phenomenon. Travelling to visit and photograph these structures has become a popular activity, inspiring road trips where enthusiasts aim to see as many big things as possible. These journeys often culminate in group photographs, using the larger-than-life structures as unique backdrops and symbols of shared experiences.
Many of the big things have been recognised as works of folk art. Their whimsical and often exaggerated designs reflect the creativity and ingenuity of their creators. Several big things have been heritage-listed, ensuring their preservation and contributing to the country's cultural heritage. These listed structures serve as reminders of the unique character and history of the regions they are located in.[2]
Despite their popularity, some Big Things have faced controversies and potential demolition threats. Factors such as maintenance costs, changing priorities, or debates over their aesthetic value have ignited discussions regarding the delicate balance between preserving cultural icons and allocating resources for alternative purposes.[3] [4]
The influence of Australia's big things extends beyond the country's borders. These unique structures have inspired the creation of oversized sculptures and replicas in other parts of the world, highlighting the impact of Australian creativity and cultural exports.[5]
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Acorns | National Arboretum Canberra in Molonglo Valley | 2013 | The giant acorns depict children's play equipment at the playground. Often referred to as the 'Acorn Park', this playground is ideal for kids of all ages. | |||
| The Big Bunyip | Corner Of Hibberson Street And Gozzard Street, Gungahlin | 2011 | The Big Bunyip is based on Alexander Bunyip from the 1972 children's book, The Monster That Ate Canberra by Micheal Salmon. | |||
| Big Coins | Royal Australian Mint62-114 Denison St, Deakin | The Big Coins is a group of sculptures located in Deakin, Australian Capital Territory next to the Royal Australian Mint. | ||||
| Big Swoop | Garema Place | 2022 | 2.4x3.5 m | Big Swoop depicts an Australian magpie pecking at a chip. | ||
| Big Galahs | Watson | 2013 | Project of artists Bev Hogg and Elizabeth Patterson, the Galahs mark the entrance to a modern planned community, and represent the concept of new families nesting in the area. | |||
| Giant Mushroom | Belconnen | 1998 | 8* | Located in the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets,[6] the Giant Mushroom shelters a children's playground. It was officially launched in 1998 by the ACT Chief Minister.No longer exists as of 2022.[7] | ||
| The Big Powerful Owl[8] | Belconnen | 2011 | 8m (26feet) | Located at the main entrance to Belconnen town centre, the statue cost $400,000 and was built by Melbourne sculptor Bruce Armstrong.[9] | ||
| Big Pool Ball | Yarralumla | 2019 | 1.8 m (5'10") | The Big Pool Ball located at Yarralumla Play Station, which is home to one of the largest mini-golf courses in Australia. | ||
| Big Coffee Pot And Cup | Monash | 1993 | Located at the main entrance/courtyard of the CIC (Canberra Islamic Centre), stands the coffee pot and the cup. |
| 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.[10] 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.[11] | ||||
| Big Apple | Tallong | Located on Caoura Rd at Jim Watling Park. Tallong is home to the big apple and host to the award-winning annual "Apple Day" festival. The Big Apple made its return at the 2016 Apple Day festival. | ||||
| Big Apple | Yerrinbool -34.3485°N 150.5543°W | Visible from the Hume Highway | ||||
| Big Avocado | Duranbah | Located at Tropical Fruit World. | ||||
| The Big Axe | Kew | 1979 | 8m (26feet) | Located alongside the Kew Visitor Information Centre. The original sculpture was replaced in 2002 as a result of ant induced damage. The Axe was remodelled and a new one was displayed on 26 January 2017.[12] | ||
| Big Ayers Rock | North Arm Cove | 1990 | This 1:40 scale model of Uluru was formerly an attraction at Leyland Brothers World, and later formed the roof of the Rock Restaurant. Technically not a "Big Thing" (as it was substantially smaller than the item it is modelled on), the Rock Restaurant was loosely grouped with the big things as an object of roadside art. It was destroyed in a fire on 31 July 2018.[13] | |||
| Big Banana | Coffs Harbour | 1964 | 13* | Sometimes incorrectly claimed to be the first Big Thing in Australia.[14] (The Big Scotsman in Adelaide was built over a year earlier). 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* | 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 | 2m (07feet) high | Statue of an Australian Cattle Dog ("blue heeler"). Located adjacent to the town information centre. | ||
| The Big Bogan | Nyngan | 2015 | 5.96m (19.55feet) high | The Big Bogan is the brainchild of Reverend Graham McLeod from Nyngan's St Mark's Anglican Church.[15] [16] Located on Pangee Street next to the railway lines. In 2022 a dog was added.[17] | ||
| Big Bowl | Lake Cathie | 1975 | A 10adj=midNaNadj=mid replica of a lawn bowl, consisting of one and a half tonnes of steel and concrete.[18] | |||
| Big Bull | Wauchope | 14* | The Big Bull was pulled down in October 2007.[19] | |||
| 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* | The bicycle built by Jonh Ridley, Andy Lugiz and Phillip Becker adorns the entrance to the Chullora Waste Transfer Station, Chullora. | ||
| The Big Bush Turkey | Kyogle | 2018 | 8.5 x 4 m | The Big Bush Turkey was constructed by Kyogle couple, John and Chrystine Graham, and it is located on Summerland Way 2.6 kms from the town. | ||
| Big Cheese | Bodalla | The Big Cheese is located at the former Bodalla Cheese factory on the Princes Highway. It is closed. | ||||
| Big Cherries | Young | Originally located off Short Street, but moved with the tourist information centre to Lovell Street at Young railway station. | ||||
| Big Chook | Moonbi | 1970s | 2* | |||
| Big Chook | Mount Vernon | 4* | ||||
| Big Dog | Dunkeld | 2020 | high, weighs over 1 tonne | Located in Dunkeld between Bathurst and Orange.Made wholly of recycled metal collected from refuse centres, farms, discarded car parts, rusty tools etc. Sculptor Jane lives in Orange and was commissioned by Brendan. | ||
| Don Bradman's Bat and Stumps | Cootamundra | 1975 | 8m | Located on the western side of Bradman Oval, this attraction celebrates the career of cricket legend Don Bradman[20] | ||
| Big Fish | Manilla | The Big Fish is located at the Big Fish Roadhouse at 79 Arthur Street | ||||
| Big Funnel Web Spider | Jamberoo | 2015 | 19.7* | The Big Funnel Web Spider was built at Jamberoo Action Park 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.[21] | ||
| The Big Gold Panner | Kelso | 1979 | 5* | Located in front of the Gold Panner Motor Inn. | ||
| The Big Gold Pick and Pan | Grenfell | 2005 | Pick, Pan (diam) | Located between the Goods Shed and historic Station Building at the Grenfell railway station precinct, just off the northern end of West Street. | ||
| The Big Golden Guitar | Tamworth | 1988 | 12* | 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 Hammer | Mudgee | Located at Rosby Wines (122 Strikes Lane, Eurunderee) is Tig Crowley's "Water Hammer". Previously located at the Fairview ArtSpace, the Big Hammer was relocated in 2016 when the ArtSpace closed down. | ||||
| The Big Hat | Yeoval | 2017 | Sculpture of Banjo Paterson's hat. Made in 2014 and transported to Yeoval in 2017. | |||
| The Big Headphones | Newcastle | 2015 | 3m (10feet) | 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 Knight | Knockrow | This was previously at the entrance to the Macadamia Castle, a nut-themed park and store.In 2022 the site became the Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and the Knight was removed.[22] | ||||
| Big Koala Family | Port Macquarie | 2003 | Made by fibreglass experts Natureworks for Coffs Harbour Zoo, the trio of big koalas were moved to Billabong Zoo in Port Macquarie in 2003 after the Coffs Harbour Zoo closed. | |||
| The Big Kookaburra | Kurri Kurri | 2009 | 4.5m (14.8feet) | Sculpture by Chris Fussell.[23] It is located in Rotary Park.[24] | ||
| 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 Magpie | Muswellbrook | |||||
| The Big Merino | Goulburn | 1985 | 15* | A sculpture of a merino ram, built in 1985.[25] 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.[26] | ||
| The Big Miner's Lamp | Bowenfels | Depicts a safety lamp. | ||||
| Big Mosquito | Hexham | 1993 | "Ozzie the Mozzie" 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. | |||
| The Big Motorcycle | Mooball | c. 2014. | 3 m tall.[27] | The Big Motorcycle, is located across the road from the Moo Moo Roadhouse. It is a replica of the Yamaha YZR500 ridden by Wayne Rainey in 1993.[28] [29] | ||
| Big Murray Cod | Tocumwal | 1967 | 2* | Located near the corner of Deniliquin Rd and Murray St, near the Murray River. | ||
| The Big Orange - Mourquong (Mildira) | Mourquong, NSW near to Mildura VIC | 8 mins north of Mildura, 93 Link Rd, Mourquong NSW 2739 | ||||
| The Big Oyster | Taree | 12* | ||||
| The Big Playable Guitar | Narrandera | 1991 | 6* | The largest playable guitar in the world. | ||
| Ploddy the Dinosaur | Somersby | 1963 | 4.8* | 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.[30] | ||
| The Big Peg | Canowindra | 2017 | A giant clothes peg located in a field beside the road between Canowindra and the village of Cargo. Designed by the Stacey Family and fabricated by Jake Willis of Canowindra it was inspired by a similar structure in Belgium.[31] [32] | |||
| The Big Potato | Robertson | 1977 | 10* | A giant potato constructed by farmer Jim Mauger in 1977.[33] | ||
| The Big Poo | Kiama | 2002 | 1* | 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.[34] | ||
| The Big Prawn | West Ballina | 1989 | 6* | On 24 September 2009, Ballina Shire Council voted to allow the demolition of the Big Prawn,[35] but this permission was never acted upon. Bunnings purchased the site in 2011 and refurbished the Prawn as part of the redevelopment. The prawn now sits on a stand next to the entrance of the Bunnings Warehouse carpark.[36] [37] | ||
| Big Rabbit Trap | Albert | 2013 | A Big Rabbit Trap, located on the roof of the Rabbit Trap Hotel. | |||
| The Big Rocket | Moree | 2009 | 140NaN0 high | The Big Rocket, launched during the International Year of Astronomy and the 40th anniversary of the first human 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. In December 2023 the Big Rubik's Cube was "solved" after being repainted by the original artists.[38] | |||
| The Big Slurpee | Coffs Harbour | 2009 | 50order=flipNaNorder=flip | Dismantled in 2009.[39] | ||
| The Big Soldier | Uralla | In front of Hassett's Military Museum. Dressed in Digger-style uniform. | ||||
| 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.[40] [41] | |||
| The World's Biggest Sundial | Singleton | 1987 | A 25adj=midNaNadj=mid 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,[42] and still lays claim to being the largest one-piece sundial in the Southern hemisphere. | |||
| Big Swagman and Dog | Port Macquarie | 1990s | The original Big Swaggie and Dog at Billabong Zoo in Port Macquarie was built in the 1990s by Robert Boffa (then owner of the Zoo). The Swagman was relocated in the late 90s when the Pacific Highway was upgraded, but the accompanying Big Dog remains at the original location. | |||
| The Big Swan | Dunedoo | In front of the Swan Motel. | ||||
| Big Tennis Racquet | Barellan | 3 October 2009 | 13.8m (45.3feet) long | Built in honour of Evonne Goolagong, who grew up in Barellan.[43] | ||
| The Big Trout | Adaminaby | 1973 | 10* | Designed by Andy Lomnici, the Big Trout is located in the town of Adaminaby, near Lake Eucumbene in the Snowy Mountains. It was built from fibreglass over a steel frame, completed in 1973,[44] and repaired and repainted in 2023.[45] | ||
| 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 AUS/US size 8 UGG boot. The Big UGG Boots are located in the Lower Hunter Region of NSW, Newcastle end of the M1. | |||
| Big Water Dragon | Port Macquarie | 2017 | A statue of an Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii) at Kooloonbung Creek Nature Reserve.[46] Built by Bill Lawrence, Matt Penboss, and Lynley Kirkness.[47] | |||
| 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.[48] | |||
| The Big Wine Barrel | Hanwood | 1973 | Located at the McWilliam's Winery. The cellar door with historical displays and a giant glass mural are located within. | |||
| The Big Wine Bottle | Pokolbin | 1998 | 7* | Located at the Hunter Valley Gardens. The neck forms a chimney for an open fire contained within. | ||
| The Big Wine Cask | Mourquong | 8* | 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* | |||
| Red Pillars | Tweed Heads-Gold Coast | Known as the Queensland–New South Wales state border sign, it is on the border, located on the Pacific Highway between Tweed Heads and Coolangatta. | ||||
| The Biggest Little Town | Mullumbimby | 8* | Located on the NSW far north coast just south of the QLD border in the shire of Byron, this town claims to be Australia's biggest little town. |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Anmatjere Man | Anmatjere | 2005 | Located approx. 150 km north of Alice Springs at the Aileron roadhouse/ caravan park. It is believed to be modelled on Charlie Quartpot Ngwarray who was an important Anmatyerr leader and rainmaker for the area.[49] The Anmatjere Man took a year to construct and was created in 2005 by Mark Egan. Until 2008 the Anmatjere Man a.k.a The BIG Aboriginal Hunter stood alone on top of a hill which is accessible for pictures in dry conditions. | |||
| Anmatjere Woman and Child | Anmatjere | 2008 | In 2008 Mark Egan, creator of the Anmatjere Man, felt the sculpture needed a family and so begun sculpting the "Anmatjere Woman and Child" While the man is located on top of a climbable hill the Anmatjere Woman and child is more accessible and situated just outside Aileron Roadhouse. A goanna was later added. | |||
| Big Barramundi | Katherine | Located atop Rod & Rifle Tackleworld in Katherine NT | ||||
| Big Beer Can | Ghan | Ghans boast of being the Northern Territories First and Last stop for a drink resulted in this novelty reminder outside the Kulgera Pub.Originally the can label was West End Draught but a label change to XXXX Gold occurred sometime between 2002 and 2010 | ||||
| Big Books | Alice Springs | 2018 | The BIG Books were a part of a 2018 instalment to renovate and update the Alice Springs Public Library. Depicts several books by local author Nevil Shute, writer of A Town Like Alice. | |||
| The Big Boxing Crocodile | Humpty Doo | 1988 | 8* | Outside the United Petroleum station (formerly known as the Bush Shop) on the Arnhem Highway at Humpty Doo. The Boxing Crocodile was built by Ray Park in 1988[50] on a commission by Ray Whear and Marshall Brentnall 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. | ||
| Big Buffalo | Winnellie | Dubbed 'Lefty' by locals as one testicle is visibly bigger than the other.Lefty was originally gray and created as a float for a local parade. Saved from being recycled a local buffalo trading business purchased him as a company mascot but painted him pink to ensure he stood out from the gray business building he once stood proudly in front of.When the company closed its doors Lefty was auctioned and brought by the car dealership (Travans Cars & Commercials) where he resides to this day. | ||||
| The Big Dinosaur | Yarrawonga | 13m (43feet) | This large fibreglass Brachiosaurus can be seen on Pierssene Rd, outside Bunnings Palmerston.It was previously a garden feature for 'Finlays Joint Cafe'. Originally bought by Tom Finlay, a stonemason, to complement a sculptured Dragon in Mr. Finlay's Landscaping supply section of his business. Mr. Finlay also purchased several other large dinosaurs made by the same Philippine-based Dutch company that produces models for adventure parks but began selling them in 2010. | |||
| Big Fish | Wanguri | Visible from Gsell St this BIG Fish decorates Wanguri Pre-School front yard. | ||||
| Big Frogs | Darwin | The BIG Frogs can be located outside 'Ramada Suites Zen Quarter Darwin'Originally the BIG Frogs were located at Tom Finlays 'Get Stoned' masonry but were purchased and relocated after Toms masonry relocated themselves.The BIG frogs have a sister pair, colorfully painted located within the Berry Springs Wildlife Park. | ||||
| Big Gold Nugget | Douglas-Daly | The Big Gold Nugget is situated outside the Douglas Daly Historic Hotel and is a tribute to the gold once and still frequently found in the area. | ||||
| Big Hand | Alice Springs | The red sculpture situated outside 'Central Second Hand Shop' consists of a hand protruding another hand from its index finger | ||||
| The Giant Jumping Crocodile | Wak Wak | 1984 | Located in the carpark of The Original Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruises, just off the Arnhem Highway near the intersection of the Adelaide River. Created 1984 3220 Arnhem Highway Wak Wak NT Australia. | |||
| The Giant Jellyfish | East Point | 2014 | 2.2m (7ft) | Created by artist Aly de Groot at a cost of $150,000, using a whimsical woven technique. The two jellyfish can be found by the water in Darwin’s East Point Reserve.[51] | ||
| Big Owl | Darwin | 2010 | Created in 2010 by Koolpinyah Richard Barnes the BIG Owl titled 'Chinute Chinute' can be located outside the Darwin Supreme Court. | |||
| The Big Stockwhip[52] | Fly Creek[53] | 7* | Depicts an Australian stockwhip, used for mustering cattle. | |||
| The Big Stubbie | Larrimah | Depicts a NT Draught stubbie, a small beer bottle. | ||||
| Big Turtle | Lyons | 2004 | 1.5* | Commissioned to celebrate the new estate of Lyons, which was established in 2004 the giant sea turtle was created by Techy Masero with assistance from Larrakia Nation artists. Unofficially named 'Collin' by Google Maps editors. | ||
| Big Wine Bottle | Daly Waters | The BIG Wine bottle is fixed to the back of ute and typically parked at the Daly Waters Historic Pub. |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Big Apple | Thulimbah | 1978 | 4* | 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."[54] [55] | ||
| Big Apple | Acacia Ridge | Located at 1102 Beaudesert Road | ||||
| Banana the Bullock | Banana | Dun bullock after which the Shire and Town of Banana were named.[56] [57] | ||||
| Big Banana | North Mackay | 1987 | 9.2* | [58] | ||
| Big Bowling Pin | Maryborough | unknown, restored 2020 | Previously from Toowoomba, The 'Big Bowling Pin' was restored and put on display again in 2020 out the front of Maryborough Tenpin Bowl, located at 2 Quarry Court, Maryborough | |||
| Big Kronosaurus | Richmond | 'Krono', a full sized replica of the Kronosaurus queenslandicus. Outside Kronosaurus Korner Fossil Museum, Richmond. | ||||
| Big Barrel | Bundaberg | 2005 | 25* | 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 Mark Vaile on 18 November 2005. | ||
| The Big Barramundi | Normanton | 1995 | 7* | [59] | ||
| The Big Barramundi | Daintree | 1986 | 7.5* | [60] | ||
| Big Bolt and Nut | Roma | Located in front of Banks Bolts and Fastners at 87 Raglan Street. | ||||
| Big Boomerangs | Nindigully | 1989 | 3m (10feet) | These 3 big boomerangs are what remain from the roof of the diner that was built on site and featured in the 1999 Australian film The Paperback Hero with Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan | ||
| 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.[61] This has been demolished sometime before December 2021 | |||
| The Big Brolga | Townsville | 1988 | [62] The Big Brolga was originally located at the Visitor Centre on the Bruce Highway, south of Townsville. It has been removed and is no longer displayed. | |||
| Big Brolgas and Snake | Near Mackay | |||||
| Big Bulls | Rockhampton | 1978 | Initially there were two bull statues but over time others were added reaching a total of seven. Five of the bulls were created by sculptor Hugh Anderson.[63] [64] | |||
| The Big Cane Toad | Sarina | 1983 | 4* | "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 fibreglass to become a permanent fixture in the town's centre.[65] | ||
| The Big Captain Cook | Cairns | 1972 | 14* | Built by Roberto Paiaro from Cairns, and it originally had "Made in Japan" painted on the lower leg as a joke. Modelled on the explorer James Cook.[66] The statue was taken down in May 2022.[67] | ||
| The Big Cassowary | Wongaling Beach | 4* | It is a statue of a cassowary on the south-east corner of Tully Mission Beach Road and Wongaling Beach Road . Built by Darryl Lourigan.[68] | |||
| The Big Cockatoo | Mossman | In front of the Mossman Hotel and Holiday Villas, 1-9 Alchera Drive . | ||||
| The Big Cow | Highfields | 1976 | 39.4* | [69] Moved from Kulangoor on 10 January 2020 to Highfields Pioneer Village near Toowoomba.[70] Officially reopened on 20 September 2020.[71] | ||
| The Big(Mud)Crab | Cardwell | 1986 | 4* | Built by Terry Tebble, senior preparator at the Queensland museum.[72] Located at Seaview Cafe in Cardwell. The original mould 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.[73] | |||
| Big Crocodile | Daintree | 2001 | 2* | [74] | ||
| Big Crocodile | Wangetti | 1984 | 7.9* | Also known as 'Big Ted', this Big Thing is at Hartley's Creek Adventures, a crocodile farm with over 3,000 crocodiles. Big Ted is a life-sized replica of one shot by Krys Pawlowski near Karumba in 1957.[75] | ||
| Big Crocodile | Normanton | 1996 | 8.632NaN2 | 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.[76] | ||
| Big Deck Chair | Winton | 2002 | 18.32NaN2 | 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.[77] | ||
| The Big Dinosaur | Ballandean | 1998 | 2.1* | 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.[78] | ||
| The Big Dugong | Rockhampton | 1992 | 22* | Located at the Rockhampton Dreamtime Cultural Centre.[79] 3 Aug 2024 - Maybe its inside. We could not find it outside | ||
| The Big Easel | Emerald | 1999 | 25m (82feet) | The Big Easel, located off Capricorn Highway in Morton Park, holds a 7* reproduction of one of Van Gogh's Sunflower paintings.[80] [81] | ||
| The Big G | Gracemere | 2015 | 5.4* | Made from mild steel and weighing almost, this impressive structure marks the entry to Gracemere Industry Park.[82] | ||
| Big Golf Ball | Broadbeach | |||||
| The Big Golden Gumboot | Tully | 2003 | 8* | [83] | ||
| The Big Gun | Underwood | A 155mm 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* | The iconic large guitar that fronts every Hard Rock Cafe. The Surfers Paradise location was established 22 March 1996.[84] | ||
| The Big Macadamia Nut | Woombye, south of Nambour | 1978 | 16m (52feet) | 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 is now used as the entrance to the Treetop Challenge. | ||
| Maddie and Mike | Southport | 2010 | 2.5 m (8ft) | This statue of seven-year-old Maddie and her teddy bear was created by Academy Award winner John Cox. Maddie and Mike can be found atop a small hill in the Broadwater Parklands.[85] | ||
| The Big Mandarin | Mundubbera | 1983 | 11* | [86] | ||
| The Big Mango | Bowen | 2002 | 10* | The Big Mango stands at the tourist information centre in Bowen.[87] In February 2014, the Mango was temporarily "stolen" by restaurant chain Nando's as a publicity stunt.[88] [89] | ||
| Big Map of Australia | Goondiwindi | ? | 5* | This is made from pieces old machinery and pipes. it is on the Ingelwood side of Goondiwindi | ||
| The Big Marlin | Cairns | 1980 | 10* | [90] | ||
| Matilda The Kangaroo | Kybong | 1982 | 13 m (42.7 ft) | Built to be the mascot for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, Matilda the Kangaroo now resides at a Puma service centre near Traveston on the Bruce Highway, South of Gympie.[91] | ||
| Big Meat Ant | Augathella | 2011 | 5m (16feet) | A giant meat ant sculpture commissioned by Murweh Shire Council, in the hope of attracting "thousands of tourists".[92] | ||
| Big Melon | Chinchilla | 2018 | 8m (26feet) long | In 2018, Chinchilla won a national competition run by Wotif to create a Next Big Thing as a tourist attraction. The melon was installed next to the town's information centre in November 2018.[93] | ||
| Big Merino | Blackall | 1983 | 3* | [94] | ||
| 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.[95] | |||
| The Big Mower | Beerwah | 1974 | 11* | [96] | ||
| The Big Ned Kelly | Maryborough | 7* | The Big Ned Kelly stands in front of the Ned Kelly Motel and service station. Built by Dat Romano.[97] | |||
| The Big Orange | Gayndah | 1977 | [98] | |||
| The Big Orange | Lockyer Valley | Corner of Lake Clarendon Way and Crowley Vale Road. | ||||
| The Big Paperclip | West End, Brisbane | 3* | 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 | [99] | |||
| Big Peanut | Kingaroy | 2021 | ||||
| The Big Pelican | Noosaville | Mounted on a motorised float in parkland next to the Noosa River.[100] | ||||
| The Big Pick, Shovel and Sieve | Sapphire | 1999 | 4* | Located in front of the Blue Gem Store Van Park. Built by Barry Richardson and David Gould.[101] | ||
| The Big Pie | Yatala | late 1970s | 4.5m (14.8feet) diameter | Mounted atop a 10m (30feet) pole next to the car park of the Yatala Pies drive-through pie shop.[102] | ||
| Big Pineapple | Gympie | 1971 | 16m (52feet) 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.[103] [104] | ||
| The Big Pineapple | Woombye, south of Nambour | 1971 | 16* | 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.[105] [106] | ||
| The Big Pumpkin | Beaudesert | |||||
| The Big Pumpkin | Gumlu | The Big Pumpkin is situated outside the same roadside fruit and vegetable store as the Big Watermelon. | ||||
| The Big Red Elephant | Hatton Vale | Located at 4138 Warrego Highway. Part of the "Jumbo" shopping centre. | ||||
| The Big Redback | Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane | 1996 | 5* | The Big Redback resided on the premises of Redback Landscaping at Eight Mile Plains. The business has since moved to Underwood and disassembled the Big Redback. Inquires have garnered that it is unlikely to be reassembled due to lack of space.[107] | ||
| The Big Rig | Roma | over 30m (100feet) tall | A tourist attraction which commemorates the finding of oil in Roma. | |||
| The Big Rum Bottle | BundabergHaigslea | 1988 | 7* | 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, with one still surviving outside of the Sundowner Saloon in Haigslea (2316 Warrego Highway,).[108] [109] | ||
| The Big Sapphire | Anakie | 1982 | 3.7* | Located in front of the Big Sapphire and Gemfield Information Centre at 1 Anakie Road, which was closed .[110] | ||
| The Big Sapphire Ring | Sapphire | 1984 | Located in front of Pat's Gems. Built by Victor Saunders.[111] | |||
| 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 10kg (20lb) 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.[112] [113] [114] | ||||
| The Big Scout Hat | Cairns | 1982 | The octagonal Cairns Control Room is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. The fibreglass Scout hat was added to the building in 1982. | |||
| The Big Shell | Tewantin | 1960s | 6* | 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.[115] | ||
| The Big Spanner | Sapphire | 1982 | 2m (07feet) | The first big thing in the area of Rubyvale and Sapphire, and was built by Allen May.[116] | ||
| The Big Strawberry | Elimbah | 2014 | Over 5m (16feet) tall | Outside Rolin Farms, a strawberry and orchid farm on Rutters Road, Elimbah. | ||
| The Big Stubby | Tewantin | 1966 | 9* | No longer there. Queensland's first big thing, built by George Clifford out of 17,000 empty stubby bottles.[117] | ||
| Big Teepee | Millmerran | ? | 4m (13feet) high | The Big Teepee was erected reportedly as a Rendezvous Place for a local club. | ||
| Big Thermometer | Stanthorpe | 2018 | 10m (30feet) | "The coldest place in Queensland" has the Big Thermometer to proudly display the temperature.[118] | ||
| Big Thongs | Calen | 2021 | 2.5m (08.2feet) | [119] | ||
| Big Watermelon | Gumlu | The Big Watermelon is situated outside the same fruit and vegetable roadside store as the Big Pumpkin. | ||||
| The Big Whale | Kinka Beach | Built by Kevin Logan.[120] | ||||
| William the Wombat | Thallon | 2018 | 2* | The wombat depicted is a northern hairy-nosed wombat which is critically endangered.[121] [122] |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Australian Farmer (also known as the Big Farmer) | Wudinna | 2008 | 8m (26feet) | Taking 17 years to develop from the initial proposal to the final unveiling, the Australian Farmer, located in the Wudinna, 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 8m (26feet) in height, and was carved out of approximately 70t of local granite.[123] | ||||||
| The Big Ant | Poochera | 2008 | Originally located at The Poochera Roadhouse on the Eyre Highway but the Roadhouse has closed and the Big Ant was relocated into the town park. | |||||||
| The Big Bee | Kingscote | |||||||||
| The Big Bob-tail Lizard | Port Lincoln | Outside the Kuju Aboriginal Arts Centre, 30 Ravendale Road, Port Lincoln | ||||||||
| The Big Cherries | Pages Flat, near Adelaide | Located at Fleurieu Cherries on Pages Flat Road (B34) in Pages Flat | ||||||||
| The Big Church Block Bottle | McLaren Vale | 2010 | 10m (30feet) | The Big Church Block Bottle is no longer on display at the Wirra Wirra Winery, having been removed in 2016. The Big Church Block Bottle, named Our Work of Art, was a 10m (30feet) high replica bottle of Wirra Wirra, Church Block wine. The bottle was constructed to launch the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival in March 2010, located at Southbank in Melbourne. 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, 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.[124] | ||||||
| The Big Cockroach | Port Wakefield Road, Lower Light | 1990s | (approx.) | The Big Cockroach is part of the Port Wakefield road sculptures, and features a sign verifying its global size dominance. This is a difficult Big Thing to approach, well inside private land and next to a highway. It was originally constructed in the 1990s, and was almost destroyed in 2013 but saved through public action and returned to the site.[125] | ||||||
| The Big Dice | Barrier Highway | The Big Dice consist of six concrete blocks piled into a small pyramid. They are located east of Yunta / west of Mannahill, just off the Barrier Highway at Cockscomb Creek | ||||||||
| The Big Dunlop Tyre | Sturt Highway, Yamba | The Big Dunlop Tyre is in Yamba at the Quarantine Inspection Centre - about 4km from the South Australia and Victoria Border on the Sturt Hwy - an hour and a quarter drive west of Mildura. | ||||||||
| The Big Galah | Kimba | 1993 | 8* | Residing at the "Halfway Across Australia Tourist Shop" at Kimba, the Big Galah was built from fibreglass over a steel frame by Robert Venning, and was opened in 1993. Modelled on the Galahs that frequent the region, it weighs in the vicinity of 2.3t.[126] | ||||||
| The Big Hat | Cradock | 2013 | Located opposite the Cradock Hotel. | |||||||
| The Big Hills Hoist | O'Sullivan Beach | Located next to the Orrcon Steel carpark, at the corner of Morrow Rd and O'Sullivan Beach Rd, in O'Sullivan Beach. Google Maps Street View: https://www.google.com/maps/@-35.1178509,138.4847053,3a,75y,295.18h,85.78t/data=!3m7 | 1e1!3m5 | 1sw8zB4Qfb9UciV6-6WpCVBA!2e0 | 6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dw8zB4Qfb9UciV6-6WpCVBA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D25.099468%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312 | 8i6656 | ||||
| The Big Kangaroo | Border Village | 1986 | 5* | 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.[127] Made from papier-mâché and fibreglass 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.[128] | ||||||
| The Big Lobster | Rosetown | 1979 | 17* | 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 fibreglass shell. The size is incorrectly said to have been an error: the original plans were drawn in feet, but the designer misinterpreted them to be metres.[129] The Specifications actually required the length to be ~12 metres long and it is a fraction longer than this.[130] | ||||||
| Map the Miner | Kapunda | 1988 | 8* | 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.[131] The statue was destroyed by a fire in 2006,[132] but has since been rebuilt.[133] | ||||||
| The Big Olive | Tailem Bend | 2009 | 11m (36feet) | The Big Olive was constructed to attract tourists to The Big Olive processing plant and visitors' centre. Located just outside Tailem Bend, it consists of two olives – one green and one black – which together stand at 8m (26feet) and weigh over 1t. The olives were constructed out of fibreglass by The Newell Group, and were placed on the site in April 2005.[134] | ||||||
| The Big Orange | Berri | 1980 | 15* | 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 85t.[135] [136] 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.[137] The Big Orange closed in 2004, but may still be photographed from the road, and in 2023 plans were approved to redevelop the site while retaining the Big Orange as the centrepiece or the new development.[138] | ||||||
| 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.[139] 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.[140] | |||||||
| Another Big Pelican | Meningie | 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 Pigeon | Rundle Mall, Adelaide | 2020 | The Big Pigeon is a mirrored stainless steel sculpture by South Australian artist Paul Sloan, installed in Rundle Mall Adelaide, on 6 November 2020. The pigeon is more than 2 metres tall, and cost $174,000.[141] | |||||||
| The Big Ram | Karoonda | 2003 | 2* | 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 2m (07feet) high and 3m (10feet) long, and is built from concrete. It was completed in 2003.[142] | ||||||
| The Big Rocking Horse | Gumeracha | 1981 | 18* | 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.[143] | ||||||
| The Big Santa (Father Christmas) | 1960s | Adelaide's iconic Father Christmas (the Big Santa) was installed on the front of retailer John Martin's in the lead-up to Christmas, and later those premises became David Jones.In 2015, the Big Santa was moved to his new home at the Adelaide Central Market, after building changes in Rundle Mall removed the canopy he used to stand on. Now the Big Santa stands proud each Christmas on the Market's red brick Grote Street tower, built in 1900, and has become the new home for the Christmas feature, which weighs almost three tonnes. | ||||||||
| The Big Scotsman | Medindie, Adelaide | 1963 | 5* | The Big Scotsman, affectionately known as 'Scotty', was erected in December 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.[144] Materials: Steel frame, polystyrene foam, fibreglass outer[145] | ||||||
| The Big Spriggina floundersi | Arkaroola | Spriggina floundersi is a flatworm from the Ediacaran period, and is the fossil emblem of South Australia. Named after Reg Sprigg who both discovered the Ediacaran biota and also converted Arkaroola from an agricultural property into a wilderness sanctuary. A giant landscape model has been constructed in a valley on the property and is visible from the Mawson-Spriggina walking trail.[146] It can be seen on Google Maps at 30°18'55.3"S, 139°19'01.4"E (https://www.google.com/maps/place/30%C2%B018'55.3%22S+139%C2%B019'01.4%22E/@-30.3153558,139.3164988,260m/data=!3m2 | 1e3!4b1 | 4m6!3m5 | 1s0x0:0x0!7e2 | 8m2!3d-30.3153569 | 4d139.317046). | |||
| The Big Teddy Bear | Minlaton | 4* | The Teddy Bear is constructed from round and square hay bales, and is located 7 kilometres north of Minlaton at 20006 Spencer Hwy, Koolywurtie. | |||||||
| The Big Winch | Coober Pedy | 1986 | 8* | 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.[147] | ||||||
| The Big Windmill | Penong | The windmill museum includes the largest windmill in Australia. | ||||||||
| The Big Wombat | Bookabie | Situated at Scotdesco Aboriginal Community (Tjilkaba), on the Eyre Highway. Link To Scotdesco Page and The Big Wombat | ||||||||
| The Big Yabby | Clayton | 1973 | 2m (07feet) | 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., the Yabby is no longer there.[148] [149] The Big Yabby now resides next to a private house in Clayton Bay and can be seen from the street in 2020. |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Apple | Spreyton | |||||
| The Big Cherry | Latrobe | Formerly located at The Cherry Shed adjacent to the Bass Highway. The business closed in 2021[150] and the cherry has since been removed. | ||||
| The Big Coffee Pot | Deloraine | Constructed by the addition of a spout and handle to a grain silo. | ||||
| The Big Penguin | Penguin | 1975 | 3* | 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 | [151] | ||||
| The Big Tasmanian Devil | Mole Creek | 2* | 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* | Located at the front of the local cricket pitch, commemorating locally born player Jack Badcock. |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Big Abalone | A rotating fibre glass replica of an abalone that sat illuminated and rotating atop a tower at the Plummer Road premises of the Australian Abalone Exports office.[152] Now demolished. | ||||
| 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. | |||
| The Big Apple | Gladysdale | The fibreglass 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. The Apple is restored and hanging up as of March 31st, 2024 | |||
| Big Forks and Potatoes | On Princes Highway between Trafalgar and Yarragon | Located at 'The Spud Shed' - organic food shop.crn Princess hwy and Rankins Rd, Trafalgar, VIC, Victoria | |||
| Big Bowls Ball | Belmont, Victoria | Belmont Bowls Club | |||
| The Big Brake Shoes | Smiths Gully | 1957-1958 | Built at the PBR factory in East Bentleigh, and first installed at the Templestowe Hillclimb in 1958.Dismantled in 1987, restored by the MG Car Club Victoria 2007 to 2009, and erected at the Rob Roy Hillclimb in Smiths Gully on 18 November 2009[153] | ||
| Big Cherry | Wyuna | Located in the car park down the driveway | |||
| The Big Chess Piece | Kings Park, Upper Ferntree Gully | Giant King Chess Piece as per the name of the park. Next to the main football oval. | |||
| The Big Cherry | Glenrowan | Owners of the property removed the Big Cherry in 2010/11. | |||
| The Big Chook | Myrtlebank | At the Myrlebank Roaming Farms, called Chickaletta - made form rusted bike parts and corrugated iron.1030 Maffra-Sale Rd, Myrtlebank VIC 3851 | |||
| Big Cigar | Churchill | Replica of Sir Winston Churchill's cigar, after whom the town is named. | |||
| Big Coffee Maker | Brunswick | 3* | Located outside Georges Gourmet Coffee, 340 Victoria Street, Brunswick, Melbourne. Modelled after the Moka pot. | ||
| 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. | ||
| Big Earthworm | Formerly located on the Bass Highway in Bass, the big earthworm was built to celebrate the Gippsland Giant Earthworm in 1985 and sold in 2000 to the present owner.[154] It was also home to Rosie the Shark, which has now been relocated to a Gem Museum in Devon Meadows. | ||||
| The Big Elf | Anakie, Victoria | Fairy Park2388 Geelong-Ballan Rd, Anakie VIC 3213 | |||
| The Big Flower | Yarra Junction | March 2014 | The Big Flower sits atop a florist on Warburton Highway, Yarra Junction | ||
| The Big Golf Ball | Heatherton, Victoria | Located near to Kingston Heath Golf Club. | |||
| Big Hens | Meredith | These unfortunately have been removed. 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* | The Giant Koala is 27km (17miles) north-west of Stawell in the small township of Dadswells Bridge. The Koala is 14m (46feet) high, and weighs 12t. 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. In 2009 it was renamed Sam to commemorate a koala rescued from bush fires.[155] | |
| Big Lizard | Marysville | The Big Blue-Tongued Lizard takes pride of place in Gallipoli Park, Marysville | |||
| Big Lizzie | Red Cliffs | 1915–1916 | 10.36* | ||
| The Big Magpie | Euroa | Located at Seven Creeks Park at the Kirkland Ave end. Its proper name is 'Swoop' The Big Barrwarrang. | |||
| Big Mallee Bull | Birchip | ||||
| Big Mallee Fowl | Patchewollock | 2013 | The Big Mallee Fowl consists of two corrugated iron Mallee Fowl sculptures which were installed by artist Phil Rigg in 2013. They are located on the grounds of the old railway yards on Federation Street (opposite the hotel). | ||
| 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 | Warrenheip | 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 Mouth | St Kilda, Victoria | 1912 | Luna Park, Melbourne18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182 | ||
| Giant Murray Cod | Swan Hill | 3* | Located at the train station. | ||
| Big Ned Kelly | Warrenheip | Located at Gold Rush Golf on the Western Highway (M8) on the eastern side of Ballarat with the Big Miner. | |||
| The Big Ned Kelly | Glenrowan | 6* | A tribute to the bushranger Ned Kelly. | ||
| The Big Pheasant | Tynong | 8* | The Big Pheasant sits at the entrance to Gumbuya Park. It was the victim of an attack by a vandal in October 2011,[156] causing $50,000 of damage,[157] and was restored to its previous condition by April 2012. | ||
| Giant Pocket Watch | Melbourne | Located in the atrium of Melbourne Central Shopping Centre opposite the Coop's Shot Tower | |||
| Public Purse | Melbourne | Located at the North-West end of the Bourke Street Mall outside the GPO. | |||
| The World's Largest Rolling Pin | Wodonga | The Big Rolling Pin sits atop a bakery and spins, at 57 Hovell St. | |||
| Big Seat | Arthurs Seat | 1989 | 1.4m – 1.8m | This Chair "Arthurs Seat" was positioned on 1 December 1989 in an effort to maintain tradition. Its two predecessors both lost in history also accommodated many an important backside.Donated by Arthurs Seat Scenic Chairlift KC Metal Products | |
| The Big Shovel | Chiltern | A large Artwork depicitng a shovel. Located just north of the Hume Fwy exit to Chiltern | |||
| Big Smoke, also known as the Big Cigarette[158] | Myrtleford | No longer painted as the 'Big Smoke' due to closure of cigarette factory, located on Myrtleford–Yackandandah Road | |||
| The Big Sphinx | North Geelong | 1998 | 15m tall | Technically not a "Big Thing" as it is substantially smaller than the item it is modelled on, the Great Sphinx of Giza. | |
| Big Strawberry | Koonoomoo | 2* | Located at the Big Strawberry store on the corner of Goulburn Valley Hwy and Cobram-Koonoomoo Rd. | ||
| The Big Story Teller | Dederang | Located at the Dederang Hotel, 4326 Kiewa Valley Highway, Dederang VIC 3691 | |||
| Big Tap | Cowes | The Big Tap suspended in the air above A Maze'N Things on Phillip Island Road. | |||
| Big Trout | Harrietville | At the Stoney Creek Fish Farm10 Stony creek rd, Harrietville, VIC, Australia, Victoria | |||
| The Big Watermelon | Wantirna South, Victoria | 1161 High St Rd, Wantirna South VIC 3152 | |||
| 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. | |||
| The Big Wheelbarrow | Clyde | The Big 8T Wheelbarrown Sculpture, small parkland at 26 Aintree Close, Clyde VIC | |||
| Big Wine Bottle | Rutherglen | The Wine Bottle was the towns original water tower in the 1900s. The tower became a backup supply once the new reservoir was constructed in 1945. The mesh top section was erected in December 1969 with funds from the Rutherglen Wine Festival, and from a distance gives the effect of a large wine bottle.45 Campbell Street Rutherglen 3685 | |||
| Big Wool Bales | Hamilton | 1989 | 3* | The cafe and souvenir shop within the Big Wool Bales closed in June 2013 due to a lack of profit.[159] | |
| The Giant Worm | Bass | 250* | 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. Closed to the public since 2010 and covered in graffiti. Demolished in December 2020.[160] | ||
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Apple | Donnybrook | 7* | ||||
| Big Banana | Carnarvon | 6* | Cnr Robinson St & Boundary Rd | |||
| Bert Bolle Barometer | Denmark | 1985 | Over 12.5m (41feet) | 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 | ||
| World's Tallest Bin | Kalgoorlie | 1980 | About 8m (26feet) tall | Located on Hannan Street[161] | ||
| Big Bobtail | Stirk Street, Kalamunda, Perth | 2012 | 9* | Carved out of rammed earth by Yagan memorial artist Roman Antoniuk,[162] and modelled on a 3001NaN1 blue-tongued skink that lives on the block. | ||
| The Big Camera | Meckering-31.63167, 117.0071 | A building housing a museum of photography and a huge collection of cameras | ||||
| The Big Cricket Bat | Narrikup | The eight metre tall bat was constructed by Tony Poad, who has revived the local general store into not only a thriving mixed business, but also a cricketing museum. Although the museum is located at the general store, the Big Cricket Bat is situated at the local cricket ground. Accompanying the Bat is the world's first known cricket oval cricket bat fence, which is essentially the boundary picket fence with eh top and bottom rails made out of normal planks and the vertical pickets are cricket bats. The fence is currently unfinished and it is assessed that the builders (who are on the local cricket team and led by Tony Poad) need approximately 2,000 more bats to complete the project. | ||||
| The Big Crocodile | Wyndham-15.4874, 128.12385 | 1987 | 18* | |||
| King Neptune | Two Rocks, Yanchep | 1982[163] | Heritage-listed (2006). Originally built for Atlantis Marine Park. | |||
| The Big Lobster | Dongara | Corner of the Brand Highway & Moreton Terrace | ||||
| The Big Lollipop | Ravensthorpe | Situated at the 'Yummylicious Candy Shack' lolly shop at 89 Morgans St, Ravensthorpe, WA. Also home to some big Liquorice allsorts. | ||||
| The Big Marron | Old Kent River Winery,4341 S Coast Hwy, Kent River WA 6333 | Known as "Rex of the River", based on the local species of freshwater crayfish, the Cherax tenuimanus. The Big Marron is located at the Old Kent River Winery, between Denmark and Walpole. | ||||
| The Big Mushroom | Balingup -33.78859, 115.97637 | Situated in the gardens of the Old Cheese Factory, Nannup Road, Balingup. | ||||
| Big Orange | Harvey-33.06318, 115.89183 | 2m (07feet) diameter | ||||
| Big Periodic Table | Joondalup | 2019 | 600m2 | The world's largest permanent periodic table of the elements can be found on the side of the five storey science building (Building 15) at Edith Cowan University and can be viewed from a smaller periodic table picnic table nearby. The periodic table is more than 4 times larger than the previous largest at the University of Murcia in Spain. It was inaugurated to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the table's creation by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev. | ||
| The Big Prawn | Exmouth | 2005 | 7 m high(weights 2000 kg) | Situated outside the Exmouth Cultural Arts Centre. | ||
| The Giant Ram | Wagin | 13* | ||||
| The Big Leeuwin Way Whale | Eucla | 10* | Situated in the carpark of the Eucla roadhouse, Eyre Highway. | |||
| The Big Whale Shark | Exmouth | 2002 | This is situated on Murat Road next to the petrol station.[164] | |||
| The Big Wheelbarrow | Port Hedland | Situated at the entrance to the Wedgefield Industrial Area between Port Hedland and South Hedland. | ||||
| World's Largest Wooden Pendulum Clock | Nannup | 2019 | Over 6m (20feet) | The world's largest wooden pendulum clock. Built in the Nannup by Kevin Bird and housed in a purpose-built tower it opened to the public as a tourist attraction in January 2019. Made out of local timber Jarrah and Sheoak. The clock was removed in May 2019; only the building remains. | ||
| Fergus the Bull | Forrest Highway, just north of Bunbury | 23 December 2002 | 4 m | A 4m wooden carved cross legged bull, resting its chin on its left hoof and holding a wine goblet in its right hoof. Fergus is the mascot for Ferguson Valley, an area in Dardanup. |