Italic Title: | no |
Big Merino Statue | |
Subject: | Merino |
City: | Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia |
Dimensions: | 15.2m (49.9feet) tall |
Weight: | 97t |
The Big Merino is a 15.2m (49.9feet) tall concrete merino ram, located in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. Nicknamed "Rambo" by locals, the Big Merino contains a gift shop on the ground floor and a wool display on the second floor. Visitors can climb to the top and look out through the Merino's eyes to view the local area.
The Big Merino was officially opened on 20 September 1985 at 98 Hume Street, Goulburn, approximately 800 metres north-east of its current location.
In 1992 the Hume Highway bypassed the town, which resulted in a loss of 40 busloads of tourists to the Big Merino complex per day.[1] On 26 May 2007, the Big Merino was moved to a location closer to the new Hume Highway to increase visitor numbers, and is now located near the freeway interchange at a service station. Today, a drive-through car wash occupies Rambo's original location.