Australia's Big Things
Encyclopedia
The Big Things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures or 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.
Most Big Things began as tourist trap
s 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 are being heritage-listed.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, which was built in 1963.
Most Big Things began as tourist trap
Tourist trap
A tourist trap is an establishment, or group of establishments, that has been created with the aim of attracting tourists and their money...
s found along major roads between destinations.
The big things have become something of a cult
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
phenomenon, and are sometimes used as an excuse for a road trip
Road trip
A road trip is any journey taken on roads, regardless of stops en route. Typically, road trips are long distances traveled by automobile.-Pre-automobile road trips:...
, 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
Folk art
Folk art encompasses art produced from an indigenous culture or by peasants or other laboring tradespeople. In contrast to fine art, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic....
and are being heritage-listed.
A.C.T.
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giant Mushroom | Belconnen Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory Belconnen is a suburb of Canberra, Australia in the district of Belconnen. It contains the Belconnen Town Centre, Lake Ginninderra and several residential areas. It is bounded by Ginninderra Drive, Aikman Drive, Eastern Valley Way, Belconnen Way and Coulter Drive... |
1998 | 8m x 4m | Located in the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets, the Giant Mushroom shelters a children's playground. It was officially launched in 1998 by the ACT Chief Minister. |
New South Wales
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Ant | Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales -Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the... |
1980 | Designed by artist Pro Hart Pro Hart Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart, MBE , born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, was considered the father of the Australian Outback painting movement and his works are widely admired for capturing the true spirit of the outback... , the Big Ant was erected in 1980 and originally stood at the Stephens Creek Hotel. 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 | ||||
Big Apple | Yerrinbool Yerrinbool, New South Wales Yerrinbool is a Northern Village of the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in the Wingecarribee Shire, and is accessible from the Hume Highway and is about 12 km drive from nearby Mittagong. It is 6–8 km by foot to Hill Top as the crow flies. It was previously officially... |
Visible from the Hume Highway | |||
Big Avocado | Duranbah | Located at Tropical Fruit World. | |||
The Big Axe | Kew Kew, New South Wales Kew, New South Wales is a small town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council local government area. Kew is one of the communities that make up the Camden Haven district of Port Macquarie-Hastings.... |
1979 | 8m | Located alongside the Kew Visitor Information Centre. The original sculpture was replaced in 2002 as a result of ant induced damage. | |
Big Ayers Rock | Karuah Karuah, New South Wales Karuah is a predominantly rural locality of both the Port Stephens and Great Lakes Councils in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is thought that the name means 'native plum tree' in the local Aboriginal dialect.-Geography:... |
1990 | 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'. The 1/40 scale model of Uluru Uluru Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.... was formerly an attraction at Leyland Brothers World. |
||
The Big Banana Big Banana The Big Banana is a tourist attraction in the city of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, featuring a large walk-through banana. Banana-related products are shown or sold, and the grounds of the building are a banana plantation, a souvenir shop and restaurant... http://www.bigbanana.com |
Coffs Harbour | 1964 | 13m x 5m | Sometimes claimed to be the first 'Big Thing' in Australia. 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 Cobar, New South Wales -Notable people:*Nik Kosef, former rugby league player for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, 1996 premiership player, NSW & Australia representative*Ernie Toshack, cricketer, member of Bradman's Invincibles* Jemma Heather, state representative 4 times.... |
1990 | 5m x 2.5m | Tooheys New design. Located above the entrance to the Grand Hotel. | |
Big Bench | Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales -Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the... |
In 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 Muswellbrook, New South Wales Muswellbrook, a corruption of 'Muscle Brook', is a town and Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia. The original spelling and etymology of the town's name is a matter of some debate... |
2001 | 2m high | ||
Big Bottles | Mangrove Mountain Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales Mangrove Mountain is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located about upstream and north of Spencer along Mangrove Creek. It is part of the City of Gosford local government area. It is approximately 300 kilometres from the capital city of Australia, Canberra.The... and Hanwood |
||||
Big Bowl | Lake Cathie, New South Wales Lake Cathie, New South Wales Lake Cathie is a town in New South Wales, Australia about 15 minutes drive south of Port Macquarie and has a permanent population of 2,000.The town is a popular holiday destination on the Mid North Coast because of its tranquil location which hosts the lake, lagoon and beaches... |
World's largest Bowl at Lake Cathie Lake Cathie, New South Wales Lake Cathie is a town in New South Wales, Australia about 15 minutes drive south of Port Macquarie and has a permanent population of 2,000.The town is a popular holiday destination on the Mid North Coast because of its tranquil location which hosts the lake, lagoon and beaches... , near Port Macquarie, New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
|||
Big Bull Big Bull The Big Bull was a large cement Holstein bull located near Wauchope, New South Wales, Australia. When open, it contained a gift shop on the ground floor and a beef display.... |
Wauchope Wauchope, New South Wales -People from Wauchope:* Iva Davies - Musician, Icehouse* Alison Langdon - Channel Nine News Reader - Today Show* Phil Jamieson - Musician, Grinspoon* Andrew Stoner - NSW National Party of Australia leader, Member for Oxley... |
14m x 21m | It has now been pulled down. | ||
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 Chullora, New South Wales Chullora, a suburb of local government areas City of Bankstown and the Municipality of Strathfield, is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and forms a part of the Greater Western Sydney region.-History:The suburb of... |
1997 | 9m x 6m | The Bicycle built by Jonh Ridley, Andy Lugiz and Phillip Becker adorns the entrance to the Chullora Waste Transfer Station, Chullora NSW | |
Big Cheese | Bodalla Bodalla, New South Wales Bodalla is a small town on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and located in the local government area of Eurobodalla Shire. The town sits on the Princes Highway, and is connected by road to Moruya, Narooma, Nerrigundah, Eurobodalla and Potato Point.The Yuin people are consider to be... |
||||
Big Cherries | Young Young, New South Wales -Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census... |
2m x 4m | |||
Big Chook | Moonbi | 1970s | 2m x 4m | ||
Big Chook (2) | Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, New South Wales Mount Vernon is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mount Vernon is located 42 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.Mount Vernon is a sparsely... |
4m x 4m | |||
Big Flower | Ourimbah | ||||
The Big Gold Panner | Bathurst Bathurst, New South Wales -CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments... |
1979 | 5m x 3m | ||
The Big Golden Guitar Golden Guitar The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions that can be found around Australia. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England New South Wales... http://www.biggoldenguitar.com.au/ |
Tamworth Tamworth, New South Wales Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city... |
1988 | 12m x 4m | Modelled on the Golden Guitar trophies given to winners at the Country Music Awards of Australia ceremony night during the Tamworth Country Music Festival Tamworth Country Music Festival The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this period the city of Tamworth comes alive, with... . |
|
The Big Lamb | Guyra Guyra, New South Wales -References:... |
1988 | Erected by the town & district to promote the lamb and potato industries in New England. The lamb is stood over a potato plant. | ||
The Big Merino Big Merino The Big Merino is a 15-metre 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... http://www.bigmerino.com.au/ |
Goulburn Goulburn, New South Wales Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people... |
1985 | 15m x 18m | Goulburn and The Big Merino were bypassed by the freeway in 1994, 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 Hume Highway. |
|
The Big Miner's Lamp | Lithgow Lithgow, New South Wales Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is... |
||||
Big Mosquito | Hexham Hexham, New South Wales Hexham is a suburb of the city of Newcastle, about inland from Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia on the bank of the Hunter River.Settlement occurred at Hexham in the 1820s when the land was granted to Edward Sparke... |
1993 | Ossie the Mossie at the Hexham Bowls Club is modelled on the local Hexham Grey mosquito species. | ||
Big Murray Cod | Tocumwal Tocumwal, New South Wales Tocumwal is a town in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area, near the Victorian border. The town is situated on the banks of the Murray River, north of the city of Melbourne. The Newell Highway, part of the main road route between... |
1967 | 2m x 7m | ||
Big Orange | Tenterfield Tenterfield, New South Wales Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney.... |
||||
The Big Oyster | Taree Taree, New South Wales Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,... |
12m x 4m | |||
The Big Playable Guitar | Narrandera Narrandera, New South Wales -Transport:Narrandera is well served for transport. The Sturt Highway and the Newell Highways cross, just south of Narrandera. Greyhound buses pass daily - note that the destination can be listed as Jillenbah.... |
1991 | 6m x 2m | The largest playable guitar in the world. | |
The Big Potato http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/potatogod/bigpotato.html | Robertson Robertson, New South Wales Robertson is a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau about 35 km from the coast. At the 2006 census, Robertson had a population of 1,206 people.Robertson is known for its high annual... |
||||
The Big Poo | Kiama Kiama, New South Wales -Transport:The town is served by Kiama Station on the South Coast Line. It is served by road in the form of the Princes Highway and the Kiama Bypass.-Attractions:... |
2002 | 1m x 5m | The Big Poo was built by local residents as a protest against Sydney Water's Sydney Water Sydney Water is a New South Wales government owned corporation that provides drinking water, wastewater and some stormwater services to Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains, in Australia... decision not to reuse waste water in the area. Built from foam Foam -Definition:A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping gas in a liquid or solid in a divided form, i.e. by forming gas regions inside liquid regions, leading to different kinds of dispersed media... , it was unveiled by Ian Cohen Ian Cohen Ian Cohen is an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1995 to 2011, for The Greens... on 29 April 2003. |
|
The Big Prawn | Ballina Ballina, New South Wales Ballina is a town on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire Local Government Area. It had a population of 16,477 in the 2006 Census.-Location:... |
1989 | 6m x 9m | ||
Big Rubik's Cube Rubik's Cube Rubik's Cube is a 3-D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.Originally called the "Magic Cube", the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980 and won the German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle that... |
Maroubra Maroubra, New South Wales Maroubra is a beachside suburb in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Maroubra is located 10 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Randwick. Maroubra is the largest suburb in the area governed... 33.946349°N 151.257975°W |
2008 | |||
The Big Slurpee | Coffs Harbour | ||||
The Big Soldier | Uralla Uralla, New South Wales Uralla is a small town and on the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. The town is located at the intersection of the New England Highway and Thunderbolts Way 465 kilometres north of Sydney and about 23 kilometres south west of the city of Armidale... |
In front of Hassett's Military Museum. | |||
The Big Spider | Urana Urana, New South Wales Urana is a small town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.Urana is located between Lockhart and Jerilderie, about 578 kilometres southwest of Sydney. To the west lies Lake Urana and the Lake Urana Nature Reserve. To the east lies a smaller lake, Lake Uranagang.Urana in the major... |
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 Australian rules football Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either... 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. |
||
The World's Biggest Sundial | Singleton Singleton, New South Wales -Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined.... |
1987 | Presented as a gift from Lemington Mine as a Bicentennial gift. There are a few bigger sundials around the world, but it appears to be the largest one-piece sundial in the Southern hemisphere. | ||
Big Tennis Racquet | Barellan Barellan, New South Wales Barellan is a small village in Narrandera Shire in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. On Census night 2006, Barellan had a population of 366 people... |
2009 | 13.8 m long | Built in honour of Evonne Goolagong Evonne Goolagong Evonne Fay Goolagong Cawley, AO, MBE is a former World No. 1 Australian female tennis player. She was one of the world's leading players in the 1970s and early 1980s, when she won 14 Grand Slam titles: seven in singles , six in women's doubles, and one in mixed doubles.-Early life:Goolagong is the... , who grew up in Barellan. She unveiled it on 3 October 2009. |
|
The Big Trout Big Trout The Big Trout is a 10m high fibreglass model located in Adaminaby, New South Wales, a popular fishing spot for trout. Built in 1973 by local artist and fisherman, Andy Lomnici, the Big Trout is part of the more than 150 Big Things located throughout Australia... |
Adaminaby | 1973 | 10m x 3m | Designed by Andy Lomnici, the Big Trout is located on the shore of Lake Eucumbene Lake Eucumbene Lake Eucumbene is a man-made lake on the Eucumbene River in the Snowy Mountains of Southern New South Wales in Australia. The lake was created by the damming of the river as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The dam was built between 1956 and 1958.... in the Snowy Mountains Snowy Mountains The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", are the highest Australian mountain range and contain the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2,228 metres AHD, approximately 7310 feet.... . Opened in 1973, the trout is built from fiberglass over a steel frame. |
|
The Big Trout http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/stories/s1025755.htm | Oberon Oberon, New South Wales -See also:*Oberon Correctional Centre*Mount Trickett*Mount Bindo*Shooters Hill-External links:***... |
||||
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 & Jodi Taylor. The site includes a 41 room motel and a restaurant. | ||
The Big Wine Bottle | Pokolbin Pokolbin, New South Wales Pokolbin is a rural locality in the Hunter Region of New South Wales Australia. It is part of the Singleton Shire Council Local Government Area and the city of Cessnock. The area is the centre of the Lower Hunter Valley wine region... |
1998 | 7m x 1.5m | Located at the Hunter Valley Gardens http://www.hvg.com.au. The neck forms a chimney for an open fire contained within. | |
The Big Wine Cask | Mourquong Mourquong, New South Wales thumb|right|Orange World at Mourquong.Mourquong is a locality in New South Wales, Australia on the Murray River just over the bridge from Mildura, Victoria, near Buronga.-Attractions:... |
8m x 6m | Located at the Constellation Stanley winery |
Northern Territory
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Big Boxing Crocodile | Humpty Doo Humpty Doo, Northern Territory Humpty Doo is a small town in Australia's Northern Territory, situated just south of the Arnhem Highway, approximately 40 km from Darwin. At the 2006 census, Humpty Doo had a population of 5,413.... |
8m x 8m | |||
The Big Stockwhip | Acacia | 7m x 10m | |||
The Big Stubbie | Larrimah Larrimah, Northern Territory Larrimah is a tiny hamlet in the Northern Territory of Australia. It has a population of 18. It is built along the Stuart Highway and offers petrol and supplies to passing motorists. It was the railhead on the North Australia Railway during World War II.... |
Queensland
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Big Apple | Thulimbah Thulimbah, Queensland Thulimbah is a town in the Southern Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the New England Highway and in the Southern Downs Region Local Government area, from the state capital, Brisbane... |
4m x 3m | |||
Big Banana | North Mackay Mackay, Queensland Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar.... |
||||
Big Barrel | Bundaberg | ||||
The Big Barramundi | Normanton Normanton, Queensland -External links:****... |
6m x 2m | |||
The Big Barramundi | Daintree Daintree, Queensland Daintree is a settlement in North Queensland located 111 kilometres north of Cairns and 56 kilometres from Port Douglas, Queensland. The McDowell Ranges are near the town while the Daintree River flows nearby. It takes its name from Richard Daintree, a pioneering geologist of British origin in... |
6m x 2m | |||
The Big Brolga | Townsville | ||||
Big Bulls | Rockhampton Rockhampton Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia... |
||||
The Big Cane Toad | Sarina | ||||
The Big Captain Cook | Cairns | 7m x 2m | |||
The Big Cassowary | Mission Beach Mission Beach, Queensland Mission Beach is a small village along the Coral Sea in Queensland, Australia. The popular tourist destination of Dunk Island lies 4 km offshore.-History:... |
5m x 5m | |||
The Big Cow | Yandina Yandina, Queensland Yandina is a Sunshine Coast hinterland town just off the Bruce Highway. Its name comes from 'yan', meaning "to go", and 'dinna', meaning "feet". At the 2006 census, Yandina had a population of 1,075.... |
6m x 10m | |||
Big Crab | Cardwell | ||||
Big Crab | Miriam Vale | ||||
Big Crocodile | Daintree | ||||
Big Crocodile | Hartleys Creek | ||||
Big Crocodile | Normanton | 1996 | 8.63m long | 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. | |
The Big Dugong | Rockhampton Rockhampton Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia... |
||||
The Big Dinosaur | Ballandean | ||||
The Big Easel | Emerald Emerald, Queensland Emerald is a town located in the Central Highlands district of Central Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Emerald had a population of 10,999. The town is the business centre for the Central Highlands Regional Council.... |
||||
Big Golf Ball | Broadbeach Broadbeach, Queensland Broadbeach is a suburb on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Broadbeach had a population of 3,791.Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom houses and apartment blocks... |
||||
The Big Golden Gumboot Golden Gumboot The Golden Gumboot is a competition between the Far North Queensland towns of Tully, Innisfail, and Babinda in Australia for the wettest town of Australia. These towns exist in the Wet Tropics and on land that was previously covered by rainforest. These areas experience some of the highest level... |
Tully Tully, Queensland Tully is a small town in Queensland, Australia, adjacent to the Bruce Highway approximately south of Cairns by road and north of Townsville. At the 2006 census, Tully had a population of 2,457.... |
2003 | 8m x 6m | ||
The Big Gun | Underwood Underwood, Queensland Underwood is a suburb located south-east of the Brisbane central business district in Queensland, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Logan City Council.The origin of the suburb name is from William Underwood who was an early property owner in the area... |
A 155 mm 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 Surfers Paradise, Queensland Surfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501.... |
10m x 3m | |||
The Big Macadamia Nut | Nambour Nambour, Queensland The area now known as Nambour, was first settled in 1870. The town was then called Petrie's Creek. In 1890 the Maroochy Divisional Board was established... |
5m x 10m | |||
The Big Mandarin | Mundubbera | 11m x 15m | |||
The Big Mango | Bowen Bowen, Queensland Bowen is a town on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Bowen had a population of 7,484.-Geography:Bowen is located on the north-east coast of Australia, at exactly twenty degrees south of the equator. In fact, the twentieth parallel crosses the main street... |
2002 | 12m x 8m | ||
The Big Marlin | Cairns | 8m x 2m | |||
Big Merino | Blackall Blackall, Queensland -External links:*... |
||||
The Big Miner | Rubyvale Rubyvale, Queensland Rubyvale is a town in the Australian state of Queensland, approximately west of Emerald. Situated in a region called the Gemfields, sapphires are mined extensively in the area... |
||||
The Big Mower | Beerwah Beerwah, Queensland Beerwah is a town on the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, Australia. It is situated north of Glass House Mountains, approximately 80 km north of Brisbane, and just south of Landsborough. The main road through Beerwah is called Steve Irwin Way. It was formerly known as the Glasshouse... |
||||
The Big Ned Kelly | Maryborough Maryborough, Queensland Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is... |
8m x 2m | The Big Ned Kelly stands in front of the Ned Kelly Motel and service station http://www.nedkellymotel.com.au/. | ||
The Big Orange | Gayndah Gayndah, Queensland Gayndah is a town located on the Burnett River in Queensland, Australia. It is north of the state capital, Brisbane, and west of the regional city of Maryborough. The Burnett Highway passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Gayndah had a population of 1,745.-History:Exploration of the... |
||||
The Big Paperclip | West End, Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
3m x 2m | |||
The Big Peanut | Tolga, Queensland Tolga, Queensland Tolga is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia, and is the centre of the regions peanut industry. At the 2006 census, Tolga had a population of 843.The name Tolga means red mud in the local Aboriginal language... |
||||
The Big Pelican | Noosaville Noosaville, Queensland Noosaville is a suburb in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It includes Lake Weyba. "Weyba" is believed to mean "place of stingrays" or "place of flying squirrels". Noosaville also contains a development with canals called Noosa Waters... |
Mounted on a motorised float in parkland next to the Noosa River | |||
The Big Pick, Shovel and Sieve | Sapphire Sapphire, Queensland Sapphire is a town in Queensland, Australia. Situated in a region called the Gemfields, sapphires are mined extensively in the area. At the 2006 census, Sapphire had a population of 550.-External links:* ***... |
||||
The Big Pie | Yatala Yatala, Queensland Yatala is a suburb in the outer northern areas of Gold Coast City in Queensland, Australia.Surrounding suburbs of Yatala include Beenleigh, Windaroo, and Stapylton... |
4.5m diameter | Mounted atop a 10m pole next to the car park of the Yatala Pies drive-through pie shop. | ||
Big Pineapple | Gympie Gympie Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant... |
1971 | 16m 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. | |
The Big Pineapple The Big Pineapple The Big Pineapple is a tourist attraction and working farm situated at Woombye near Nambour, Queensland. The Big Pineapple is 16 metre high and was originally opened on the 15 of August 1971... |
Woombye Woombye, Queensland Woombye is a town located on the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, Australia, approximately 100 km north of the Brisbane CBD. The name is derived from words from the local Aboriginal language - a place of black snake or black myrtle or axe handle made from black myrtle... |
1971 | 16m x 6m | ||
The Big Pumpkin | Beaudesert Beaudesert, Queensland Beaudesert is a town located on the Mount Lindesay Highway, some 64 km south of Brisbane. It is possibly named after Beau Desert Park, the property of Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey in Staffordshire, England... |
||||
The Big Red Elephant | Lockyer Valley | ||||
The Big Redback | Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... |
1996 | 3m x 3m | ||
The Big Rum Bottle | Bundaberg | 6m x 1m | |||
The Big Sapphire | Anakie Anakie, Queensland Anakie is a town in Queensland, Australia. The town is located just to the south of the Capricorn Highway, 44 km west of Emerald, and is situated in a region called the Gemfields where sapphires are mined.-External links:* **... |
||||
The Big Sapphire Ring | Sapphire Sapphire, Queensland Sapphire is a town in Queensland, Australia. Situated in a region called the Gemfields, sapphires are mined extensively in the area. At the 2006 census, Sapphire had a population of 550.-External links:* ***... |
||||
The Sausage King | Centenary Heights Centenary Heights, Queensland Centenary Heights is a suburb of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, located from the central business district.Previously part of Middle Ridge, the area was named Centenary Heights in 1960 in honour of the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859.... , Toowoomba |
The 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 sausage reward from the store and an additional $500 being offered by radio station Triple M Triple M The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :... , it was eleven months before it was discovered in a local quarry. |
|||
The Big Shell | Tewantin Tewantin, Queensland Tewantin is a suburb in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It was the original settlement in the Noosa region and is one of its three major centres today.-History:... |
3m x 1m | |||
The Big Shoe | Chermside Chermside, Queensland Chermside is a suburb on the north side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Chermside is a key destination along Queensland Transport's future Northern Busway... |
A large shoe mounted on the roof of a car sales yard on the corner of Rode and Gympie Roads. | |||
The Big Spanner | Sapphire Sapphire, Queensland Sapphire is a town in Queensland, Australia. Situated in a region called the Gemfields, sapphires are mined extensively in the area. At the 2006 census, Sapphire had a population of 550.-External links:* ***... |
||||
The Big Stubby | Tewantin Tewantin, Queensland Tewantin is a suburb in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It was the original settlement in the Noosa region and is one of its three major centres today.-History:... |
9m x 4m | |||
The Big Whale | Kinka Beach Kinka Beach, Queensland Kinka Beach is a small coastal settlement in the Australian state of Queensland. It lies on the banks of Kinka Creek, about three kilometres north of Emu Park and seventeen kilometres south of Yeppoon. At the 2006 census, Kinka Beach had a population of 621.... |
South Australia
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Australian Farmer Australian Farmer The Australian Farmer is a statue located in Wudinna, South Australia. Regarded as one of Australia's Big Things, the granite sculpture stands at in height, and weighs in the vicinity of 70 tonnes... |
Wudinna Wudinna, South Australia Wudinna is a town in South Australia. The area was first settled in 1861 when Robert George Standley lodged a claim for 10 sq. miles of land surrounding Weedna Hill .. It was proclaimed a town in 1916... |
2008 | 8m | Taking 17 years to develop from the initial proposal to the final unveiling, the Australian Farmer, located in the town of Wudinna Wudinna, South Australia Wudinna is a town in South Australia. The area was first settled in 1861 when Robert George Standley lodged a claim for 10 sq. miles of land surrounding Weedna Hill .. It was proclaimed a town in 1916... 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 metres (26 ft) in height, and was carved out of approximately 70 tonnes (69 LT) of local granite Granite Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic... . |
|
The Big Church Block Bottle | McLaren Vale McLaren Vale McLaren Vale is a wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It has a population of about 2,000 and is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John... , South Australia |
2010 | 10m | The Big Church Block Bottle, named Our Work of Art, is a 10 metre 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 Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... . 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 McLaren Vale McLaren Vale is a wine region approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. It has a population of about 2,000 and is internationally renowned for the wines it produces. The region was named after either David McLaren, the Colonial Manager of the South Australia Company or John... , South Australia during April 2010. The bottle was designed in 5 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. |
|
The Big Dice | Barrier Highway Barrier Highway The Barrier Highway is a highway in New South Wales and South Australia signposted as in South Australia and in New South Wales, Australia.The Barrier Highway starts at Nyngan where it joins the Mitchell Highway. It heads west past Hermidale and Boppy Mountain to Cobar, a mining town. It then... |
The Big Dice consist of six concrete blocks piled into a small pyramid. They can be found between Yunta Yunta, South Australia Yunta is a village on the Barrier Highway in South Australia that services both the local area and travellers passing through. It lies south west of Broken Hill and north east of Peterborough.... and Mannahill, just off the Barrier Highway Barrier Highway The Barrier Highway is a highway in New South Wales and South Australia signposted as in South Australia and in New South Wales, Australia.The Barrier Highway starts at Nyngan where it joins the Mitchell Highway. It heads west past Hermidale and Boppy Mountain to Cobar, a mining town. It then... . |
|||
The Big Galah | Kimba Kimba, South Australia Kimba is a rural service town on the Eyre Highway at the top of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Kimba had a population of 636 and it has an annual rainfall of 339 mm. There is 7 metre tall statue of a big galah beside the highway marking halfway between the east and west... |
1993 | 8m x 2.5m | Residing at the "Halfway Across Australia Tourist Shop" at Kimba Kimba, South Australia Kimba is a rural service town on the Eyre Highway at the top of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Kimba had a population of 636 and it has an annual rainfall of 339 mm. There is 7 metre tall statue of a big galah beside the highway marking halfway between the east and west... , South Australia, the Big Galah was built from fiberglass over a steel frame by Robert Venning, and was opened in 1993. Modelled on the Galah Galah The Galah , Eolophus roseicapilla, also known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo, Galah Cockatoo, Roseate Cockatoo or Pink and Grey, is one of the most common and widespread cockatoos, and it can be found in open country in almost all parts of mainland Australia.It is endemic on the mainland and was... s that frequent the region, it stands at 8 metres (26 ft) high and 2.5 metres (8 ft) wide, and weighs in the vicinity of 2.3 tonnes (2 LT). |
|
The Big Kangaroo | Border Village | 1986 | 5m x 2m | 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. Made from papier-mâché Papier-mâché Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste.... and fiberglass over a steel frame, from a design by Bill Metheral, Rooey was intended to capitalise on traffic journeying to Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... for the America's Cup 1987 America's Cup The 1987 America's Cup was the twenty-seventh challenge for the America's Cup and the first time for 132 years that it had not been defended by the New York Yacht Club.... , and was opened in 1986. |
|
The Big Lobster Big Lobster The Big Lobster is a tourist attraction located in the town of Kingston SE, South Australia. Known locally as "Larry", the sculpture of a spiny lobster stands 17 metres tall, and is regarded as one of the most impressive of Australia's Big Things... |
Kingston SE Kingston SE, South Australia Kingston SE is a town approximately 297 km southeast of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, and 44 km from the town of Robe. It is at the southeastern end of Encounter Bay and the Coorong. At the 2006 census, Kingston SE had a population of 1,443.-History:The town was named after... |
1979 | 17m x 15m x 13m | 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. | |
Map the Miner Map the Miner Map the Miner, also known as "Map Kernow" or the "Son of Cornwall", is a statue commemorating the Cornish mining history of the town of Kapunda in South Australia. Built by Ben van Zetten, the statue stands to at the southern entrance to the town, and is regarded as one of Australia's Big Things... |
Kapunda | 1988 | 8m x 2m | Named Map Kernow, the "son of Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... ", 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. The statue was destroyed by a fire in 2006, but has since been rebuilt. |
|
The Big Olive | Tailem Bend Tailem Bend, South Australia Tailem Bend is a town on the Murray River in South Australia. The town was proclaimed in 1887, the year after the main railway came through. At the 2006 census, Tailem Bend had a population of 1,457.... |
2009 | 11m | The Big Olive was constructed to attract tourists to The Big Olive processing plant and visitors center. Located just outside of Tailem Bend Tailem Bend, South Australia Tailem Bend is a town on the Murray River in South Australia. The town was proclaimed in 1887, the year after the main railway came through. At the 2006 census, Tailem Bend had a population of 1,457.... , it consists of two olives – one green and one black – which together stand at 8 metres (26 ft) and weigh over 1 tonne. The olives were constructed out of fiberglass by The Newell Group, and were placed on the site in April 2005. |
|
The Big Orange Big Orange (South Australia) The Big Orange is one of a number of Big Things to be found in Australia, and is located near the Riverland town of Berri in South Australia. Standing at 15 metres in height, with a diameter of 12 metres, it is the biggest of the "big fruit" in Australia, and incorporates a cafe, souvenir shop,... |
Berri Berri, South Australia Berri is a town in the Riverland region of South Australia. It is 238 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia. It is primarily an agricultural and viticultural town on the north bank of the Murray River... |
1980 | 15m x 12m | Located in the South Australian Riverland Riverland The Riverland, is a region of South Australia. It covers the area near the Murray River from where it flows into South Australia downstream to Blanchetown.The major town centres are Renmark, Berri, Loxton, Waikerie and Barmera... , the Big Orange was constructed with fiberglass Fiberglass Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling... panels covering a steel frame, with the entire structure weighing in the vicinity of 85 tonnes. 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. |
|
The Big Oyster | Ceduna Ceduna, South Australia Ceduna is a small town in the West Coast region of South Australia. It is situated in the northwest corner of Eyre Peninsula, facing the islands of the Nuyts Archipelago. It lies west of the junction of the Flinders and Eyre Highways around 786 km northwest of the capital Adelaide. The port... |
1992 | As with the Big Pelican, the Big Oyster was originally built as a float for a local festival – in this case, Ceduna's Ceduna, South Australia Ceduna is a small town in the West Coast region of South Australia. It is situated in the northwest corner of Eyre Peninsula, facing the islands of the Nuyts Archipelago. It lies west of the junction of the Flinders and Eyre Highways around 786 km northwest of the capital Adelaide. The port... annual Oysterfest. Built by Leon Veerhuis out of ferro-concrete, it was retired from parade duties in 1994. |
||
The Big Pelican | Loxton Loxton, South Australia Loxton is a town on the south bank of the River Murray in the Riverland region of South Australia. At the 2006 census, Loxton had a population of 3,431.... |
1992 | The Big Pelican was originally constructed as a float Float (parade) A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the... for a local Mardi Gras Mardi Gras The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday... in 1979. After being employed for this purpose on a number of occasions, including once in Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , the papier-mâché structure was remodelled, and, in 1992, it was overlaid with fibreglass. Today it can be found at the Loxton Caravan Park. |
||
The Big Ram | Karoonda Karoonda, South Australia Karoonda is in the middle of the Murray Mallee region of South Australia at geographic coordinates . Karoonda takes its name from the Aboriginal word for "winter camp".... |
2003 | 2m x 3m | The Big Ram in Karoonda Karoonda, South Australia Karoonda is in the middle of the Murray Mallee region of South Australia at geographic coordinates . Karoonda takes its name from the Aboriginal word for "winter camp".... 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 (7 ft) high and 3 metres (10 ft) long, and is built from concrete. It was completed in 2003. |
|
The Big Rocking Horse Big Rocking horse The Big Rocking Horse is a tourist attraction located in the town of Gumeracha, South Australia. Designed by David McIntosh, the structure weighs 25 tonnes and stands at over 18 metres tall, and is one of a number of Big Things in Australia designed to attract the attention of passing motorists... |
Gumeracha Gumeracha, South Australia Gumeracha is a town near Adelaide, South Australia, located on the Adelaide-Mannum Road. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area. At the 2006 census, Gumeracha had a population of 731.-History:... |
1981 | 18m x 17m | Part of a complex that includes a wooden toy factory and a wildlife park, the Big Rocking Horse in the Adelaide Hills Adelaide Hills The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The... stands at over 18 metres tall and weighs more than 25 tonnes. Designed by David McIntosh, it took eight months to build at a cost of over $100,000. The steel structure incorporates three viewing platforms. |
|
The Big Scotsman | Medindie, (Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... ) |
1963 | 5m x 1m | The Big Scotsman, also known as Scotty, was erected in 1963 and thus predated the Big Banana Big Banana The Big Banana is a tourist attraction in the city of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia, featuring a large walk-through banana. Banana-related products are shown or sold, and the grounds of the building are a banana plantation, a souvenir shop and restaurant... by a year. Located on the corner of Scotty's Motel in the inner-city suburb of Medindie, the Big Scotsman was designed by Paul Kelly, who later went on to build the Big Lobster Big Lobster The Big Lobster is a tourist attraction located in the town of Kingston SE, South Australia. Known locally as "Larry", the sculpture of a spiny lobster stands 17 metres tall, and is regarded as one of the most impressive of Australia's Big Things... . |
|
The Big Winch | Coober Pedy Coober Pedy, South Australia Coober Pedy is a town in northern South Australia, 846 kilometres north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. According to the 2006 census, its population was 1,916 . The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there... |
1986 | 8m x 5m | The Big Winch acknowledges Coober Pedy's Coober Pedy, South Australia Coober Pedy is a town in northern South Australia, 846 kilometres north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. According to the 2006 census, its population was 1,916 . The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there... opal Opal Opal is an amorphous form of silica related to quartz, a mineraloid form, not a mineral. 3% to 21% of the total weight is water, but the content is usually between 6% to 10%. It is deposited at a relatively low temperature and may occur in the fissures of almost any kind of rock, being most... mining industry. Built by Klaus Wirries in the 1970s, the original Big Winch was destroyed in 1986 and rebuilt shortly thereafter. |
|
The Big Yabby | Clayton Clayton, South Australia Clayton is a small town on the River Murray in South Australia. The town is located opposite the north-east tip of Hindmarsh Island, by road from Adelaide or upriver from Goolwa. At the 2006 census, Clayton and the surrounding area had a population of 463.... |
1973 | 2m | Built in 1973 by Henry Jones, the Big Yabby resides at the Murray River Murray River The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it... town of Clayton Clayton, South Australia Clayton is a small town on the River Murray in South Australia. The town is located opposite the north-east tip of Hindmarsh Island, by road from Adelaide or upriver from Goolwa. At the 2006 census, Clayton and the surrounding area had a population of 463.... , and originally sat outside his family's Yabby City Restaurant. While the concrete yabby Cherax Cherax is the largest and most widespread genus of fully and partially aquatic crayfish in the Southern Hemisphere. Its members may be found in lakes, rivers and streams across most of Australia and New Guinea. In Australia the many species of Cherax are commonly known as yabbies... remains, the restaurant has since changed both owners and name to become Sails at Clayton, and yabbies are no longer on the menu. |
Tasmania
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Apple | Spreyton Spreyton, Tasmania Spreyton is a small town just south of Devonport, Tasmania, Australia. At the 2006 census, Spreyton had a population of 934.-References:... |
||||
The Big Coffee Pot | Deloraine Deloraine, Tasmania Deloraine is a town on the Meander River, in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. It lies 50 km west of Launceston and 52 km south of Devonport along the Bass Highway. It is part of the Meander Valley Council. At the 2006 census, Deloraine had a population of 2,243.The region was... |
||||
The Big Penguin | Penguin Penguin, Tasmania Penguin is a town in the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is located in the Central Coast Council Local Government Area on the Bass Highway, between Burnie and Ulverstone. At the 2006 census, Penguin had a population of 2,943.... |
1975 | 3m x 1m | Constructed from fibro cement Fibro Fibro, the shortened form of "Fibrous Cement" - or "Fibrous Asbestos Cement", FAC, is a building material made of compressed fibres cemented into rigid sheets.... to mark the centenary of the proclamation of the township of Penguin. Unveiled 25 October 1975. |
|
The Big Platypus http://australianaxeman.com.au/?page_id=14 | Latrobe Latrobe, Tasmania Latrobe is a town in northern Tasmania, Australia, situated on the Mersey River. It lies 8 km south-east of Devonport on the Bass Highway. It is main centre of the Latrobe Council. At the 2006 census, Latrobe had a population of 2,843.... |
||||
The Big Slide Rule http://web.archive.org/web/20060430150455/http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/stories/s1025944.htm | University of Tasmania (Hobart) University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia... |
Located in the School of Mathematics and Physics. | |||
The Big Spud | Sassafras | ||||
The Big Tasmanian Devil | Mole Creek Mole Creek, Tasmania Mole Creek is a town in the upper Mersey Valley, in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. At the 2006 census, Mole Creek had a population of 223. The town primary school also services the surrounding districts including Chudleigh and Caveside. The nearest high school and regional centre is... |
2m x 3m | |||
The Big Wickets | Westbury Westbury, Tasmania Westbury is a town in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. It lies 30 km west of Launceston on the Bass Highway, and at the 2006 census had a population of 1,357. It is part of, and the headquarters of, the Meander Valley Council area.... |
3m x 8m | Located at the front of the local Westbury Cricket Pitch, just off the side of main road. |
Victoria
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Abalone | Laverton North Laverton North, Victoria Laverton North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wyndham.It is predominantly an industrial suburb, with the Federation Trail flowing through.... |
A fibre glass replica of an abalone that sits atop a 5.3 m tower at the Plummer Road premises of the Australian Abalone Exports office. Once it was illuminated, and rotated slowly. Now however, it fails to do either. | |||
Big Apple | Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh, Victoria Bacchus Marsh is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately west of Melbourne and west of Melton. The population of the urban area is estimated at over 17,000 people, while the central locality is home to 5,566 people... |
||||
The Big Cherry | Glenrowan Glenrowan, Victoria Glenrowan is a small town located in the Wangaratta Local Government Area of Victoria, Australia. It is 184 kilometres north-east of Melbourne and 14 kilometres from Wangaratta and located near the Warby Ranges and Mount Glenrowan... |
New owners of the property removed the big cherry in 2010/2011 | |||
Big Cigar | Churchill Churchill, Victoria Churchill is a town in the Latrobe Valley, located in central Gippsland in the east of Victoria, Australia. The town had a population of 4,588 at the 2006 census, and is part of the Latrobe City local government area... |
Replica of Sir Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice... 's cigar, after whom the town is named |
|||
Big Cows | Newhaven Newhaven, Victoria Newhaven is a town in southern Victoria, in the south Gippsland region. Located on Phillip Island, adjacent to the channel known as The Narrows, it is the town on the island side of the bridge linking Phillip Island to the mainland... |
||||
Big Dead Fish | Fish Creek Fish Creek, Victoria Fish Creek is a small township in Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Fish Creek and the surrounding area had a population of 675.-History:... |
Positioned on the roof of the Fishy Pub. | |||
Fairfield Industrial Dog Object Fairfield Industrial Dog Object Fairfield Industrial Dog Object is a huge hardwood canine in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Fairfield, Victoria, Australia. It was part of the Darebin City Council's Public Art Program, and is located beside the Fairfield railway station.... |
Fairfield Fairfield, Victoria Fairfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Darebin and Yarra... |
||||
Big Koala | Cowes Cowes, Victoria Cowes is the main township on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is less than 2 hours drive from Melbourne and can also be reached by ferry from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula. Cowes is located on the northern side of Phillip Island and faces towards French... |
||||
The Giant Koala | Dadswells Bridge Dadswells Bridge, Victoria Dadswells Bridge is a town in Victoria, Australia, located along the Western Highway in the Wimmera region. At the 2006 census, Dadswells Bridge had a population of 172.... |
1989 | 14m x 8m | The Giant Koala is 27 km north-west of Stawell in the small township of Dadswells Bridge. The Koala is 14m high, and weighs 12 tonnes. 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 Mallee Bull | Birchip Birchip, Victoria Birchip is a town in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia on the Sunraysia Highway north of Donald. The town is located in the Shire of Buloke Local Government Area. At the 2006 census Birchip had a population of 822... |
||||
Big Mallee Root | Ouyen Ouyen, Victoria Ouyen is a town in Victoria, Australia, located in the Rural City of Mildura at the junction of the Calder Highway and Mallee Highway, south of Mildura and north-west of Melbourne. At the 2006 census the town had a population of 1,061.-History:... |
||||
Big Miner | Ballarat | opened 1 December 2006 | |||
Giant Murray Cod | Swan Hill Swan Hill, Victoria Swan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Murray Valley Highway, on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River. At the 2006 census, Swan Hill had a population of 9,684.-History:... |
3m x 9m | |||
The Big Ned Kelly | Glenrowan Glenrowan, Victoria Glenrowan is a small town located in the Wangaratta Local Government Area of Victoria, Australia. It is 184 kilometres north-east of Melbourne and 14 kilometres from Wangaratta and located near the Warby Ranges and Mount Glenrowan... |
6m x 2m | |||
The Big Pheasant | Tynong Tynong, Victoria Tynong is a town in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 66 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Cardinia... |
8m x 17m | |||
The world's largest Rolling Pin | Wodonga Wodonga, Victoria Wodonga is a small city on the Victorian side of the border with New South Wales, north-east of Melbourne, Australia. Adjacent to Wodonga across the border is the New South Wales city of Albury. Wodonga is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Wodonga LGA... |
||||
Big Smoke | Myrtleford Myrtleford, Victoria Myrtleford is a town in north-east Victoria, Australia, 45 km south-east of Wangaratta and 275 km north-east of Melbourne. Myrtleford is part of the Alpine Shire local government area and at the 2006 census the town had a population of 3,187.... |
No longer painted as the 'Big Smoke' due to closure of cigarette factory, located on Myrtleford-Yackandandah Road. | |||
Big Strawberry | Koonoomoo Koonoomoo, Victoria Koonoomoo is a town in northern Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area, north of the state capital, Melbourne on the Goulburn Valley Highway, near the Murray River.... |
2m x 4m | |||
Big Tap | Cowes Cowes, Victoria Cowes is the main township on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is less than 2 hours drive from Melbourne and can also be reached by ferry from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula. Cowes is located on the northern side of Phillip Island and faces towards French... |
||||
Big Watermelon | Wantirna South Wantirna South, Victoria Wantirna South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox, Wantirna South is a border suburb to City of Whitehorse and City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna South had a population... |
||||
Big Wave | Newhaven Newhaven, Victoria Newhaven is a town in southern Victoria, in the south Gippsland region. Located on Phillip Island, adjacent to the channel known as The Narrows, it is the town on the island side of the bridge linking Phillip Island to the mainland... |
||||
Big Wine Bottle | Rutherglen Rutherglen, Victoria Rutherglen is a small town in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, near the Murray River border with New South Wales. The town was named after the Scottish town of Rutherglen which lies just outside Glasgow... |
||||
Big Wool Bales | Hamilton Hamilton, Victoria Hamilton is a city in western Victoria, Australia. It is located at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway and the Henty Highway... |
3m x 12m | |||
The Giant Worm | Bass Bass, Victoria Bass is a small rural town 113 kilometres south-east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass Highways, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia... |
250m x 4m |
Western Australia
Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bert Bolle Barometer Bert Bolle Barometer The Bert Bolle Barometer is a large water barometer. At over 12.5 metres tall, it is recognized as the largest barometer in the world by The International Guinness Book of Records... |
Denmark Denmark, Western Australia Denmark is a town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, south-south-east of the state capital of Perth. At the 2006 census, Denmark had a population of 2,732.-History:... |
1985 | Over 12.5 metres | A working water barometer being the largest barometer in the world, recognised by the International Guinness Book of Records. Built in the Netherlands by Bert Bolle and donated to the community of Denmark in 2007. The barometer is considered a monument and carries the name ’The Bert Bolle Barometer’. It is set up in The Barometer Tower in the Denmark Visitor Centre. | |
Big Apple | Donnybrook Donnybrook, Western Australia -Tourism:Donnybrook has many town icons bearing the apple. On the main street, apple-shaped lights line the entrance of the Old Railway Station. These lights have recently been restored. Atop the east Donnybrook hill is a high tower with an apple at the top... |
7m x 4m | |||
Big Banana | Carnarvon Carnarvon, Western Australia Carnarvon is a coastal town situated approximately 900 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia. It lies at the mouth of the Gascoyne River on the Indian Ocean. The popular Shark Bay world heritage area lies to the south of the town and the Ningaloo Reef lies to the north... |
6m x 1m | |||
The Big Camera | Meckering Meckering, Western Australia Meckering is a town 130 km east of Perth, Western Australia along the Great Eastern Highway. Meckering is located within the Shire of Cunderdin.A railway line was completed in the area in 1895 and Meckering was selected as a station site... |
||||
Cow on the Corner | Brunswick Junction Brunswick Junction, Western Australia Brunswick Junction is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Harvey and Bunbury.-History:... |
5m x 1.5m | |||
The Big Crocodile | Wyndham Wyndham, Western Australia Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a... |
1987 | 18m x 3m | ||
Big Orange | Harvey Harvey, Western Australia Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, 140 km south of Perth, between Pinjarra and Bunbury... |
2m diameter | |||
The Giant Ram | Wagin Wagin, Western Australia Wagin is a town and shire in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, approximately 225 km south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin and Katanning. It is also on State Route 107. The main industries are wheat and sheep farming.-History:The name of the town is... |
13m x 9m x 6m | |||
Leeuwin Way Whale | Eucla Eucla, Western Australia Eucla is the easternmost locality in Western Australia, located in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia along the Eyre Highway, approximately west of the South Australian border... |
10m x 3m |
In popular culture
- The London production of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert the Musical' references the Big Prawn, Big Merino, Big Pineapple and the Big Banana.
- The ABCAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
produced a documentary titled Big Things as part of its programme The Big PictureThe Big Picture (TV series)The Big Picture was an American documentary television program which ran on ABC-TV from 1951 to 1964. The series consisted of documentary films produced by the United States Army Signal Corps Army Pictorial Service, showing weaponry, battles, and biographies of famous soldiers.After The Big...
. - The National Museum in CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
has a comprehensive multimedia exhibit displaying many Big Things. - In 2007 Australia PostAustralia PostAustralia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
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).http://www.gibbonsstampmonthly.com/story.asp?storycode=3094&preview=1
- Danny Wallace mentions Australia's big things in his book Yes Man.
- Travel writer Bill BrysonBill BrysonWilliam McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on science. Born an American, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before moving back to the US in 1995...
details his visit to the Big Lobster and the Big Bull in his book Down UnderDown Under (book)Down Under is a 2000 travelogue book about Australia written by best-selling travel writer Bill Bryson. In the United States and Canada it was published entitled In a Sunburned Country, a title taken from the famous Australian poem, "My Country"...
/ In a Sunburned Country - In the Australian comedy film Young EinsteinYoung EinsteinYoung Einstein is an Australian comedy film directed by and starring Yahoo Serious, released in 1988.-Plot:Albert Einstein, the son of an apple farmer in Tasmania in the early 1900s, splits a beer atom with a chisel in order to add bubbles to beer, discovers the theory of relativity and travels to...
, 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 NobleRoss NobleRoss Markham Noble is an English stand-up comedian, brought up in Cramlington, Northumberland, England.Noble rose to mainstream popularity through making appearances on British television, particularly interviews and on celebrity quiz shows such as Have I Got News for You...
, visits many of Australia's big things during his 2009 tour "Ross Noble's Australian Trip".
See also
- New Zealand's big thingsNew Zealand's big thingsThe Big Things of New Zealand are a loosely related set of large structures or sculptures. Related in concept to the big things of neighboring Australia, New Zealand's sculptures are fewer in number.-North Island:-South Island:-See also:...
- List of World's Largest Roadside Attractions
- Novelty architectureNovelty architectureNovelty architecture is a type of architecture in which buildings and other structures are given unusual shapes as a novelty, such as advertising, notoriety as a landmark, or simple eccentricity of the owner or architect. Many examples of novelty architecture take the form of buildings that...
- Dunedoo, New South WalesDunedoo, New South WalesDunedoo ) is a village of 836 inhabitants situated within the Warrumbungle Shire of central western New South Wales, Australia. Dunedoo is well known to Australian travellers due to its distinctive name...
, which decided against "The Big Dunny"
External links
- Australian Big Things Comprehensive list of Australian big things, big things statistics and photographs
- ABC Online – Friends, Family and Big Things – photographs of Australian Big Things, including lesser known examples
- Big Things Guide Learn all about this great Australian art form, marvel at the photos or add stories of your encounters, in Travelmate's BIG THINGS.
- Coastalsurvey Big Stuff in Australia. Coastalsurvey found some notable additions—including the big lobster.
- http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=100304412553771473558.0004679567a1b697f7f49&ll=-26.902477,134.296875&spn=40.807051,90&z=4. map of big things.
- The big bench The making of an Australian big thing; The Big Bench Broken Hill