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Thebig things ofAustralia are large structures, some of which arenovelty architecture and somesculptures. 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 theUnited States. These structures have become affectionately known landmarks scattered throughout the country. In 2022, there were 1,075 big things in Australia.[1] There are big things in each state and some territories incontinental Australia.
Originally, many of these big things were conceived astourist traps strategically placed along major roads, enticing travellers 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.[citation needed]
The big things have garnered significant attention from locals and visitors, becoming something of acult phenomenon. Travelling to visit and photograph these structures has become a popular activity, inspiringroad 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.[citation needed]
Many of the big things have been recognised as works offolk 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]
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]
Australia's big things have inspired the creation of oversized sculptures and replicas in other parts of the world.[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'. |  | |
| 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 Mint 62–114 Denison St, Deakin | The Big Coins are a group of sculptures located inDeakin,Australian Capital Territory next to the Royal Australian Mint. |  | ||
| Big Swoop | Garema Place | 2022 | 2.4x3.5 m | Big Swoop depicts anAustralian magpie pecking at achip. |  |
| 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 | 8×4 m (26×13 ft) | Located in the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets,[6] the Giant Mushroom shelters a children's playground. It was officially launched in 1998 by theACT Chief Minister. No longer exists as of 2022.[7] |  |
| The Big Powerful Owl[8] | Belconnen | 2011 | 8 m (26 ft) | Located at the main entrance to Belconnen town centre, the statue cost $400,000 and was built by Melbourne sculptorBruce Armstrong.[9] |  |
| Big Pool Ball | Yarralumla | 2019 | 1.8 m (5'10") | 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). |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Ant | Broken Hill | 1980 | Abull ant sculpture designed by artistPro 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; no 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°20′55″S150°33′15″E / 34.348504°S 150.554299°E /-34.348504; 150.554299 | Visible from theHume Highway |  | ||
| Big Avocado | Duranbah | Located at Tropical Fruit World. |  | ||
| The Big Axe | Kew | 1979 | 8 m (26 ft) | Located at 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 ofUluru was formerly an attraction atLeyland 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, however, 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 | 13×5 m (43×16 ft) | 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 | 5×2.5 m (16.4×8.2 ft) | The Big Beer Can has aTooheys New design, and is located above the entrance to the Grand Hotel. |  |
| Big Bench | Broken Hill | September 2002 | As part of the Landscapes and Backgrounds exhibition, a 2.5 times scale park bench was constructed on the top of the Line of Lode, which is a high hill of mine deposits in the centre of the city of Broken Hill. |  | |
| The Big Blue Heeler | Muswellbrook | 2001 | 2 m (6.6 ft) high | Statue of anAustralian Cattle Dog ("blue heeler"). Located adjacent to the town information centre. |  |
| The Big Bogan | Nyngan | 2015 | 5.96 metres (19.6 ft) high | The BigBogan is the creation 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 10-foot-high (3.0 m) replica of alawn bowl, consisting of one and a half tonnes of steel and concrete.[18] |  | |
| Big Bull | Wauchope | 14×21 m (46×69 ft) | 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 thePacific Highway bypassed the town and now lays just to the south of Coffs Harbour. |  | ||
| The Big Bicycle | Chullora | 1997 | 9×6 m (30×20 ft) | 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 a Kyogle couple, John and Chrystine Graham, and it is located on Summerland Way, 2.6 km from the town. |  |
| The Big Chairlift | Jindabyne | The Big Chairlift is on the river walkway overlooking the Snowy River. |  | ||
| Big Cheese | Bodalla | The Big Cheese is located at the formerBodalla Cheese factory on thePrinces Highway. It is as of 2013[update] closed. |  | ||
| Big Cherries | Young | Originally located off Short Street, but moved with the tourist information centre to Lovell Street atYoung railway station. | .JPG) | ||
| Big Chook | Moonbi | 1970s | 2×4 m (6.6×13.1 ft) |  | |
| Big Chook | Mount Vernon | 4×4 m (13×13 ft) |  | ||
| Big Dog | Dunkeld | 2020 | 2.9 m (9.5 ft) high, weighs over 1 tonne | Located in Dunkeld betweenBathurst andOrange. 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; celebrates the career of cricket legendDon Bradman[20] | |
| Big Fish | Manilla | The Big Fish is located at the Big Fish Roadhouse at 79 Arthur Street | .jpg) | ||
| Big Funnel Web Spider | Jamberoo | 2015 | 19.7×22.2 m (65×73 ft) | The Big Funnel Web Spider was built atJamberoo Action Park and is a steel, fibreglass and concrete structure 420 times larger than a femaleSydney 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 | 5×3 m (16.4×9.8 ft) | Located in front of the Gold Panner Motor Inn. |  |
| The Big Gold Pick and Pan | Grenfell | 2005 | Pick 4 m (13 ft), Pan 3 m (9.8 ft) (diam) | Located between the Goods Shed and historic Station Building at theGrenfell railway station precinct, just off the northern end of West Street. | |
| TheBig Golden Guitar | Tamworth | 1988 | 12×4 m (39×13 ft) | Modelled on the Golden Guitar trophies given to winners at theCountry Music Awards of Australia ceremony night during theTamworth Country Music Festival. |  |
| The Big Hammer | Mudgee | Located at Rosby Wines (122 Strikes Lane, Eurunderee); previously located at the Fairview ArtSpace. Relocated in 2016 when the ArtSpace closed down. | |||
| The Big Hat | Yeoval | 2017 | Sculpture ofBanjo Paterson's hat. Made in 2014 and transported to Yeoval in 2017. |  | |
| The Big Headphones | Newcastle | 2015 | 3 m (9.8 ft) | Located on Darby St, this fully operational pair of headphones was designed by Mark Tisdell and built in collaboration with Tom Ireland (fabrication and design detailing), Sean Bell (graphics), Adrian Garner (electrical engineering), Brad Phillips and Rhian Leek (architectural design), with the support of the Darby Street Traders Group. | |
| The Big 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 | 4.5 m (15 ft) | 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 | Located in Simpson Park, adjacent toMuswellbrook railway station | |||
| TheBig Merino | Goulburn | 1985 | 15×18 m (49×59 ft) | A sculpture of amerino ram, built in 1985.[25] Goulburn and The Big Merino were bypassed by theHume 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 asafety lamp. | .jpg) | ||
| Big Mosquito | Hexham | 1993 | "Ozzie the Mozzie" at the Hexham Bowling Club is modelled on the locally abundant mosqiuto speciesAedes alternans, commonly known as the Hexham grey. It includes illuminated eyes which switch on at night. |  | |
| The Big Motorcycle | Mooball | c. 2014.[27] | 3 m tall.[28] | The Big Motorcycle, is located across the road from the Moo Moo Roadhouse. It is a replica of theYamaha YZR500 ridden byWayne Rainey in 1993.[29][27] |  |
| Big Murray Cod | Tocumwal | 1967 | 2×7 m (6.6×23.0 ft) | Located near the corner of Deniliquin Rd and Murray St, near the Murray River. |  |
| The Big Orange – Mourquong (Mildura) | Mourquong, NSW near Mildura VIC | Located north of Mildura, at 93 Link Rd, Mourquong. |  | ||
| The Big Orange Goblin | Marrickville | 2025 | 10 m (32.8 ft) | Located in the Inner West at the heart of Sydney's "Ale Trail”, this 30-tonne beer can is also a functioning grain silo used by The Grifter Brewing Co. The towering artwork is a realistic depiction of their best-selling beer: The Grifter Pale Ale, affectionately known as "The Orange Goblin”.[30] |  |
| The Big Oyster | Taree | 12×4 m (39×13 ft) |  | ||
| The Big Playable Guitar | Narrandera | 1991 | 6×2 m (19.7×6.6 ft) | The largest playable guitar in the world[citation needed]. | |
| Ploddy the Dinosaur | Somersby | 1963 | 4.8×2 m (15.7×6.6 ft) | Situated in theAustralian Reptile Park and commissioned by the Park's founder, Eric Worrell. The concrete structure is based on the shape of aDiplodocus; it is 30 metres long and weighs almost 100 tonnes.[31] | |
| The Big Peg | Canowindra | 2017 | A giantclothes 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; inspired by a similar structure in Belgium.[32][33] |  | |
| The Big Potato | Robertson | 1977 | 10×4 m (33×13 ft) | A giant potato constructed by farmer Jim Mauger in 1977.[34] In 2025 it was transformed into 'The Pig Potato' to honour that the town is whereBabe was filmed.[35][36] |  |
| The Big Poo | Kiama | 2002 | 1×5 m (3.3×16.4 ft) | The Big Poo was built by local residents as a protest againstSydney Water's decision not to reuse waste water in the area. Built fromfoam, it was unveiled byIan Cohen on 29 April 2002.[37] | |
| The Big Prawn | Ballina | 1989 | 6×9 m (20×30 ft) | On 24 September 2009, Ballina Shire Council voted to allow the demolition of the Big Prawn;[38] however,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.[39][40] |  |
| Big Rabbit Trap | Albert | 2013 | A Big Rabbit Trap, located on the roof of the Rabbit Trap Hotel. |  | |
| The Big Rocket | Moree | 2009 | 14 m (46 ft) high | The Big Rocket, launched during theInternational Year of Astronomy and the 40th anniversary of thefirst human Moon landing, is now next to a newer, larger, rocket playground which contains two slides and a space-themed command centre playground. |   |
| Big Rubik's Cube | Maroubra | 2008 | A cement cube painted as per aRubik'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.[41] |  | |
| The Big Slurpee | Coffs Harbour | 2009 | 15 m (50 ft) | Dismantled in 2009.[42] | |
| The Big Soldier | Uralla | In front of Hassett's Military Museum. Dressed inDigger-style uniform. Removed in 2022 |  | ||
| 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 localfootball 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.[43][44] | .JPG) | |
| The World's Biggest Sundial | Singleton | 1987 | A 25-foot-high (7.6 m) sundial presented as a gift from Lemington Mine, to honour the occasion of theAustralian Bicentenary. At the time of its creation, it was recognised by theGuinness Book of World Records as the world's largest sundial,[45] 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 thePacific Highway was upgraded, but the accompanying Big Dog remains at the original location. |  | |
| The Big Swan | Dunedoo | In front of the Swan Motel. | .JPG) | ||
| Big Tennis Racquet | Barellan | 3 October 2009 | 13.8 m (45 ft) long | Built in honour ofEvonne Goolagong, who grew up in Barellan.[46] | .JPG) |
| TheBig Trout | Adaminaby | 1973 | 10×3 m (32.8×9.8 ft) | Designed by Andy Lomnici, the Big Trout is located in the town of Adaminaby, nearLake Eucumbene in theSnowy Mountains. It was built from fibreglass over a steel frame, completed in 1973,[47] and repaired and repainted in 2023.[48] |  |
| 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 anEastern Water Dragon(Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii) at Kooloonbung Creek Nature Reserve.[49] Built by Bill Lawrence, Matt Penboss, and Lynley Kirkness.[50] | ||
| 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.[51] |  | |
| 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 | 7×1.5 m (23.0×4.9 ft) | Located at the Hunter Valley Gardens. The neck forms a chimney for an open fire contained within. |  |
| The Big Wine Cask | Mourquong | 8×6 m (26×20 ft) | Located at the Constellation Stanley winery, but as of December 2013 no longer accessible. |  | |
| Red Pillars | Tweed Heads-Gold Coast | Known as the Queensland–New South Wales state border sign, it is on the border, located on thePacific Highway betweenTweed Heads andCoolangatta. | |||
| The Biggest Little Town | Mullumbimby | 8×6 m (26×20 ft) | 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 importantAnmatyerr leader and rainmaker for the area.[52] 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[citation needed] and so begun sculpting the "Anmatjere Woman and Child". Anmatjere Woman and child is more accessible and situated just outside Aileron Roadhouse. Agoanna was later added. | .jpg) | |
| Big Barramundi | Katherine | Located atop Rod & Rifle Tackleworld in Katherine NT |  | ||
| Big Beer Can | Ghan | Ghan’s boast of being the Northern Territory’s 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[citation needed] |  | ||
| Big Books | Alice Springs | 2018 | The Big Books were a part of a 2018 instalment to renovate and update theAlice Springs Public Library. Depicts several books byNevil Shute, writer ofA Town Like Alice. |  | |
| The Big Boxing Crocodile | Humpty Doo | 1988 | 8×8 m (26×26 ft) | Located outside theUnited 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[53] 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 by a local buffalo trading business, that 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.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Dinosaur | Yarrawonga | 13 m (43 ft) | This large fibreglassBrachiosaurus 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.[citation needed] |  | |
| Big Fish | Wanguri | Visible from Gsell St; the Big Fish decorates the front yard of Wanguri Pre-School. |  | ||
| Big Frogs | Darwin | Located outside Ramada Suites Zen Quarter Darwin. Originally located at Tom Finlay’s 'Get Stoned' masonry but were purchased and relocated after Tom’s masonry relocated themselves. The Big Frogs have a colourfully painted sister pair, 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 thegold 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. |  | |
| The Giant Jellyfish | East Point | 2014 | 2.2 m (7 ft) | 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.[54] |  |
| Big Owl | Darwin | 2010 | Created in 2010 by Koolpinyah Richard Barnes. Located outside the Darwin Supreme Court. | ||
| The Big Stockwhip[55] | Fly Creek[56] | 7×10 m (23×33 ft) | Depicts an Australianstockwhip, used for mustering cattle. |  | |
| The Big Stubbie | Larrimah | Depicts aNT Draughtstubbie, a small beer bottle. |  | ||
| Big Turtle | Lyons | 2004 | 1.5×4 m (4.9×13.1 ft) | 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 | 4×4.5 m (13×15 ft) | Quoted from "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 theNew England Highway to Suttons Apple Orchard & Cidery."[57][58] |  |
| Big Apple | Acacia Ridge | Located at 1102Beaudesert Road[citation needed] | .jpg) | ||
| Banana the Bullock | Banana | Dun bullock after which theShire and Town of Banana were named.[59][60] |  | ||
| Big Banana | North Mackay | 1987 | 9.2×1.8 m (30.2×5.9 ft) | [61] |  |
| Big Bowling Pin | Maryborough | unknown, restored 2020 | Previously fromToowoomba, 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 | .jpg) | |
| Big Kronosaurus | Richmond | 'Krono', a full sized replica of theKronosaurusqueenslandicus. Outside Kronosaurus Korner Fossil Museum, Richmond.[citation needed] |  | ||
| Big Barrel | Bundaberg | 2005 | 25×10 m (82×33 ft) | The Barrel is an interpretive visitor centre, gift shop, and bottle shop forBundaberg Brewed Drinks, located at 147 Bargara Road. According to a commemorative plaque inside the Barrel, it was opened byMark Vaile on 18 November 2005.[citation needed] |  |
| The Big Barramundi | Normanton | 1995 | 7×2 m (23.0×6.6 ft) | [62] |  |
| The Big Barramundi | Daintree | 1986 | 7.5×2 m (24.6×6.6 ft) | [63] |  |
| Big Bolt and Nut | Roma | Located in front of Banks Bolts and Fastners at 87 Raglan Street.[citation needed] |  | ||
| Big Boomerangs | Nindigully | 1989 | 3 m (9.8 ft) | These 3 big boomerangs are what remain from the roof of the diner that was built on the site, and featured in the 1999 Australian filmThe Paperback Hero.[citation needed] |  |
| The Big Boot / Shoe | Deagon | 1960s | The boot originally came from a boot and footwear factory on the corner of Hale andCaxton Streets inPaddington, 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 a facility on the corner of Rode and Gympie Roads (621 Gympie Road) in the late 1970s as a marker for Boots Camping.[64] The building, which had been occupied by a car dealership, was demolished in 2021 and the boot was relocated to its current location on Braun Street, Deagon.[65] |  | |
| The Big Brolga | Townsville | 1988 | [66] The Big Brolga was originally located at the Visitor Centre on theBruce Highway, south of Townsville. It has been removed and is no longer displayed. | ||
| Big Brolgas and Snake | NearMackay | [citation needed] |  | ||
| 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.[67][68] |  | |
| The Big Cane Toad | Sarina | 1983 | 4×1 m (13.1×3.3 ft) | "Buffy", short for the cane toad's scientific nameBufo marinus, is located on Broad Street, Sarina. Originally built out of papier-mâché in 1983 for a float in the Apex Sugar Festival Parade, The Sarina Council later cast the Big Toad in fibreglass to become a permanent fixture in the town's centre.[69] |  |
| The Big Captain Cook | Cairns | 1972 | 14×2 m (45.9×6.6 ft) | Built by Roberto Paiaro from Cairns. Originally had "Made in Japan" painted on the lower leg as a joke. Modelled on the explorerJames Cook.[70] The statue was taken down in May 2022.[71] |  |
| The Big Cassowary | Wongaling Beach | 4×4 m (13×13 ft) | Statue of acassowary on the south-east corner of Tully Mission Beach Road and Wongaling Beach Road (17°53′51″S146°05′30″E / 17.8975°S 146.0918°E /-17.8975; 146.0918 (The Big Cassowary)).[72] Built by Darryl Lourigan.[73] |  | |
| The Big Cockatoo | Mossman | In front of the Mossman Hotel and Holiday Villas, 1–9 Alchera Drive (16°28′13″S145°22′22″E / 16.4702°S 145.3729°E /-16.4702; 145.3729 (The Big Cockatoo)).[74] |  | ||
| The Big Cow | Highfields | 1976 | 12.0×7.6 m (39.4×25 ft) | [75] Moved fromKulangoor on 10 January 2020 to Highfields Pioneer Village near Toowoomba.[76] Officially reopened on 20 September 2020.[77] |  |
| The Big(Mud)Crab | Cardwell | 1986 | 4×1 m (13.1×3.3 ft) | Built by Terry Tebble, senior preparator at the Queensland museum.[78] Located at Seaview Cafe in Cardwell. The original mould is kept at NatureWorks, 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 mud crab sandwiches.[79] |  | |
| Big Crocodile | Daintree | 2001 | 2×4 m (6.6×13.1 ft) | [80] | |
| Big Crocodile | Wangetti | 1984 | 7.9×1 m (25.9×3.3 ft) | 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.[81] |  |
| Big Crocodile | Normanton | 1996 | 8.63 m (28.31 ft) | An accurate artist's impression of the largest recorded saltwater crocodile ever killed. "Krys the Savannah King" was shot in 1957 by Krystina Pawlowski on the banks of theNorman River.[82] | |
| Big Deck Chair | Winton | 2002 | 18.3 m (60.04 ft) | Located at the Royal Theatre, an open air picture show on Elderslie Street. The chair was donated in April 2005 by the Free Masons Taskforce Victoria. Claimed to be the World's largest, but claim has not been verified.[83] |  |
| The Big Dinosaur | Ballandean | 1998 | 2.1×6.7 m (6.9×22.0 ft) | Also known as 'The Big Triceratops' or 'Fruitisforus', this large fibreglasstriceratops 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.[84] |  |
| The Big Dugong | Rockhampton | 1992 | 22×12 m (72×39 ft) | Located at the Rockhampton Dreamtime Cultural Centre.[85] | |
| The Big Easel | Emerald | 1999 | 25 m (82 ft) | The Big Easel, located offCapricorn Highway in Morton Park, holds a 7×10 m (23×33 ft) reproduction of one ofVan Gogh'sSunflower paintings.[86][87] |  |
| The Big G | Gracemere | 2015 | 5.4×6.6 m (18×22 ft) | Made from 6 mm (1⁄4 in) mild steel and weighing almost 5,000 kg (11,000 lb); marks the entry to Gracemere Industry Park.[88] |  |
| Big Golf Ball | Mermaid Beach | 1970s | Located at the Mermaid Beach Putt Putt, which was established in 1969 as Australia's firstminiature golf course on Hanlan Street at Surfers Paradise before relocating to Mermaid Beach in 1973.[89] The structure was significantly damaged in 2025 as a result of strong winds fromTropical Cyclone Alfred.[90] |  | |
| The BigGolden Gumboot | Tully | 2003 | 8×6.1 m (26×20 ft) | [91] |  |
| The Big Gun | Underwood | A 155 mm (6.1 in) field gun mounted on top of a two-story fruit shop. The gun was in a metal scrap yard that occupied the site in the 1960s before the shops and offices were built in the 1970s.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Hard Rock Guitar | Surfers Paradise | 1996 | 10×3 m (32.8×9.8 ft) | Large guitar that fronts every Hard Rock Cafe. The Surfers Paradise location was established 22 March 1996.[92] |  |
| The Big Hose | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane | 2025 | 119 m long | Created by artistsTony Albert andNell[93] | |
| The Big Macadamia Nut | Woombye, 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) south ofNambour | 1978 | 16 m (52 ft) | Six years after the Big Pineapple opened the owners built the Big Macadamia nut. Once part of the "Nut Country Tour", the building was eventually converted to the "Rainforest Creatures of the Night" display in 2000. The building is now used as the entrance to the Treetop Challenge. |  |
| Maddie and Mike | Southport | 2010 | 2.5 m (8 ft) | 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.[94] | |
| The Big Mandarin | Mundubbera | 1983 | 11×15 m (36×49 ft) | [95] |  |
| The Big Mango | Bowen | 2002 | 10×8 m (33×26 ft) | The Big Mango stands at the tourist information centre in Bowen.[96] In February 2014, the Mango was temporarily "stolen" by restaurant chainNando's as a publicity stunt.[97][98] |  |
| Big Map of Australia | Goondiwindi | ? | 5×5 m (16×16 ft) | Made from pieces of old machinery and pipes. Located on the Ingelwood side of Goondiwindi. |  |
| The Big Marlin | Cairns | 1980 | 10×2 m (32.8×6.6 ft) | [99] |  |
| Matilda The Kangaroo | Kybong | 1982 | 13 m (42.7 ft) | Built to be the mascot for the1982 Commonwealth Games. Presently located at a Puma service centre near Traveston on theBruce Highway, South ofGympie.[100] |  |
| Big Meat Ant | Augathella | 2011 | 7.5 m (25 ft)[101] | A giantmeat ant sculpture commissioned by Murweh Shire Council in the hope of attracting "thousands of tourists".[102] | .jpg) |
| Big Melon | Chinchilla | 2018 | 8 m (26 ft) long | In 2018, Chinchilla won a national competition run byWotif to create a Next Big Thing as a tourist attraction. The melon was installed next to the town's information centre in November 2018.[103] |  |
| Big Merino | Blackall | 1983 | 3×4 m (9.8×13.1 ft) | [104] | .JPG) |
| 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.[105] |  | |
| The Big Mower | Beerwah | 1974 | 11×3.6 m (36×12 ft) | [106] |  |
| The Big Ned Kelly | Maryborough | 7×2 m (23.0×6.6 ft) | The Big Ned Kelly stands in front of the Ned Kelly Motel and service station. Built by Dat Romano.[107] |  | |
| The Big Orange | Gayndah | 1977 | [108] |  | |
| The Big Orange | Lockyer Valley | Corner of Lake Clarendon Way and Crowley Vale Road.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Paperclip | West End,Brisbane | 3×2 m (9.8×6.6 ft) | This was a public sculpture that once stood on the lot next to Paul's dairy factory on Montague Road. The area is now part of the ramp onto the Go Between bridge, and the fate of the sculpture is unknown. Last photo located on the internet was dated 2007.[citation needed] | ||
| The Big Peanut | Tolga | 1977 | [109] |  | |
| Big Peanut | Kingaroy | 2021 | |||
| The Big Pelican | Noosaville | Mounted on a motorised float in parkland next to theNoosa River.[110] |  | ||
| The Big Pick, Shovel and Sieve | Sapphire | 1999 | 4×2.5 m (13.1×8.2 ft) | Located in front of the Blue Gem Store Van Park. Built by Barry Richardson and David Gould.[111] |  |
| The Big Pie | Yatala | late 1970s | 4.5 m (15 ft) diameter | Mounted atop a 10 m (33 ft) pole next to the car park of the Yatala Pies drive-through pie shop.[112] |  |
| Big Pineapple | Gympie | 1971 | 16 m (52 ft) high | Formerly located next to a service station on theBruce Highway, the Gympie Big Pineapple was demolished in 2008 during redevelopment of the site.[113][114] | |
| The Big Pineapple | Woombye, 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) south ofNambour | 1971 | 16×6 m (52×20 ft) | TheBig Pineapple is a tourist attraction on theSunshine Coast inSouth 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 (seeList 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.[115][116] |  |
| The Big Pumpkin | Beaudesert | [citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Pumpkin | Gumlu | The Big Pumpkin is situated outside the same roadside fruit and vegetable store as the Big Watermelon.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Red Elephant | Hatton Vale | Located at 4138Warrego Highway. Part of the "Jumbo" shopping centre.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Redback | Eight Mile Plains,Brisbane | 1996 | 5×3 m (16.4×9.8 ft) | 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.[117] | |
| The Big Rig | Roma | over 30 m (98 ft) tall | A tourist attraction which commemorates the finding of oil in Roma.[citation needed] |  | |
| The Big Rum Bottle | Bundaberg | 1988 | 7×1 m (23.0×3.3 ft) | Originally theBundaberg Rum Company's pavilion atWorld Expo 88 in Brisbane, and is now located outside the visitor centre at the Bundaberg Distillery. Several copies of the bottle have been found in various locations throughout Queensland, with one still surviving outside of the Sundowner Saloon in Haigslea (2316 Warrego Highway,27°34′07″S152°37′19″E / 27.5685°S 152.6220°E /-27.5685; 152.6220 (Sundowner Hotel)).[118][119][120] |  |
| The Big Sapphire | Anakie | 1982 | 3.7×2.26 m (12.1×7.4 ft) | Located in front of the Big Sapphire and Gemfield Information Centre at 1 Anakie Road, which was closed as of May 2012[update].[121] |  |
| The Big Sapphire Ring | Sapphire | 1984 | Located in front of Pat's Gems. Built by Victor Saunders.[122] |  | |
| The Big Sausage King | Centenary Heights,Toowoomba | The Big Sausage King sits on the roof of Gray's Modern Meat Mart in Centenary Heights. In 2010 it was stolen, and in spite of 10 kg (22 lb) sausage reward from the store and an additional $500 being offered by radio stationTriple M, it was eleven months before it was discovered in a local quarry.[123][124][125] |  | ||
| The Big Scout Hat | Cairns | 1982 | The octagonalCairns Control Room is listed on theQueensland Heritage Register. The fibreglassScout hat was added to the building in 1982.[citation needed] |  | |
| The Big Shell | Tewantin | 1960s | 6×2 m (19.7×6.6 ft) | The Big Shell is the entrance to a Hawaiian / tropical lifestyle store. The Shell is now under the third owner.[126] |  |
| The Big Spanner | Sapphire | 1982 | 2 m (6.6 ft) | The first big thing in the area ofRubyvale andSapphire, and was built by Allen May.[127] |  |
| The Big Strawberry | Elimbah | 2014 | Over 5 m (16 ft) tall | Outside Rolin Farms, a strawberry and orchid farm on Rutters Road, Elimbah.[citation needed] | .jpg) |
| The Big Stubby | Tewantin | 1966 | 9×4 m (30×13 ft) | No longer there. Queensland's first big thing, built by George Clifford out of 17,000 empty stubby bottles.[128] | |
| The Big Surveyors Tripod | Warwick, Queensland | 2024 | 5m high approx | Styled on aLeica Geosystems branded tripod located outside a Cadastral Surveyors office on theNew England Highway through town. |  |
| Big Teepee | Millmerran | ? | 4 m (13 ft) high | The Big Teepee was erected reportedly as a Rendezvous Place for a local club.[citation needed] |  |
| Big Thermometer | Stanthorpe | 2018 | 10 m (33 ft) | "The coldest place in Queensland" has the Big Thermometer to proudly display the temperature.[129] |  |
| BigThongs | Calen | 2021 | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) | [130] | |
| Big Watermelon | Gumlu | The Big Watermelon is situated outside the same fruit and vegetable roadside store as the Big Pumpkin.[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Whale | Kinka Beach | Built by Kevin Logan.[131] | .jpg) | ||
| William the Wombat | Thallon (28°38′10″S148°52′08″E / 28.6361°S 148.8690°E /-28.6361; 148.8690 (William the Wombat)) | 2018 | 2×3.5 m (6.6×11.5 ft) | The wombat depicted is anorthern hairy-nosed wombat which is critically endangered.[132][133] |  |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Australian Farmer (also known as the Big Farmer) | Wudinna | 2008 | 8 m (26 ft) | Taking 17 years to develop from the initial proposal to the final unveiling, the Australian Farmer, located in theWudinna, was carved by artist Marijan Bekic and his son David between 2007 and 2009. Representing the early settlers of the region, the work stands at 8 m (26 ft) in height, and was carved out of approximately 70 tonnes (69 long tons; 77 short tons) of localgranite.[134] |  |
| The Big Ant | Poochera | 2008 | Originally located at The Poochera Roadhouse on theEyre Highway but the Roadhouse has closed and the Big Ant was relocated into the town park. |  | |
| The Big Bee | Kingscote |  | |||
| The Big Blade | Snowtown |  | |||
| The Big Bob-tail Lizard | Port Lincoln | Outside the Kuju Aboriginal Arts Centre, 30 Ravendale Road, Port Lincoln |  | ||
| The Big Bull | Tapleys Hill Road,Royal Park | Located on top of the Hahndorf Gourmet Butchers |  | ||
| The Big Cherries | Pages Flat, nearAdelaide | Located at Fleurieu Cherries on Pages Flat Road (B34) in Pages Flat |  | ||
| The Big Church Block Bottle | McLaren Vale | 2010 | 10 m (33 ft) | 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 10 m (33 ft) high replica bottle of Wirra Wirra, Church Block wine. The bottle was constructed to launch theMelbourne Food & Wine Festival in March 2010, located atSouthbank inMelbourne. 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.[135] |  |
| The Big Cockroach | Port Wakefield Road,Lower Light | 1990s | 4×4 m (13×13 ft) (approx.) | The Big Cockroach is part of the Port Wakefield road sculptures, and features a sign verifying its global size dominance. Located on 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.[136] |  |
| The Big Dice | Barrier Highway | The Big Dice consist of six concrete blocks piled into a small pyramid. They are located 24 km (15 mi) east ofYunta / 20 km (12 mi) west ofMannahill, 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 4 km 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 | 8×2.5 m (26×8 ft) | 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 theGalahs that frequent the region, it weighs in the vicinity of 2.3 tonnes (2.5 short tons).[137] |  |
| The Big Hat | Cradock | 2013 | Located opposite the Cradock Hotel. |  | |
| The BigHills Hoist | O'Sullivan Beach 35°07′04″S138°29′03″E / 35.11779°S 138.48429°E /-35.11779; 138.48429 | Located next to the Orrcon Steel carpark, at the corner of Morrow Rd and O'Sullivan Beach Rd, in O'Sullivan Beach. |  | ||
| The Big Kangaroo | Border Village | 1986 | 5×2 m (16.4×6.6 ft) | Also known as "Rooey II", the Big Kangaroo can be found atBorder Village in South Australia, located just shy of the border with West Australia.[138] Made frompapier-mâché and fibreglass over a steel frame, from a design by Bill Metheral, Rooey was intended to capitalise on traffic journeying toPerth for theAmerica's Cup, and was opened in 1986.[139] |  |
| The Big Lobster | Rosetown | 1979 | 17×15×13 m (56×49×43 ft) | Known locally as "Larry", the Big Lobster was designed and built by Paul Kelly (who also designed the Big Scotsman) as a means of attracting attention to thevisitor 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.[140] The Specifications actually required the length to be ~12 metres long and it is a fraction longer than this.[141] |  |
| Map the Miner | Kapunda | 1988 | 8×2 m (26.2×6.6 ft) | Named Map Kernow, the "son ofCornwall", 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.[142] The statue was destroyed by a fire in 2006,[143] but has since been rebuilt.[144] |  |
| The Big Olive | Tailem Bend | 2009 | 11 m (36 ft) | The Big Olive was constructed to attract tourists to The Big Olive processing plant and visitor centre. Located just outside Tailem Bend, it consists of twoolives – one green and one black – which together stand at 8 metres (26 ft) and weigh over 1 t (2,200 lb). The olives were constructed out of fibreglass by The Newell Group, and were placed on the site in April 2005.[145] |  |
| The Big Orange | Berri | 1980 | 15×12 m (49×39 ft) | Located in the South AustralianRiverland, the Big Orange was designed byAdelaide-based architect John Twopenny. It is constructed withfiberglass panels covering a steel frame, with the entire structure weighing in the vicinity of 85 tonnes (84 long tons; 94 short tons).[146][147] 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.[148] 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.[149] |  |
| The Big Oyster | Ceduna | 1992 | The Big Oyster was originally built as a float forCeduna's annualOysterfest. Built by Leon Veerhuis out offerro-concrete, it was retired from parade duties in 1994.[150] 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 afloat for a localMardi Gras in 1979. After being employed for this purpose on a number of occasions, including once inAdelaide, the papier-mâché structure was remodelled, and, in 1992, it was overlaid with fibreglass. Today it can be found at the Loxton Caravan Park.[151] |  | |
| 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 inRundle Mall Adelaide, on 6 November 2020. The pigeon is more than 2 metres tall, and cost $174,000.[152] |  | |
| The Big Ram | Karoonda | 2003 | 2×3 m (6.6×9.8 ft) | The Big Ram in Karoonda recognises the importance of the sheep industry in the region. Instigated by the Karoonda Development Group and located on the Railway Lawns, the Big Ram is 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) high and 3 metres (10 ft) long, and is built from concrete. It was completed in 2003.[153] |  |
| The Big Rocking Horse | Gumeracha | 1981 | 18×17 m (59×56 ft) | Part of a complex that includes a wooden toy factory and a wildlife park, the Big Rocking Horse in theAdelaide 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.[154] |  |
| The Big Santa (Father Christmas) | Adelaide | 1960s | 16.4×5×2.5 m (53.8×16.4×8.2 ft) | Father Christmas (the Big Santa) was installed on the front of retailerJohn Martin's in the lead-up toChristmas, and later those premises becameDavid Jones. In 2015, the Big Santa was moved toAdelaide Central Market, after building changes inRundle Mall removed the canopy he used to stand on. Currently appears at Christmas on the Market's red brickGrote Street tower, built in 1900. Weighs almost three tonnes.[citation needed] |  |
| The Big Scotsman | Medindie,Adelaide | 1963 | 5×1 m (16.4×3.3 ft) | The Big Scotsman, affectionately known as 'Scotty', was erected in December 1963 and thus predated theBig Banana by a year. Located at Scotty's Motel on the corner ofMain North Road and Nottage Terrace in the inner-city suburb ofMedindie, the Big Scotsman was designed by Paul Kelly, who later went on to build theBig Lobster.[155] Materials: Steel frame, polystyrene foam, fibreglass outer[156] |  |
| The BigSpriggina floundersi | Arkaroola 30°18′55.3″S139°19′01.4″E / 30.315361°S 139.317056°E /-30.315361; 139.317056 | Spriggina floundersi is a flatworm from the Ediacaran period, and is the fossil emblem ofSouth Australia. Named afterReg 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.[157] |  | ||
| The Big Teddy Bear | Minlaton | 4×3 m (13.1×9.8 ft) | 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 | 8×5 m (26×16 ft) | The Big Winch acknowledges Coober Pedy'sopal-mining industry. Built by Klaus Wirries in the 1970s, the original Big Winch was destroyed in 1986 and rebuilt shortly thereafter.[158] |  |
| The Big Windmill | Penong | The windmill museum includes the largest windmill in Australia. | |||
| The Big Wombat | Bookabie | Situated at Scotdesco Aboriginal Community (Tjilkaba), on theEyre Highway. | |||
| The Big Yabby | Clayton | 1973 | 2 m (6.6 ft) | Built in 1973 by Henry Jones, the Big Yabby resides at theMurray River town ofClayton, and originally sat outside his family's Yabby City Restaurant. While the concreteyabby remains, the restaurant has since changed both owners and name to become Sails at Clayton, and yabbies are no longer on the menu.As of 2015[update], the Yabby is no longer there.[159][160] 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 |  | |||
| Doug The Big Truffle Dog | Deloraine | 2024 | 2.5 m height | Doug The Big Truffle Dog emulates chief truffle hunter ‘Douglas’, a golden labrador. Built byGravelly Beach Metalworks, |  |
| The Big Axe | Longley | At the Longley International Hotel 1678 Huon Rd, Longley TAS 7150 |  | ||
| The Big Beer Can | Launceston | At the James Boags Brewery 39 William St, Launceston |  | ||
| The Big Blue Seal | Eaglehawk Neck | Located on awning of the Blue Seal Seafood Shack 5131 Arthur Hwy, Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania 7179 |  | ||
| The Big Cherry | Latrobe | Formerly located at The Cherry Shed adjacent to the Bass Highway. The business closed in 2021[161] 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 Flywheel | Beaconsfield | The Big Flywheel on West St Beaconsfield |  | ||
| The Big Frog | Bicheno | At The Pondering Frog 16494 Tasman Hwy, Bicheno Tas 7215 |  | ||
| The Big Honey Bee | Huonville | The Big Honey Bee at The Honey Pot 2273B Huon Hwy, Huonville TAS 7109 |  | ||
| The Big Rock Lobster | Stanley | Mounted on the roof of Hursey Seafoods. |  | ||
| The Big Log | Campbell Town | 89 High St, Campbell Town TAS 7210 |  | ||
| The Big Nut and Bolt | Launceston | At the Nuts and Bolt Tasmania store. 60 Frederick St, Launceston TAS 7250 |  | ||
| The Big Hazelnuts | Hagley | The Big Hazelnuts 127 Hagley Station Ln, Hagley TAS 7292 |  | ||
| The Big Penguin | Penguin | 1975 | 3×1 m (9.8×3.3 ft) | Constructed fromfibro cement to mark the centenary of the proclamation of the township of Penguin. Unveiled 25 October 1975. |  |
| The Big Photo Frame | Stanley | 2019 | Stanley and Tarkin Photo Frame 148 Dovecote Rd, Stanley TAS 7331 |  | |
| The Big Pitchfork | Huntingfield | Located at the Mitre 10 Trade Centre at 10 Huntingfield Ave, Huntingfield. |  | ||
| The Big Platypus | Latrobe |  | |||
| The Big Raspberry | Westerway | Located at the Westerway Raspberry Farm 1488 Gordon River Rd, Westerway TAS |  | ||
| The Big Slide Rule | University of Tasmania,Hobart | Located in the School of Mathematics and Physics. | |||
| The Big Spud | Sassafras | [162] |  | ||
| The Big Tasmanian Devil | Mole Creek | 2×3 m (6.6×9.8 ft) | Standing at the entrance to the Trowunna Wildlife park and Tasmanian Devil research centre. |  | |
| The Big Tasmanian Tiger | Mole Creek | At The Mole Creek Hotel 90 Pioneer Dr, Mole Creek TAS 7304 |  | ||
| The Big Thumbs Up | Scottsdale | Scottsdale, Tasmania. |  | ||
| The Big Trout | Cressy | 6m | Cnr Main and Church St Cressy |  | |
| The Big Wickets | Westbury | 3×8 m (9.8×26.2 ft) | Located at the front of the local cricket pitch, commemorating locally born playerJack Badcock. |  | |
| The Big Yellow Motorcycle | Montumana | Poverty Gully 18469 Bass Hwy, Montumana |  |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 skip, but it was later removed. A replacement concrete version is smaller.[citation needed] |   | ||
| 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, it was restored by a local builder and aircraft engineer[citation needed] The Apple is restored and hanging up as of March 31, 2024. |  | ||
| Big Bowls Ball | Belmont | 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[163] |  | |
| The Big Brussels Sprout | Coldstream | Located at Adams Farm, 681 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream VIC 3770 |  | ||
| The Giant's Chair | Mount Dandenong | Located at the Sky High Mount Dandenong lookout. Downstairs from the main restaurant, in the open grassed area |  | ||
| Big Cherry | Wyuna | Located in the car park down the driveway[clarification needed] |  | ||
| The Big Cherry | Glenrowan | Owners of the property removed the Big Cherry in 2010/11. | |||
| 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 Chook | Myrtlebank | At the Myrlebank Roaming Farms, called Chickaletta. Made from rusted bike parts and corrugated iron. 1030 Maffra-Sale Rd, Myrtlebank VIC 3851 |  | ||
| Big Cigar | Churchill | Replica of SirWinston Churchill's cigar, after whom the town is named. |  | ||
| Big Coffee Cup | Rowville | Located at United Petroleum Fuel Station 1215 Stud Rd, Rowville VIC 3178T teh corver of Stud Rd and Bergins Rd |  | ||
| Big Coffee Maker | Brunswick | 3×1 m (9.8×3.3 ft) | Located outside Georges Gourmet Coffee, 340 Victoria Street, Brunswick, Melbourne. Modelled after theMoka 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 toFairfield railway station. | .JPG) | |
| The Big Dolphin Fish | Tooradin | Located near a footbridge in Sawtells Inlet. Originally a prop for the 2006 Commonwealth Games and placed in Tooradin by the local tourism group. 80 S Gippsland Hwy, Tooradin VIC 3980 |  | ||
| The Big Elf | Anakie | Part ofFairy Park. |  | ||
| The Big Eyed Scad | Edenhope | Located at Lions Park.One of seventy-two large aquatic sea creatures created by MotherWorks for the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. For every country that competed in the Games an aquatic sea creature, native to that country was created and floated across 36 barges down the Yarra River in an amazing sound and light display[citation needed] |  | ||
| The Big Fish Windvane | Fish Creek | The Big Wind Fish. 1 of 72 sculptures from the 2006 Commonwealth Games. 7 Falls Rd, Fish Creek VIC 3959 |  | ||
| Big Forks and Potatoes | On Princes Highway betweenTrafalgar andYarragon | Located at 'The Spud Shed' - organic food shop at the corner of Princes Hwy and Rankins Rd |  | ||
| Big Golf Ball | Clayton South | Located at the Spring Valley Golf Club, Heatherton Rd, Clayton South |  | ||
| The Big Golf Ball | Heatherton | Located near toKingston Heath Golf Club. |  | ||
| 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 | 14×8 m (46×26 ft) | The Giant Koala is 27 km (17 mi) north-west ofStawell in the small township of Dadswells Bridge. The Koala is 14 m (46 ft) high, and weighs 12 tonnes (12 long tons; 13 short tons). It is made of bronze set on a steel frame. The sculptor is Mr Ben Van Zetton who was hired in 1988 to design and construct the piece. In 2009 it was renamedSam to commemorate a koala rescued from bush fires.[164] |  |
| The Big KFC Bucket | Shepparton | The Big KFC Bucket on Doyles Rd, Shepparton |  | ||
| Big Kookaburra | Donald | 2025 | 5.5 m (18 ft) | The Big Kookaburra is on an industrial estate. It is made of steel and perched on a steel tree stump. The sculptor is Mr Chris Fussell who was hired in 2023 to design and construct the piece after a crowd funding campaign by local residents, with support from cookie factory suppliers. The Kookaburra was placed at the site of Kookas Country Cookies' new factory on 14 April 2025.[165] |  |
| Big Lizard | Marysville | The Big Blue-Tongued Lizard takes pride of place in Gallipoli Park, Marysville | |||
| Big Lizzie | Red Cliffs | 1915–1916 | 10.36×3.35×5.49 m (34.0×11.0×18.0 ft) |  | |
| The Big Lyrebird | Cann River | Located at The Cann River Community and Information Centre, 13 Princes Hwy |  | ||
| The Big Magpie | Euroa | Located at Seven Creeks Park at the Kirkland Ave end. Its proper name is 'Swoop' The Big Barrwarrang.[citation needed] |  | ||
| 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 actualmallee 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."[citation needed] |  | |
| Big Mouth | St Kilda | 1912 | Luna Park, Melbourne 18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182 |  | |
| Giant Murray Cod | Swan Hill | 3×9 m (9.8×29.5 ft) | Located atSwan Hill railway station. |  | |
| BigNed Kelly (Warrenheip) | Warrenheip | Located at Gold Rush Golf on the Western Highway (M8) on the eastern side of Ballarat with the Big Miner. |  | ||
| BigNed Kelly (Glenrowan) | Glenrowan | 6×2 m (19.7×6.6 ft) | A tribute to the bushrangerNed Kelly. |  | |
| The Big Pheasant | Tynong | 8×17 m (26×56 ft) | The Big Pheasant sits at the entrance toGumbuya Park. It was the victim of an attack by a vandal in October 2011, suffering $50,000 of damage,[166] and was restored to its previous condition within six months. |  | |
| Giant Pocket Watch | Melbourne | Located in the atrium ofMelbourne Central Shopping Centre opposite theCoop's Shot Tower. |  | ||
| The Big Pram | Eaglehawk | The Big Pram is on the roof of Helens Baby Wear Store in Eaglehawk, Bendigo. |  | ||
| Public Purse | Melbourne | Located at the North-West end of theBourke Street Mall outside theGPO. |  | ||
| The World's LargestRolling Pin | Wodonga | The Big Rolling Pin sits atop a bakery and spins. Located at 57 Hovell St. |  | ||
| The BigRosella | Cobram | In Federation Park, Punt Rd, at the Murray Valley Hwy |  | ||
| Big Seat | Arthurs Seat | 1989 | 1.4m – 1.8m | This chair 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[citation needed] |  |
| The Big Shovel | Chiltern | A large artwork depicting a shovel. Located just north of the Hume Fwy exit to Chiltern |  | ||
| Big Smoke, also known as the Big Cigarette[167] | 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 | 15 m tall | Technically not a "Big Thing" as it is substantially smaller than the item it is modelled on, theGreat Sphinx of Giza. |  |
| Big Strawberry | Koonoomoo | 2×4 m (6.6×13.1 ft) | 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 Farm, 10 Stony Creek Road |  | ||
| The Big Watermelon | Wantirna South | 1161 High St Rd |  | ||
| Big Wave | Newhaven | A popular photo point, at the Island Surf Experience, Phillip Island Road, Newhaven. |  | ||
| The Big Wheelbarrow | Clyde | Located at 26 Aintree Close, Clyde. |  | ||
| Big Wine Bottle | 45 Campbell Street,Rutherglen | The Wine Bottle was the town’s 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. |  | ||
| Big Wool Bales | Hamilton | 1989 | 3×12 m (9.8×39.4 ft) | The cafe and souvenir shop within the Big Wool Bales closed in June 2013 due to a lack of profit.[168]The bales were demolished in 2020 due to termite damage.[169] | .jpg) |
| The Giant Worm | Bass | 250×4 m (820×13 ft) | Formerly located on theBass Highway, the Giant Worm was built to celebrate the Gippsland Giant Earthworm in 1985 and sold in 2000 to the present owner.[170] It contained interactive displays. Closed to the public since 2010 and covered in graffiti. Demolished in December 2020.[171] It was also home to Rosie the Shark, which has now been relocated to a Gem Museum in Devon Meadows. |  |
| Name | Location | Built | Size | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Apple | Donnybrook | 7×4 m (23×13 ft) | |||
| Big Banana | Carnarvon | 6×1 m (19.7×3.3 ft) | Cnr Robinson St & Boundary Rd | ||
| Bert Bolle Barometer | Denmark | 1985 | Over 12.5 m (41 ft) | A working water barometer being the largest barometer in the world, recognised by theGuinness 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.[citation needed] | .jpg) |
| World's Tallest Bin | Kalgoorlie | 1980 | About 8 m (26 ft) tall | Located on Hannan Street[172] | |
| Big Bobtail | Stirk Street,Kalamunda, Perth | 2012 | 9×1.3 m (29.5×4.3 ft) | Carved out oframmed earth byYagan memorial artist Roman Antoniuk,[173] and modelled on a 300 mm (11.8 in)blue-tongued skink that lives on the block. |  |
| The Big Camera | Meckering 31°37′54″S117°00′26″E / 31.63167°S 117.0071°E /-31.63167; 117.0071 | A building housing a museum of photography and a collection of over 3000 cameras[174] |  | ||
| The Big Cricket Bat | Narrikup | The 8-metre-tall (26 ft) 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 the 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.[citation needed] | |||
| The Big Crocodile | Wyndham -15.4874, 128.12385 | 1987 | 18×3 m (59.1×9.8 ft) | .jpg) | |
| King Neptune | Two Rocks,Yanchep | 1982[175] | Heritage-listed (2006).[citation needed]Originally built forAtlantis Marine Park. |  | |
| The Big Lobster | Dongara | 2005[176] | 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 bigLiquorice allsorts. |  | ||
| The Big Marron | The Capel Marron Farm, 313 Goodwood Road, Capel WA 6271 | Known as "Rex of the River", based on the local species of freshwater crayfish, theCherax tenuimanus. The Big Marron is located Capel Marron Farm, between Capel and Donnybrook. |  | ||
| 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 | 2 m (6.6 ft) diameter | |||
| Big Periodic Table | Joondalup | 2019 | 600 m2 (6,500 ft2) | The world's largest permanentperiodic table of the elements can be found on the side of the five storey science building (Building 15) atEdith 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 theUniversity of Murcia in Spain. It was inaugurated to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the table's creation by Russian chemistDmitri Mendeleev.[citation needed] | |
| The Big Prawn | Exmouth | 2005 | 7 m high (weights 2000 kg) | Situated outside the Exmouth Cultural Arts Centre. |  |
| The Giant Ram | Wagin | 13×9×6 m (43×30×20 ft) |  | ||
| Big Tractor | Carnamah | 2024 | 11.5 m (38 ft) high, 16 m (52 ft) long | A replica of aChamberlain 40K, it is the largest tractor sculpture in the world.[177] |  |
| The Big Leeuwin Way Whale | Eucla | 10×3 m (32.8×9.8 ft) | 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.[178] |  | |
| 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 6 m (20 ft) | 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.[citation needed] | |
| Fergus the Bull | Forrest Highway, just north of Bunbury | 23 December 2002 | 4 m | A 4 m 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. | .jpg) |
| Wardandi Boodja | Koombana Drive, Bunbury | February 2019 | 5 m high, 6 m wide | Representing aNoongar face Artists: Alex and Nicole Mickle, and engineer Mike Kimble. Took 1 year to make. |  |
