The Really Big List: Australia's BIG Icons The Really Big List: Australia's BIG Icons

A guide to Australia's best big things.

It's a national fascination that can be hard to explain: our quirky obsession with "big things".

On long drives, fingers point and faces press up against dust-covered windows. "There's The Big Pineapple, kids... Not long until we reach The Big Prawn."

Part mischievousness, part 750-kilometre road-trip necessity, the towering produce, animals and seafood that dot the country have become Australian icons. This is what makes them larger than life.

Here's where to find them and just how big they really are

Australia's BIG Things

The Big Apple - Stanthorpe - Queensland
The Big Apple in Queensland is a tribute to all the apples grown around the Stanthorpe area! It can be found approximately 2.5 hours south-west of Brisbane, on the Cunningham Highway.

The Big Arch of Victory - Ballarat - Victoria
The Arch of Victory was opened in Ballarat in 1920, funded by female staff at Eleanor Lucas' Lingerie Factory. The Arch of Victory stands 17 metres high and can be found on Sturt Street.

The Big Axe - Kew - New South Wales
The Big Axe is located about 2km north of Kendall, at Kew, - New South Wales. The Big Axe resides above the Tourist Information Centre!

The Big Banana - Coffs Harbour - New South Wales
The Big Banana is one of the most famous residents in Coffs Harbour. Standing 5m high by 11m long it would be hard to miss it! The Big Banana is suitably located out the front of a Gift Shop surrounded by a Banana Plantation. This 40+ year old sculpture was the very first of Australia's "Big Things."

The Big Barramundi - Daintree - Queensland
The Big Barramundi in - Queensland is a testimonial to the most desired fish in the State. The Big Barramundi resides above the entrance to the Big Barramundi Barbeque Gardens in Daintree.

The Big Bench - Broken Hill - New South Wales
The Big Bench was built on top of a hill of mining deposits, as part of the Landscapes and Backgrounds exhibition in 2002.

The Big Bottle - Mangrove Mountain - New South Wales
This "Big Thing" is a bit mysterious compared to the others. Nestled away in the idyllic Mangrove Mountains, New South Wales is statue in the form of a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Big Buffalo - Adelaide River - Northern Territory
The Big Buffalo, "Charlie," (star of Crocodile Dundee I and II) can be found at the Adelaide River Inn in the picturesque town of Adelaide River in Northern Territory.

The Big Bull - Rockhampton - Queensland
Queensland's Capricorn Region, Rockhampton, is renown for its beef production! Down the Southern end of the city a Big Bull replica resides above a shopping centre.

The Big Captain Cook - Cairns - Queensland
The big Captain Cook, in Cairns, has stood tall above the plants on the Captain Cook Highway for almost forty years. Initially the statue was designed to be used as a mascot for a public bar however the measurements were mixed up and the statue turned out a lot bigger than expected! The fate of Captain Cook is in limbo at the moment because of redevelopment - it seems likely the James Cook University will propose to acquire the statue.

The Big Cassowary - Mission Beach - Queensland
The Big Cassowary at Mission Beach is a tribute to the endangered bird that can be found in the gorgeous World Heritage Rainforest in the area. The Big Cassowary can be found at Wongaling Beach as part of the Shopping Complex and stands 5m high!

The Big Cheese - Bega - New South Wales
The Big Cheese can be seen as you enter Bodalla from the North. It doubles as a tourist service and you can purchase food and other items from the cheese and honey staff; ice-cream parlour; gift shop and the luncheon.

The Big Cherries - Young - New South Wales
The Big Cherries can be found in Young - New South Wales which is known as the Cherry Capital of Australia! From the 1st November through to New Years people flock to Young to pick and pack the tiny fruit! The Big Cherries were unveiled in 1987.

The Big Chook - Moonbi - New South Wales
The Big Chook can be found in Moonbi, - New South Wales. Moonbi is approximately 21km north-east of Tamworth. The Big Chook can be attributed to Moonbi being the largest poultry producing area in - New South Wales outside of the capital city.

The Big Crab - Miriam Vale - Queensland
The people of Miriam Vale have honoured the famous Queensland Mud Crap by immortalizing one in the form of a sculpture to adorn the local petrol station. The Big Crab has proved to attract even greater attention to the delicious seafood.

The Big Crayfish - Kingston - South Australia
Larry the crayfish is a beloved giant red crustacean along Princes Highway.

The Big Croc - Humpty Doo - Northern Territory
Standing proudly outside a service station in Humpty Doo, - Northern Territory is the Big Croc. Geared up with boxing gloves and a fighting stance he is a humorous landmark for the town.

The Big Dog on a Tuckerbox - Gundagai - New South Wales
The Big Dog on a Tuckerbox monument was built in 1932 and can be found on the Old Hume Highway, Gundagai. The Big Dog was in tribute to the famous lyrics of Jack Moses' song "Five Miles from Gundagai."

The Big DNA- Perth - Western Australia
The huge staircase, adjacent to the Pioneer Womens' Hospital forms the appearance of a Double Helix of DNA and can be found in Kings Park which overlooks the CBD in Perth.

The Big Earthworm - Bass - Victoria
The Big Earthworm can be found at the Wildlife Wonderland 10 minutes before Phillip Island. The Earthworm represents the Endangered Giant Gippsland Earthworm that is renown in the Bass area.

The Big Easel - Emerald - Queensland
The Big Easel is the second in a series of "Big Easels." There are American and Canadian versions of this Big Thing! It took two and a half months to be completed in Emerald, - Queensland. It was finished in 1999 and can be found in the centre of the city, at Morton Park.

The Big Farmer - Wudinna - South Australia
Celebrating Australian farming communities, the Australian Farmer (correct name) is an eight-metre-tall farmer with a sun 'head', grain crops 'body' and sheep 'feet', erected in the Eyre Peninsula township called Wudinna, approximately 260 kilometres west of Port Augusta.

The Big Fruit Bowl - Bilpin - New South Wales
The Big Fruit Bowl can be found in Bilpin, a town famous for its apples, 93km from Sydney. For most travellers Bilpin is the town where, having driven Richmond up to Kurrajong, they stop to purchase either apples or apple juice - by the Fruit Bowl!

The Big Galah - Kimba - South Australia
The Big Galah can be found outside the front of the Halfway Across Australia Gem Shop on the Eyre Highway. In a town famous for its Australian Wildlife this tribute to the Australian Galah stands an impressive 8m high!

The Big Gold Panner - Bathurst - New South Wales
The Big Gold Panner can be found in front of the Gold Panner Motel on the Great Western Highway in Bathurst, - New South Wales. The statue is resides appropriately in the town that recorded the first discovery of gold way back in 1823! The statue presents a gold-panner looking somewhat hopefully at his pan!

The Big Golden Guitar - Tamworth - New South Wales
Australia's country music capital, Tamworth, is home to the Big Golden Guitar. Standing 12m high and weighing half a tonne, the statue was unveiled by Australia's reigning King of Country Slim Dusty in 1988.

The Big Guitar - Narrandera - New South Wales
The Big Guitar can be found at the visitors centre in the rural town of Narrandera. It stands nearly 6m long and is the World's Largest playable guitar.

1. The Big Gumboot - Tully - Queensland
The Big Golden Gumboot can be found in Tully, - Queensland. Originally a rubber boot was awarded to the Wettest Town in Australia, a title hotly competed by Tully, Innisfail and Babinda! The Big Gumboot, now firmly secured in Tully, stands 7.9m high (which represents the record annual rainfall of the town (7,900mm) in 1950! The Gumboot contains a spiral staircase and viewing platform and opened on the 10th May 2003.

2. The Big Gumboot - Beech Forest - Victoria
The gumboot commemorates athlete Cliff Young.

Albert Ernest Clifford "Cliff" Young (8 February 1922 - 2 November 2003) was an Australian potato farmer and athlete from Beech Forest, Victoria, best noted for his unexpected Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon win at 61 years of age. Cliff trained for the race by running in gumboots on his property.

In 1983, the 61-year-old potato farmer won the first Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon (875 kilometres, 544 miles). The race was run between what were then Australia's two largest shopping centres: Westfield Parramatta, in Sydney, and Westfield Doncaster, in Melbourne. He ran at a slow loping pace and trailed the leaders for most of the course, but by denying himself sleep and running while the others slept, he slowly gained on them and eventually won by a large margin.
"A great Australian"

The Big Kangaroo - Border Village - South Australia
In front of the Border Village Roadhouse with a bottle of vegemite in its hands is this large plant-eating marsupial. Made from papier-mache and fibreglass, Rooey II was designed by local artist Bill Metheral in the 1980s to entice travellers to stop.

The Big Koala - Dadswells Bridge - Victoria
The Big Koala can be found 27km north-west of Stawell upon entering the small township of Dadswells Bridge. The Koala stands 14m high, weighs 12 tonnes and is made of bronze set on a steel frame. The sculptor Ben Van Zetton was hired to design and construct the piece in 1988.

The Big Kookaburra - Kurri Kurri - New South Wales
The 4.5 metre Big Kookaburra can be found in Rotary Park, Kurri Kurri. The kookaburra is used as a logo for several Kurri Kurri sporting and community organisations, which is where the idea originated from. It was built by Pokolbin artist Chris Fussell, from aluminium and steel scrap found at scrap yards around the region.

The Big Lobster - Kingston - South Australia
Kingston, a well-known port, is famous for its lobsters and also the Big Lobster that resides there! Standing an impressive 18.2m high it houses a restaurant AND gift shop underneath! It is a must see sight if in the area!

The Big Lollipop - Ravensthorpe - Western Australia
Big LollipopThe Largest Free Standing Lollipop in the World is situated in Ravensthorpe, - Western Australia. It was unveiled on the 8th September 2019 at Yummylicious Candy Shack, 89 Morgans Street Ravensthorpe, Western Australia.

The Big Macadamia - Woombye, (Near Nambour) - Queensland
The Big Macadamia can be found on the Sunshine Plantation, a tourist theme park. It is located just off the Bruce Highway, along Nambour Connection Road at Woombye. Here you can eat nuts, ride the Macadamia Nutmobile and is right next to the Big Pineapple.

The Big Mandarin - Mundubbera - Queensland
The Big Mandarin can be found in the small township of Mundubbera, the self-titled the Citrus Capital of Queensland! The Big Mandarin is also the town's tourist information centre and stands an impressive 9m high!

The Big Melon - Chinchilla - Queensland
The Big Melon is actually the result of a competition held by Wotif to determine what and where Australia's next big thing would be. The Big Melon was completed in 2018 and beat competitors like the Big Peanut and Big Tulip to win the comp. The big slice of melon is three metres tall and nine metres wide, which makes it more than 60 times larger.

The Big Merino - Goulburn - New South Wales
The Big Merino in Goulburn is a testament to the huge wool-growing industry in the Goulburn area. It stands 15m high and 21m long and can be found beside Hume Street, on the Canberra side of town. There are different wool products for sale as well as information on the production of wool etc.

The Big Milkshake - Warrnambool - Victoria
The Big Milkshake in Warrnambool resides in a town famous for delicious milkshakes and its dairy industry. Standing 8m tall the Big Milkshake can be found at Cheeseworld in Allansford, Victoria and is said to be a highly photographed attraction.

1. The Big Miner - Rubyvale - Queensland
The Big Miner in Rubyvale can be found at the Bobby Dazzler mine which is also home to three other "Big Things" the Big Spanner, Big Sapphire and the Big Pick and Shovel.

2. The Big Miner - Kapunda - South Australia
The Big Miner is the first visitors see upon entering Kapunda. The statue depicts a "Cornish Miner." This statue is in tribute to the Kapunda Mine established in 1844 which was the first successful metal mine in Australia. The statue was unveiled in 1988 and is called Map Kernow, which in Cornish translates to 'Son of Cornwall'.

The Big Murray Cod - Swan Hill - Victoria
At Swan Hill in Victoria the Murray river provides great fishing and water sports - hence the Big Murray Cod. The giant fish stands 11m long and 6m wide adjacent to the railway station on Curlewis Street. The Murray Cod was once a movie prop but is now set to live out its days at Swan Hill as a popular tourist destination.

The Big Ned Kelly - Glenrowan - Victoria
The town of Glenrowan was the place where Ned Kelly, the infamous Australian bush ranger, had his last shootout. The town approximately 220km north of Melbourne is home to a striking 7m high statue of Ned Kelly with his rifle at the ready.

1. The Big Orange - Berri - South Australia
The Big Orange can be found on the Old Sturt Highway, just outside Berri. The area is home to the Berri Fruit Juice manufacturers hence the Big Orange. Set amongst the citrus orchards, the Big Orange is a popular photo opportunity for tourists.

2. The Big Orange - Gayndah - Queensland
Gayndah is home to another Big Orange. Gayndah is known as the Orange Capital of Queensland and known for it's Big Orange. At Gayndah's Big Orange you can find tourist information, a gift shop and you can purchase free juices and local produce.

3. The Big Orange - Harvey - Western Australia
The Big Orange in Harvey, Western Australia has been restored by Harvey Fresh and now sits proudly upon a 10 metre tower. An extra 4 metres must be climbed to reach the viewing platform. Inside the Big Orange, local history and photos can be viewed. The Big Orange is located at: Third Street, Harvey, - Western Australia.

The Big Oyster - Taree - New South Wales
Just outside the town of Taree, at Fotheringham Park, sits a Big Oyster on top of a building. The company that created this unusual sculpture were also the creators of the Big Prawn at Ballina!

The Big Peach - Anna Bay - Queensland
Bakker's Big Peach is a local and family owned business that has operated for over 50 years, selling only fresh produce that is grown from the property. The giant peach is mounted on a pole along Port Stephens Drive in Anna Bay.

The Big Peanut - Atherton Parklands - Queensland
Thought of as one of the cornier "Big Things" in Australia, the Big Peanut in Atherton fronts a Peanut Fruit Shop just north of Tolga - Queensland. It is not so much big, as peanuts are small and is wearing a hat and a big smile!

The Big Pelican - Noosa - Queensland
The coastal town of Noosa is famous for its gorgeous beaches - and its Big Pelican! This huge structure has movable parts that can be operated from the inside. Most tours and bus trips include a stop at the Pelican, which is a great photo opportunity.

The Big Penguin - Penguin - Tasmania
The coastal town of Penguin in Tasmania is a popular tourist attraction and is home to hundreds and hundreds of fairy penguins. The Big Penguin sits in the beach front park and is rumoured to be the largest penguin in the World!

The Big Pheasant - Tynong - Victoria
Gumbuya World was known for a time as the place "where the city meets the country". It's also where you can meet a giant pheasant. The Gumbuya World site was originally a pheasant farm, hence the big ol' pheasant standing outside of the amusement park. The pheasant is eight metres tall and 17 metres long (mostly tail) which makes it about 18 times longer than a living pheasant.

The Big Pineapple - Gympie - Queensland
Gympie, an old gold mining town, is home to the Big Pineapple. Perched on the roof of a vacant petrol station, this Big Pineapple is well known in the surrounding area.

The Big Pineapple - Woombye, (Near Nambour) - Queensland
Another Big Pineapple can be found at the Sunshine Plantation, a tourist theme park - alongside the Big Macadamia Nut in Woombye (near Nambour). This Big Pineapple is made of fiberglass and stands 12m tall at the entrance to the plantation. Information can be found about the tropical fruit industry within the Big Pineapple as well as an awesome view from its summit!

The Big Potato - Robertson - New South Wales
Robertson is a small township near the end of the Southern Highlands and is reknown for its rich soils and its rolling landscape. The good soil, rainfall and winter climate has made Robertson a prominent potato growing area in - New South Wales - hence the giant concrete representation of a potato!

The Big Prawn - Ballina - New South Wales
The Big Prawn in Ballina stands 6m x 9m and encompasses a gift shop and eateries. It is a tribute to the big seafood market in the area.

The Big Ram - Wagin - Western Australia
One of Australia's Big Ram's can be found at Wagin in - Western Australia. This Big Ram stands 7m high and 15m long!

The Big Rock - Barrington Tops - New South Wales
The Big Rock in Barrington Tops is a unique "Big Thing" in the sense that was not man-made. The unusually large rock can be found at the Barrington Tops National Park.

The Big Rock - Pacific Highway, Tea Gardens - New South Wales
Originally built by the Leyland Bros, the Big Rock is now owned by Outdoor Education - a charity organisation which runs Bushcamps for Australian Youth. The Rock houses 'The Pieman' which is an awarding winning, 24 hour, gourmet pie shop and service station.

The Big Rocking Horse - Gumeracha - South Australia
The World's biggest Rocking Horse is located on the main road in Gumeracha, South Australia. Appropriately located by an expansive Toy Factory the Rocking Horse stands 18.3m high and contains three observation decks!

The Big Root - Nowa Nowa - Victoria
At Mingling Waters Caravan Park in Nowa Nowa, East Gippsland we have the "Big Root" - a natural wood sculpture. It is the root system of a Messmate - Eucaluptus obliuqa. The tree grew in one metre of sandy loam on top of a limestone shelf. When the root failed to penetrate the limestone, the roots grew laterally. It is part of the J.E (Jack) Ramsdell collection - a unique display of exotic Australian timbers and polished gemstones on display at Mingling Waters. Jack ran the Nowa Nowa sawmill from the early 1950's along with his gallery.

The Big Shell - Tewantin - Queensland
The Big Shell is home to a collection of shells, corals and even coloured sand. It is just a short drive from the Sunshine Coast and its displays will keep your occupied for hours. There is also a Gift Shop so you can take home a physical reminder of your day spent at the Big Shell.

The Big Stubbie - Tewantin - Queensland
Tewantin wasn't content with a Big Shell so they have also put another "Big Thing" on Australia's Map! The Big Stubbie was created from thousands of beer bottles and stubbies being concreted in to the shape of one Big Stubbie!

The Big Sundial - Singleton - New South Wales
The Singleton Sundial is still considered the largest sundial in the southern hemisphere. The Singleton Sundial is an enduring landmark commemorating the bicentennial of Australia, and is the major feature of the 1988 Bicentennial Riverside Park Project.

The Big Tassie Devil - Mole Creek - Tasmania
The Big Tasmanian Devil can be seen guarding the entrance to the Trowunna Wildlife Park at Mole Creek, Tasmania. These formidable looking creatures, among other Australian wildlife, are on show at the Wildlife Park.

The Big Trout - Adaminaby - New South Wales
The town of Adaminaby in the Snowy Mountains, is a highly popular destination for trout fishing. Accordingly a Big Trout statue has been positioned in tribute to the fruitful pastime.

The Big UGG Boots - Thornton - New South Wales
Located at Mortels Sheepskin Factory, considered the biggest in the world. These 600-kilogram fibreglass and steel structures have withstood a devastating storm equivalent to category-two cyclones.

The Big Wine Bottle - Rutherglen, Victoria
Rutherglen locals have basically turned water into wine with this big thing. The Big Wine Bottle was originally just a water tower. In 1969, the Rutherglen Wine Festival paid for the mesh top to be added, transforming the tower into a wine bottle. The bottle is 36 metres tall, making it around 120 times bigger than your standard 30cm wine bottle.

The Big Wine Cask - Buronga - New South Wales
This Big Wine Cask can be found at the BRL Stanley Winery in Buronga. The Cask is 8m high, 11m long and 7m wide and could hold up to 400 000 litres of wine if desired! It was originally a water-purifying plant for the winery but with a tap and new paint job it has been transformed into a renown "Big Thing"!

The Big Wool Bales - Hamilton - Victoria
The Big Wool bales can be found 3km west of the city centre at Coleraine Road on the Henty Highway in Hamilton amongst native red gums.

The five structures replicate five wool bales, representing the value of the wool industry in the area. The five wool bales form a building which has an array of wool-related displays.

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❊ Web Links ❊

➼ The Really Big List: Australia's BIG Icons 

➼ Source: australianexplorer.com

➼ Google: 2.23m BIG things






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