The Big Bench at the Line of Lode Miners Memorial in Broken Hill, outback NSW. Photo: Destination NSW.
Australia has a penchant for ”Big Things”. These gigantic edifices – more than 150 – serve as eye-catching attractions, drawing attention to local businesses and promoting tourism in the region.
While virtually everyone’s familiar with the ”Big Banana” in Coffs Harbour, it is sometimes claimed that this was the first Big Thing in Australia. However, the five-metre-high ”Big Scotsman” in Adelaide probably predates it by at least a year. Some people also include the ”Big Mouth” in Melbourne’s Luna Park, which dates all the way back to 1912!
Undoubtedly, Big Things are symbols of local pride and resourcefulness, celebrating the country’s ethos and diverse industries. Over the years, these structures have advanced beyond their initial purpose and acquired a special place in Australian culture.
The importance of Australia’s Big Things has been corroborated in a Pursuit article by Associate Professor David Nichols and Dr Cristina Garduno Freeman from the University of Melbourne. They ask: “What’s the point of dotting Australia with Big Things – like the Big Banana or the Big Prawn? Well, they’re kitsch fun but they also connect us to one another.”
“Go big or go home”, as the phrase goes, certainly reveals Australians have got the message about giving something your all. The expression encourages us to take bold actions. The time is right to hit the highways and explore the land of oversized icons. Indubitably!
Here’s a guide to some of Australia’s most iconic larger-than-life attractions (in no particular order) to add to your road trip bucket list.
The Big Bench, Broken Hill: This bench sits on a hill formed from a heap of mineral debris from the Line of Lode mines. A memorial on top of a silver ore mine, the Big Bench makes anyone look like a little kid at two and a half times the size of a normal park bench.
The Big Bench was built in September 2002 as part of the Landscapes and Background Exhibition. Although it does not stand along the road like most Big Things, the Big Bench is a famous picturesque spot because of its beautiful terrain, and is a favourite spot for movie productions, which have included Mad Max and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The five-metre-high ”Big Scotsman”, known as Scotty, was erected in 1963 at a motel in the inner-Adelaide suburb of Medindie. Photo: Supplied.
The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour: Set on a banana plantation, this bright beacon is a must-stop spot on the Pacific Highway. Now a national icon, it receives more than one million visitors a year.
The Big Merino, Goulburn: The world’s biggest merino sheep was built just off the Goulburn exit on the Princes Highway in 1985 to celebrate the district’s 200-year-old fine-wool industry. The three-storey, 15-metre x 18-metre structure houses an exhibition and gift shop.
The Big Golden Guitar, Tamworth: A 12-metre-tall replica of the famous Golden Guitar Award from Tamworth’s annual country music festival, The Big Golden Guitar stands alongside both The Country Music Wax Museum and the National Guitar Museum, the latter displaying 45 guitars autographed by global country music icons.
The Big Prawn, Ballina: A symbol of Australian cuisine and classic Aussie summers, the nine-metre-high Big Prawn is a 30-minute drive from Byron Bay and its famous beaches.
The Big Hat, Yeoval: Located between Dubbo and Parkes, the six-metre-tall Big Hat is an oversized, bronze version of famed Australian bush poet Banjo Paterson’s.
The Big Trout, in Adaminaby in the Snowy Mountains, is a 10-metre-high fibreglass model. Photo: Snowy Mountains Tourism.
The Big Trout, Adaminaby: This 10-metre-high fibreglass model is the centrepiece in an alpine town in the Snowy Mountains.
The Big Kookaburra, Kurri Kurri: Perched on a tree trunk in this Hunter Valley town, The Big Kookaburra was built in 2009 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the town’s Hydro Aluminium smelter with the emblem of Kurri Kurri, the kookaburra.
The Big Oyster, Taree: In its heyday, this 20-metre-high, 27-metre-wide Taree mollusc was home to a restaurant and souvenir shop. Now a shell housing a car dealership, it’s still an apt symbol of the treasures that come from the town’s significant waterway, the Manning River.
Other colossal icons include The Big Yabby, Fords Bridge; The Big Bush Turkey, Kyogle; The Big Cherries, Young; The Big Ant, Broken Hill; The Big Ugg Boots, Thornton; The Big Tennis Racquet, Barellan; The Big Lawn Bowl, Port Macquarie; The Big Bogan, Nyngan; The Big Potato, Robertson; The Big Beer Can, Cobar; and The Big Murray Cod, Tocumwal.
We are developing quite a Big novelty statue collection in Australia. If you are undertaking a pilgrim’s journey to something Big, it would be worthwhile thinking about the Big Picture of where they fit in our society and history.
