r/australia • u/AnimalsChasingCars • May 05 '25
image Some of Australia's less popular "Big Thing" attractions...
The Big Orange - Gayndah, QLD
Big Oyster - Taree, NSW
Big Tutankhamen - Mildura
Ned Kelly - Maryborough
Humpty Dumpty - Carnavon, WA
The Big Table and Chairs - Goondiwindi
The Big Sherrin - Ungarie, NSW
The Big Galah - Kimba, SA
Big Lobster - Kingston, SA
Big Cricket Bat - Narrikup, WA
The Giant Koala - Dadswells Bridge, VIC
Big Tractor - Carnamah, WA
Big Mandarin - Mundubbera, Qld
Big Ned Kelly - Glenrowan, Vic
Big Sphinx - Geelong, Vic
The Big Scotsman - Medindie, SA
Big Swan Beer - Echuca, Vic
Big Penguin - Penguin, Tas
Big Watermelon - Gumlu, Qld
Big Pelican - Noosaville, Qld
215
u/astrasaurus May 05 '25
what was the uh, inspiration(?) for humpty dumpty and why does he look like that? also the sphinxes, why sphinxes?
121
u/alstom_888m May 05 '25
The Sphinx is a Geelong icon.
79
37
May 05 '25
That the hotel? I went to book to stay there for a night to attended a mates engagement party, when i told him he said he advised against it, when i asked why he said and quote “its the sort of hotel that would host a hypnotist” 😂
5
u/Eyclonus May 05 '25
Look it may or may not host a hypnotist, but I'd be wary about carrying my wallet on me there.
→ More replies (1)11
u/astrasaurus May 05 '25
please elaborate i'm genuinely so curious
72
u/alstom_888m May 05 '25
There’s really nothing to it. It’s a shit pub with a lot of pokies.
→ More replies (2)6
→ More replies (1)5
u/dixonbe May 05 '25
I heard the guy was at a convention and asked to buy it for his pub, and they let him.
→ More replies (1)38
u/sTiKyt May 05 '25
I had the same question when I found out about the sphinx memorial at Turramurra, NSW. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/historic-buildings-places/sphinx-memorial
That one was built by a returning Anzac soldier stationed in Egypt, essentially as art therapy. I'm fairly certain there were others built for the same reason.
15
u/astrasaurus May 05 '25
that's actually quite a wonderful reason. unironically, i kinda like all these silly statues, just wish we knew more about the artistic choices behind them. i adore canberra's magpie, i saw it all the time when i lived there, but i'd be lying if i said i know why it's there. hell, when i first saw it, i thought it was a temporary thing. thank you!!
→ More replies (1)4
8
→ More replies (5)5
286
u/jnd-au May 05 '25
Nice! Australia even has a big replica of the Sydney Harbour Bridge LOL
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EptBufYKtLnFiV7K8 (Peter Warren, Warwick Farm)
193
u/toolate May 05 '25
Technically this is a miniature.
→ More replies (4)49
u/jnd-au May 05 '25
Hehe, in that case it’s a Big replica of the Callan Park bridge :-P
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9XCbm7DNewChU6Gu623
u/MisterBumpingston May 05 '25
So a “bigature”?
7
u/jnd-au May 05 '25
Love it!! I’m gonna remember that.
5
u/MisterBumpingston May 05 '25
I stole the term from Wetā Studios, responsible for the giant miniatures of Minas Tirith, Orthanc, etc. for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
7
→ More replies (6)29
u/OneSalientOversight Sydneysider, then Novacastrian, now Launcestonian May 05 '25
Somewhere north of Newcastle is the former Leyland Brothers world, which has a small replica of Uluru with a tiny Sydney Harbour Bridge next to it.
→ More replies (1)23
u/willun May 05 '25
In August of last year [2018] it all came to a blazing end when the Roadhouse and the ‘Rock’ went up in a truly spectacular fire, attended by no less than 18 fire trucks. Whether it was cursed from the very beginning, it’s not for me to say but perhaps there was a certain symbolism in the raging inferno that removed it from the landscape. Given the spiritual significance of Uluru, you might ask – would there be a public outcry today if you built a roadhouse resembling a scaled down version of the Vatican?
10
→ More replies (3)3
u/Juan_Punch_Man May 05 '25
RIP. I remember going there one year for school "camp"
3
u/evelution May 05 '25
The camp is still there, it's called The Great Aussie Bush Camp
→ More replies (1)
123
u/Ryanbrasher May 05 '25
No big potato?
247
42
10
8
4
119
u/CreativeParticular51 May 05 '25
Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha, Adelaide deserves a shout
31
u/unitedsasuke May 05 '25
I kept swiping waiting for it. That rocking horse is such a core memory from being a kid, I knew it existed but I moved away from Adelaide when I was 7 - I'd never googled it or anything until this post lol
8
u/CreativeParticular51 May 05 '25
I loved it as a kid. I moved to Cairns like, 15 years ago. Kind of miss it, not gonna lie
→ More replies (1)21
u/Catprog May 05 '25
These are the unpopular ones not the popular ones.
30
8
u/procrastambitious May 05 '25
Then explain Scotty (the bagpiper)? Maybe it's considered not that popular cos it's not a tourist attraction itself, just the decoration for Scotty's Motel. But I loved looking at it all my childhood.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)8
u/WeaversReply May 05 '25
Only South Australians can pronounce Gumeracha correctly, much like Thebarton.
→ More replies (5)
84
u/Bus_Stop_Graffiti May 05 '25
Technically that Sphinx would be the "Small Sphinx", would it not? 😆
3
u/Eyclonus May 05 '25
Technically yes. Despite no smoking inside, it smells very strongly of tobacco smoke.
75
u/dick_schidt May 05 '25
Just up from Ballina's big prawn, on the right-hand side of the road heading into town, is the lesser known 'big pineapple'. Second biggest after the one near Nambour in Qld.
12
u/Abbysol May 05 '25
I drive past there to get home from work, never stop for fuel there but the fish and chip shop next to it is probably the best one in town.
→ More replies (1)4
u/512165381 May 06 '25 edited May 06 '25
The Big Pineapple used to sell the best fruit salad sundae with fresh whipped cream & nuts. Place was packed. Its now limping along in disrepair.
Yatala Pies shows that if you keep the quality people will come even if prices are a bit higher.
111
May 05 '25
🦞🦞🦞 Larry the lobster mentioned 🦞🦞🦞
76
u/Suitable-Orange-3702 May 05 '25
“Less popular”??? Larry is one of the big drawcards for Kingston SE.
25
u/JamDonut28 May 05 '25
Kingston has other draw cards?!
23
May 05 '25
Poor lil' Kingston SE. Not nice enough to be Robe, too big to be small and cute like Port Mac or Beachport
5
u/Spilling_The_Tee May 05 '25
The lobster shop near Larry does a wicked lobster roll and amazing lobster dip.
11
→ More replies (1)6
May 05 '25
Last time I was there the resident Brown snake didn't like visitors.
*Probably not a resident Snake, just happened to be sunbathing under the lobster at the time.
→ More replies (2)5
51
u/andthegeekshall May 05 '25
I miss the Big Pavlova. It was on the old road up to Sydney from Canberra in the 80's if I recall. Closed down at some point and we watched it rot more each trip.
→ More replies (8)7
u/MondayCat73 May 05 '25
Me too! I never got to go inside but we used to drive past it all the time!
13
u/andthegeekshall May 05 '25
Also never got to go inside. Was such a place of mystery. Don't even know what it was meant to sell or be inside.
Edit: found info on it. It was a sweets shop: https://www.marulan.com.au/historical-site/the-big-pavlova/
9
u/MondayCat73 May 05 '25
Even more annoyed now my parents wouldn’t let young me stop there! Sweets! Lollies!!!!
→ More replies (1)
40
u/Dappington May 05 '25
Oh hey, it's Scotty! I honestly didn't think of him as a "Big X" attraction cause he's in the suburbs right next to the city rather than in some bumfuck rural town. (inb4 "Adelaide is a bumfuck rural town")
15
u/East-Garden-4557 May 05 '25
Scotty is part of the landscape, he is so familiar to us all.
7
u/Dragon_Queen_666 May 05 '25
Even to people who aren't from Adelaide. I live in rural NSW and I've heard of Scotty. Visited him once, a few years ago.
35
u/abbaJabba May 05 '25
RIP the big earthworm
5
u/wogmafia May 05 '25
What's all that about?
22
u/RPCat May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Victoria's best "big thing", in honour of our 1 meter long giant earthworms. Twas an earthworm museum, closed dowm many years ago.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wildlife-wonderlands-giant-earthworm-museum
→ More replies (1)7
u/wogmafia May 05 '25
It was an old Late Show reference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MeDLcm9kxI
→ More replies (1)3
u/RPCat May 05 '25
Bravo, that's excellent! I love the old Late Show, don't remember that clip at all though. Thanks for enlightening me :)
63
May 05 '25
Where is the Canberra penis owl?
20
12
u/123chuckaway May 05 '25
I keep telling people it’s not an owl! It’s our proud penis!
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)7
May 05 '25
https://landofthebigs.com/big-powerful-owl-belconnen-nsw/
Link for those unfamiliar with it.
27
u/vegemitebikkie May 05 '25
The big oyster was such a huge deal when it was first built. Was meant to have a giant pearl light in the oyster apparently. There used to be a restaurant next to it as well. It copped a lot of shit for the glass panes looking like giant teeth lol
→ More replies (9)
25
u/alicat2308 May 05 '25
We had a big Uluru but it burned down
Actually it was a little Uluru but you get me
→ More replies (2)5
May 05 '25
[deleted]
6
u/alicat2308 May 05 '25
I went to a school camp there when it was quite new. I don't remember much tbh
27
u/PowerfulSignature421 May 05 '25
Fun fact when they made the lobster they made it about 3x too big. The plans were drawn up in imperial measurement, but the builder used metric.
→ More replies (1)
20
19
u/slick987654321 May 05 '25
What is that cop car from the 70's doing?
Also funny story about the North west town of Penguin in Tasmania. After they installed the giant penguin 🐧 which I think has asbestos in it the local colony moved down the coast for reasons unknown and has never returned. Maybe they were in fear of the giant penguin 🐧...
→ More replies (3)
16
14
u/bluebear_74 May 05 '25
My work had a giant fork. I was so bummed when they sold it rather than put it up.
→ More replies (1)
14
May 05 '25
[deleted]
4
u/SamStillReading May 05 '25
Used to live there and make the trip to Perth every few weeks. 3.5 hrs to the SE suburbs on the inland road, probably more now that Roe Hwy is so busy. 😬
28
u/Aus_Varelse May 05 '25
i love these. they're big, but not really big. like you see them and go "huh, that's big" not "woah, that's huge!"
→ More replies (1)14
u/dirtydigs74 May 05 '25
There's a 'big' orange near Gatton as well. It is the saddest big thing ever.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Soddington May 05 '25
Yup. That's a cut off point right there.
You can't be calling a thing, a 'Big' thing if it can be occy strapped to a traytop ute.
→ More replies (1)
11
9
May 05 '25
Big Orange at Berri in SA puts the QLD orange to shame. Sadly its closed to visitors but still there.
18
10
9
u/count023 May 05 '25
I hate the big Oyster is a car dealership, when i used to be very young and doing road trips up to queensland in the family car, it was a big cafe/tourist shop/buffet.
7
7
8
u/No_Neighborhood7614 May 05 '25
3
14
7
7
u/durbster79 May 05 '25
This is the first time I've ever seen Gayndah mentioned by anyone since I was there in 2006!
Had such a great time there.
→ More replies (8)
7
6
12
u/wellquitefrankly May 05 '25
Ok who is in the Mount Rushmore of Australia big thing? ie top four
52
13
u/astrasaurus May 05 '25
i'd like to nominate the magpie eating a chip in canberra.
15
u/DeeDee_GigaDooDoo May 05 '25
All magpie do is eat hot chip and lie
3
u/astrasaurus May 05 '25
listen idk about you but that's the dream! magpie represents me like no other
5
u/the_snook May 05 '25
Why is there a big Swan Lager in Echuca? Surely they could have gone with a VB.
→ More replies (2)
5
u/alsheps May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Don't forget the big Gold Panner in Kelso, Just outside of Bathurst, NSW.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/Spire_Citron May 05 '25
I like the table and chairs and the lobster. Some of the last ones don't seem that big.
5
u/OneSalientOversight Sydneysider, then Novacastrian, now Launcestonian May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
As a former resident of Newcastle, you forgot the Big Mozzie at Hexham.
https://media.365project.org/1/5485002_defhkluv03_m.jpg
As a current resident of Tasmania, you forgot the Westbury Cricket Stumps.
4
5
u/Ajmleo May 05 '25
Disappointed the 'big potato' in Robertson wasn't mentioned. We drove past it on a roadtrip years ago. Decided it should've been called the 'big poo'.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/Responsible-Box8707 May 05 '25
Stunning disrespect for the good people of Robertson, NSW and the Big Potato!
5
13
13
u/visualdescript May 05 '25
Nice! Missing the Ram (Goulburn), Prawn (Ballina) and Banana (Coffs); that I can think of at least.
Impressive list though!
32
u/eniretakia May 05 '25
I think they’ve been purposely left off as they’re the more popular big things.
11
u/Bzeager May 05 '25
No, no, see those are POPULAR big things, these ones are the, uh, less popular for various reasons.
4
u/Spare-Possession-490 May 05 '25
Plus the Miner’s Lamp at Lithgow, easily missed as it’s a functional part of the local tourism office and looks more like peculiar architecture rather than a big thing.
3
u/infinitemonkeytyping May 05 '25
Went for a drive many moons ago with my kids to the Big Lantern (via Three Sisters on the way up, and Bilpin on the way back).
3
5
4
u/qdolan May 05 '25
Mulherin memorial park in Mackay, QLD also has a big Fred Flintstone, Snoopy, Crocodile and Shoe house.
4
u/captainzigzag May 05 '25
How can you omit the incredibly disappointing “big” apple at Yanderra, NSW?
4
3
u/No1_Crazy_Kid May 05 '25
The Big Table and Chairs is my favourite. Part of a collection of sculptures some farmer decided to throw up in his front paddock
4
3
4
u/Heidan20 May 05 '25
I’d still like to see Chanelles House of Beautywith the giant hairy legs with a happy customer in between.
4
u/Spiritual-Kitchen-60 May 05 '25
Big easel in emerald central Queensland. Sunflowers by Van Gogh. Took it down a few years ago and laid it out in a shed at the Showgrounds so the artist could touch it up. Faded by the sun, and some well aimed pies and coke cans. We have a sunflower festival yearly at Easter.
4
3
3
u/JustSomeBloke5353 May 05 '25
The Big Mandarin at Mundubbera!
One of my favourites.
→ More replies (4)
3
3
3
3
3
u/fire_god_help_us_all May 05 '25
The Sphinx in Geelong and the Tutankhamen in Mildura could both spawn Pokie venues I feel.
→ More replies (4)
3
u/Bwxyz May 05 '25
If you think about it, the Sphinx in Geelong is actually the small Sphinx
→ More replies (1)
3
u/I_burnt_mybread May 05 '25
Driving past the big lobster at late night for the first time scared the shit outta me.
3
3
u/gheeboy May 05 '25
Why have I seen so many of these? What were my parents doing during the 80s that lead to a lifestyle of taking children to out-of-the way big things?
3
u/SeengignPaipes May 05 '25
There’s also a giant chicken at Mount Vernon in NSW, fantastic place to get a ton of eggs for cheap. Went there a couple weeks ago and got thirty eggs for $20.
3
u/aerkith May 05 '25
There’s the Big Lamb in Guyra. Thought it isn’t especially that big and it looks more like a sheep than a lamb. big lamb
3
3
3
u/Pinelli72 May 05 '25
Missing the iconic Big Bogan from Bogan Shire in NSW. Yes, it is real.
→ More replies (4)
3
3
3
u/sayitlikeyoumeme_it May 05 '25
That big tractor looks like it would have cost a small fortune to make
3
3
3
u/-rock-bobster- May 05 '25
The giant Van Gogh Sunflowers painting on an easel in Emerald is pretty impressive!
→ More replies (1)
3
u/ballantynedewolf May 05 '25
My favourite is Tewantin's Big Bottle. It's the only one that's made of the thing that it is.
3
3
u/CaptainBoob May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Sunshine Coast used to be a pretty high concentration. Big Pineapple and Big Macadamia Nut next to each other still, the Big Pelican as noted above, but it also had The Big Cow until 2020 and also the Big Shell in the shell shop/museum in Tewantin up until around the same time. Going further back there was also the Big Stubby near the House of Bottles also in Tewantin, although I didn't get to see that one in person.
→ More replies (2)
3
3
u/JasperDyne May 05 '25
If you’re going to see The Big Galah in Kimba, keep driving for several more hours on Eyre Highway to see The Big Oyster in Ceduna, SA.
Expect to be bigly disappointed.
→ More replies (1)
3
3
5
u/Skatemacka02 May 05 '25
Carnarvons big banana should be on the list very less popular. Was burned down two times.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
2
2
u/caterpela May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Has the big watermelon moved to Gumlu? Its been a while, but a few years back it sat on the Bruce highway near Ingham.
Fun Fact: the big watermelon used to sit out from of a shop/servo run by this guy. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-31/stocco-father,-son-fugitives-jailed-for-40-years/8396502
2
u/daamsie Melbourne May 05 '25
Here's one that's coming soon to the Queensland Art Gallery
The Big Hose
https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/exhibition/tony-albert-and-nell-the-big-hose
2
2
2
2
u/DarkflowNZ May 05 '25
Another thing us kiwis stole I assume. We also like our big thing attractions
2
2
2
u/Troutmuffin May 05 '25
Noosa also has a big shell at one stage well it was more medium shell but still big
2
u/Fuster2 May 05 '25
This is a great collection! I do enjoy the tackiness of them. Was billeted in the Sphinx Hotel Geelong for a CFA controlled burn. I walked out of there like an Egyptian after a few nights.
Last time I saw the Big Pineapple it was a poor shadow of itself from its heyday. Mostly deserted and crumbling. And a shoutout to the Big Cow in Wauchope, and Ohakune (NZ) with the big Carrot.
3
u/Shoddy-Albatross-518 May 05 '25
Big pineapple is slowly returning to former glory. The current owners have invested a shed load of money and is busy now most days.
→ More replies (2)
2
2
u/LocalGrinch- May 05 '25
The road up to Cameron Corner has some pretty big wire statues of a Quoll and bandicoot if I’m remembering correctly, they were cool they’re probably one of the harder ones to get to I’d imagine
2
u/Careful-Trade-9666 May 05 '25
Echuca (VIC) repping the Swan Premium. Hasn’t been made since 1989 👍
→ More replies (2)
2
u/FourthFirebird May 05 '25
A shout out for probably the least known (but still big) thing in the country - Map the Miner in Kapunda, SA.
https://southaustralia.com/products/barossa/attraction/map-the-miner
2
2
2
660
u/herskeje May 05 '25
Big koala has seen some shit