Australia is home to over 1,075 Big Things — enormous sculptures and structures scattered across the continent that have become beloved emblems of the Australian road trip. From giant fruit to towering animals and kitsch cultural monuments, these icons tell the story of regional pride, local industry, and a wonderfully irreverent Aussie sense of humour.
The Story Behind Australia's Big Icons
The phenomenon began in the early 1960s, inspired by the "Roadside Giants" movement already underway in the United States. The Big Scotsman in Adelaide (1963) is recognised as the first purpose-built roadside Big Thing in Australia — a 5-metre figure called "Scotty" erected outside Scotty's Motel in Medindie, South Australia. This cheeky pioneer paved the way for everything that followed. (Earlier monuments like the Dog on the Tuckerbox at Gundagai, built 1932, predate Scotty but weren't conceived as roadside tourist lures.)
The golden age arrived when The Big Banana opened in Coffs Harbour in 1964 — the first commercially successful Big Thing, strategically planted at the entrance to a banana plantation gift shop. Its runaway popularity proved that an oversized roadside sculpture could genuinely drive tourist dollars, and within a decade, regional Australia was in the grip of a Big Thing building boom.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the movement exploded. Councils, farmers, and small business owners across every state erected giant crayfish, koalas, guitars, and gumboots — anything that could celebrate a local industry or put their town on the map. Today these quirky landmarks have evolved from simple tourist traps into cherished cultural monuments, appearing on Australia Post stamps (2007) and Royal Australian Mint coins (2023).
At its peak, the Big Pineapple drew over a million visitors annually — making it one of Australia's most visited attractions of any kind. It even appeared on a 2007 commemorative Australia Post stamp.
Big Things in Australia You Must See
These are the undisputed hall-of-famers — the Big Things that have earned genuine cultural icon status and should be on every Aussie road trip bucket list.
The Big Banana
Perhaps the most famous of all Australian big icons, the Big Banana has stood proudly in Coffs Harbour since 1964. This 5m high by 11m long fibreglass sculpture fronts a banana-themed complex with a waterslide, mini golf, and plantation tours — making it one of the most complete visitor experiences of any Big Thing. Synonymous with the Aussie road trip for over 60 years.
The Big Pineapple
Standing 12 metres tall at the Sunshine Plantation, the Big Pineapple is arguably Australia's most beloved Big Thing. Visitors climb inside to learn about tropical fruit farming, enjoy panoramic views, and tour the plantation on the famous Nutmobile. The site now hosts the hugely popular Big Pineapple Music Festival, cementing its status as a genuine cultural venue. Also home to the Big Macadamia.
The Big Merino
This 15m high, 21m long woolly giant is a testament to Goulburn's place at the centre of Australia's wool industry — once the richest agricultural industry on earth. Known affectionately as "Rambo," visitors can browse wool products, explore an exhibit on wool production, and get right up inside the sheep's head for panoramic views. An essential stop on the Sydney–Canberra corridor.
The Big Lobster — "Larry"
Known to locals as "Larry the Lobster", this extraordinary 18.2m crustacean is one of the tallest Big Things in Australia. Completed in 1979, Larry houses a restaurant and gift shop in his fibreglass belly and celebrates Kingston's proud position at the heart of South Australia's rock lobster industry. A genuinely jaw-dropping sight as you round the bend on the Princes Highway.
More Must-See Icons
Beyond the top four, these Big Things have earned their place in the pantheon of Australian roadside royalty:
The Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth (12m high, half a tonne of gleaming steel) was unveiled by country music legend Slim Dusty in 1988 and remains the centrepiece of Australia's country music capital. The Big Prawn in Ballina (6m × 9m) underwent a significant restoration and is now better than ever, fronting a seafood-themed tourism precinct on the NSW coast.
Big Icons Across the Country
Regional Australian Big Icons Worth Discovering
Beyond the headline acts, countless regional Big Things tell unique stories about Australia's diverse industries and communities. These are the hidden gems — the ones that reward the traveller willing to veer off the main highway and explore.
The Big Apple
The Big Potato
The Big Mandarin
The Big Orange
The Big Cherries
The Big Trout
The Big Mango
The Big Buffalo "Charlie"
The Big Murray Cod
The Big Galah
The Big Koala
The Big Barramundi
Unusual & Quirky Australian Big Icons
Some Big Things defy easy categorisation — these are the genuine oddballs of the movement, celebrating the stranger corners of Australian culture with absolute straight-faced sincerity.
The Big Wine Cask
The Big Stubbie
The Big Gumboot
The Big DNA
The Big Lollipop
The Big Root
Planning Your Big Icons Road Trip
With over 1,075 Big Things scattered across the continent, a little planning goes a long way. Here are three classic routes that pack in the most iconic stops:
The East Coast Icons Trail
Travel the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to Sydney for the highest concentration of Big Things anywhere in Australia.
The Inland Heritage Route
Follow the Hume Highway and surrounding regions through some of Australia's richest pastoral and historical country.
Queensland Tropical Circuit
Journey through North Queensland combining Big Things with reef and rainforest experiences on our Reef Tours.
☀️ Cooee Tours Travel Tip
Many Big Things are free to photograph but some — like the Big Pineapple and Big Banana — offer paid indoor attractions with seasonal hours. Always check websites before visiting. Mornings generally offer the best light for photos and smaller crowds. For a personalised itinerary including Big Thing stops, contact our team — we've done this route hundreds of times.
The Cultural Significance of Australia's Big Icons
The Big Things have long since transcended their origins as roadside tourist gimmicks. In 2007, Australia Post issued commemorative stamps featuring the Big Banana, Big Pineapple, Big Merino, Big Prawn, and Big Lobster — an official stamp of cultural legitimacy. In 2023, the Royal Australian Mint released commemorative $1 coins featuring ten of the most beloved Big Things, cementing their place in the national identity.
The National Museum in Canberra holds a multimedia exhibit on the Big Thing phenomenon, and travel writers from Bill Bryson to countless travel journalists have made them required stops on any authentic Australian itinerary. The London production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical references several Big Things, introducing them to international audiences.
Beyond the cultural cache, the economic argument is powerful. A well-designed Big Thing can bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to a small regional town annually — visitors who fill petrol tanks, eat at local cafés, stay at caravan parks, and buy regional produce. For many small towns, their Big Thing is their tourism industry.
Several Big Things have now been heritage-listed by state governments, protecting them from demolition. The near-loss of the Big Pineapple in 2010 (it went into receivership and closed temporarily before new owners saved it in 2011) sparked a national conversation about the cultural value of these icons, and stronger protections followed.
Communities have shown remarkable resilience in protecting their icons. When the Big Prawn faced demolition during a service station redevelopment, public outcry was so intense that developers agreed to restore and retain it. When the Big Mango was "stolen" as a PR stunt, the story made national news — proof of how deeply these structures are woven into Australian identity.