The Big Magnet at Magnetic Hill near Black Rock – a big local attraction.

The Big Beetle (Opalised) at Coober Pedy

The Big Shingleback/Sleepy Lizard/Bobtail depending on which state you are from. It sits atop the Visitor Centre at Roxby Downs.

Abandoned by Dorothy years earlier, the Tinman now spends his time making a heartless appeal to use the local motel at the Mobil Napperby Servo just north of Port Pirie. Though he will give you the drum about the local area.

Grey Nomad Wisdom: “Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

Not a Big Thing, but still awesome. The model of the size of the Big 5.2 metre Great white shark caught by a hand line at Streaky Bay in 1990. It resides inside the local Shell Service Station.

The Big Thongs on the Great Ocean Drive at Elliston on the Eyre Peninsula.

Rooey II at Border Village. Rooey II was the winning name in a competition. Rooey also happened to be the nickname of one of the owners of the Roadhouse, so the sculpture became Rooey II. The addition of the jar of vegemite is just a kanga-ruse. Note the cute joey.

Big Explorers -statues of explorer Edward John Eyre and his guide are at the summit of Whites Knob gazing across the Kimba district. Eyre and his party left Port Lincoln for Western Australia in 1941 and passed through this area. His guide asked Eyre if his compass was accurate and he replied, “Yes, to a degree…”

The Whale at Nullarbor Roadhouse. Although listed as a Big Thing, it is smaller than the real thing. This one is service-stationary.

Malls Balls in Rundle Mall Adelaide – when the concept was first discussed some sceptics didn’t think they had the balls to do it.

Athough not listed as a Big Thing, this is a monster attraction. In the lake adjacent to the small town of Lochiel is The Loch-Eel Monster – a lochturnal creature. There is a legend of a local monster after bullocks went missing on the lake in the 1860s. The real monster hasn’t been seen since the Lochiel Hotel closed in 2014.

Hay, hay! Big Teddy Bear constructed from round and square hay bales north of Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsula. This one looks stuffed.

The Big Dice outside Manna Hill just off the Barrier Highway. A gambler swallowed his dice once – he then waited for craps.

Not THE Big Dog but A Big Dog – the Loaded Dog art at the Whyalla Vet – commemorates “The Loaded Dog”, a humorous short story by Henry Lawson. The plot concerns three gold miners and their black retriever dog, and the farcical consequences of leaving a bomb cartridge unattended. The story was first published in 1901. Look it up.

A Big Hand at Gawler – an RSL memorial War Memorial in Gawler was officially dedicated on 11 November 2018, the 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War. “The Town of Gawler and the RSL decided to engage a different approach to a War Memorial. The sculpture will be a place where a person of any religion, age, race and gender can identify with and reflect on family or lost friends. The hand can be given in friendship, and also it can be used to comfort and to love, the hand can also console, the hand also has been used to condemn and to hurt but this memorial will show that the hand can rest and be at peace.” Paul Little, RSL Gawler Sub-Branch President October 2018

The Big Bee at Kingscote, Kangaroo Island. A big thing – or wannabee big thing?

The Big Cockroach on the highway to Port Wakefield north of Adelaide. The paddock hadn’t been sprayed.

The Big Lobster “Larry” at Kingston SE. Larry is certainly one of the more iconic Big Things of Australia. Photos are free – the owners are not shellfish.

South Australians love their seafood – these Big Crabs are at Port Germein at the start of the long jetty. I also adopted a seafood diet – I see food and I eat it.

Another big crustacean, this time at Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula. Some people come here and catch crabs.

The Big Cuppa on the old Capitol Theatre. A oversized cup once fell on my head – it’s terrible to be mugged.

The Big Winch at Coober Pedy – I can tick this off my “bucket” list.

The town of Kimba is halfway across Australia and is home to the iconic Big Galah – at 8 metres high it is a very big bird and is in beak performance. 2017 visit.

Image taken in 2023 with new paint colour scheme. It is the beak performance of Big Things and one our favourite Big Things in Australia – sorry Big Pineapple, I know you will be crushed!

Wudinna also has the Big Australian Farmer statue. This impressive sculpture is carved in local granite and features a stylised farmer with wheat and sheep included in the design.

The Big Ant at Poochera on the Eyre Highway – celebrating the rare prehistoric ant found locally. This one didn’t give us a good reception – it had lost its antennae.

Map the Miner in Kapunda. Map Kernow or the Son of Cornwall is 7 metres high commemorating local Cornish mining history in the town. The miners left Cornwall when they got shafted.