There’s something about an Australian road trip that makes you want to pull over for a giant piece of fruit, an oversized animal or something completely random sitting on the side of the highway.
Australia’s Big Things have become part of the fun of travelling around the country, especially when you’re travelling with kids. They give everyone something to look out for between destinations, they are an excuse to stretch your legs, and of course, you almost always have to get the photo.
So whether you’re planning a huge lap of Australia, a school holiday road trip or just looking for somewhere different to take the kids for the weekend, here are some of Australia’s Big Things worth adding to your list.
The Big Banana – Coffs Harbour, NSW
You can’t really talk about Australia’s Big Things without starting with the Big Banana. It’s been a Coffs Harbour landmark for generations and is probably one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Australia’s oversized roadside attractions.
While stopping for the classic photo in front of the banana is almost compulsory, there is plenty more here for families who want to stay a little longer. The surrounding attraction has grown over the years, making it an easy place to break up a drive along the NSW coast and give the kids a chance to burn off some energy before getting back in the car.
If you’re travelling the east coast, this is definitely one of those Big Things the kids will recognise again years later when they see it in photos.
Best time to visit: Year round, although the milder months are great if you want to spend more time exploring outdoors.
Best for: Families travelling the NSW coast and anyone wanting to tick one of Australia’s most famous Big Things off the list.
The Big Pineapple – Woombye, Queensland
The Big Pineapple is another Aussie road-trip icon that many parents probably remember from their own childhood holidays. Located on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the giant pineapple has been welcoming road trippers for decades.
It’s an easy one to add to a Sunshine Coast family holiday, particularly if you’re already exploring the hinterland as well as the beaches. There is also an amusment park and cafe here so plenty to do if you want to spend the day.
Best time to visit: Autumn through to spring when the Queensland weather is generally a little more comfortable for exploring.
Best for: Sunshine Coast road trips, younger kids and families who love adding quirky stops to their travels.
The Big Lobster – Kingston SE, South Australia
Affectionately known as Larry the Lobster, this enormous crustacean is hard to miss when you’re driving through Kingston SE.
At around 17 metres tall, Larry makes for a pretty impressive roadside stop and is one of those Big Things where you really appreciate just how enormous it is once you’re standing underneath it.
If you’re travelling South Australia’s Limestone Coast, it’s an easy addition to the road trip and a good opportunity to get everyone out of the car, stretch their legs and take the obligatory family photo, Kingston itself is an amazing little town, with an epic rv park, we pulled in for a day and stayed a week.
Best time to visit: Spring and autumn are lovely for exploring the Limestone Coast, although Larry can be visited throughout the year.
Best for: Limestone Coast road trips and families looking for an easy, quick Big Thing to tick off their list.
The Big Rocking Horse – Gumeracha, South Australia
The Big Rocking Horse is one I would allow a little more time for because there’s more here than simply pulling over, taking a photo and continuing down the road.
Located in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills, the Big Rocking Horse stands more than 18 metres high and you can actually climb it. There’s also a wooden toy factory and wildlife park, making this a really easy stop to turn into part of the day rather than just a roadside photo opportunity.
Kids can see animals including kangaroos and wallabies, and if everyone still has enough energy, you can tackle the climb up the Rocking Horse. It’s the sort of place that works particularly well when you have younger kids because there are a few different things to keep them interested.
Best time to visit: Spring and autumn, when the Adelaide Hills weather is generally comfortable for spending time outdoors.
Look out for: Kangaroos, wallabies, peacocks and other animals in the wildlife park, as well as the views when you climb the Rocking Horse.
Best for: Younger families, animal lovers and anyone exploring the Adelaide Hills.
The Big Galah – Kimba, South Australia
If you’re heading across the Eyre Peninsula or making your way towards the Nullarbor, keep an eye out for a very large pink and grey bird waiting for you in Kimba.
The Big Galah stands around eight metres tall and has been a Kimba landmark since the early 1990s. It’s a fun stop with kids, particularly because there’s something very Australian about finding an enormous galah in the middle of a road trip.
Kimba itself is also known for being roughly halfway across Australia between the east and west coasts, so it makes a great place to stop, stretch your legs and explore a little before continuing on. There’s more around town to discover too, including colourful silo art, which makes it worth allowing a little extra time rather than simply taking a photo of the galah and leaving.
For kids, this is also a good opportunity to start looking for the real thing. Galahs are one of those Australian birds you’ll often spot while travelling, so see who can find a real galah after visiting its much bigger roadside cousin.
Best time to visit: Autumn and spring are great times to travel through the Eyre Peninsula, particularly if you want to avoid the hottest summer temperatures.
Look out for: Kimba’s silo art and, of course, real pink and grey galahs while you’re back on the road.
Best for: Eyre Peninsula adventures, families travelling towards the Nullarbor and anyone doing a longer Australian road trip.
The Big Mango – Bowen, Queensland
You know you have reached tropical Queensland when a giant mango starts appearing on your road trip itinerary.
The Big Mango is located near Bowen in the Whitsundays region and is a fun stop if you’re travelling the Queensland coast. The mango itself stands around 10 metres tall, so there’s no missing it, and it makes for a very Queensland photo to add to the family road-trip collection.
Bowen is also worth exploring beyond the Big Mango, with beaches, lookouts and plenty of beautiful coastline nearby. Rather than treating this as somewhere to simply stop for five minutes, you could easily make Bowen part of your wider Whitsundays road trip.
Best time to visit: The cooler, drier months from around May to September are generally the most comfortable for exploring this part of Queensland.
Best for: Queensland coastal road trips, tropical fruit lovers and families heading north towards the Whitsundays.
The Big Prawn – Ballina, NSW
Another east-coast favourite, the Big Prawn in Ballina is exactly what the name suggests, one enormous prawn.
It’s become one of those classic stops for families driving through northern New South Wales, particularly if you’re travelling between the Gold Coast, Byron Bay and the NSW coast.
This one doesn’t need to take up half your day. It’s more about adding a bit of fun to the drive, grabbing a photo and giving the kids another Big Thing to add to their tally.
Best time to visit: Any time of year.
Best for: Families travelling through northern NSW and anyone who loves a quick, slightly ridiculous roadside photo.
The Big Merino – Goulburn, NSW
If you’re driving between Sydney and Canberra, chances are you’ve spotted the Big Merino sitting beside the highway in Goulburn.
Known as Rambo, the giant concrete merino is around 15 metres tall and celebrates the region’s long connection with Australia’s wool industry. Unlike some Big Things that are simply there for the photo, this stop also gives kids a chance to learn a little about the area and why wool has been so important to Goulburn.
And yes, you can head inside and climb up to the lookout.
Best time to visit: Year round, although Goulburn can get very cold during winter, so pack accordingly if you’re stopping for a while.
Best for: Families travelling between Sydney and Canberra and kids who enjoy learning a little about the places they visit.
Turn the Big Things into a Family Road-Trip Challenge
One of the easiest ways to make long drives more interesting for kids is to give them something to look out for along the way, and Australia’s Big Things are perfect for this.
Before you leave, look at your route together and see which Big Things you could find. Let the kids choose a couple they really want to visit, keep a tally of how many you see and take a photo at each one. You could even see who can spot the next one first.
It doesn’t need to become another carefully planned part of the itinerary either. Sometimes the best ones are the Big Things you didn’t know existed until you suddenly see a sign on the highway and decide to take the detour.
The Stops Between the Destinations Matter Too
When we travel with kids, it’s easy to focus on getting to the next destination. But so many of our favourite road-trip memories happen in between, the random lookout we decided to stop at, the little country bakery we found, an animal spotted beside the road or something enormous that made everyone laugh.
That’s one of the reasons I love encouraging kids to record their travels. Their favourite part of a trip isn’t always the attraction we spent hours planning. Sometimes it’s the giant lobster, mango or banana we stopped to see for ten minutes.
I’m very curious to see how many more Big Things we can add to our list!
How many of Australia’s Big Things has your family visited?
