Australia vs Texas – Who Has the Biggest Things?

Let’s set the scene with a joke:

A Texan walks into a country pub. There, he meets an Australian farmer, and they strike up a conversation. The farmer invites the Texan to his farm for lunch the next day.

The Aussie shows off, pointing to his big wheat field to the Texan.

The Texan says,

“Oh! We have wheat fields that are at least twice as large."

They walk around the ranch a little, and the Aussie shows off his herd of cattle.

The Texan immediately says,

"We have longhorns that are at least twice as large as your cows."

The conversation slows down as the Texan sees a herd of kangaroos hopping in the field.

He asked, “And what are those?"

The Aussie replies with an incredulous look.

“Don’t you have any grasshoppers in Texas?”

Everyone associates Texas with big things, but Australia has some, too. I'm not sure why, but they seem to be popular tourist attractions. Here are six of them:

#1 The big merino.

This concrete statue of a merino ram stands 15.2 meters (50 ft) tall and is 18 meters long. It’s located in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. It is the worlds’ biggest Merino statue (who else would have one or want one?). It was modelled after Rambo, a stud ram that lived on a local property.

In 2007, the Big Merino was relocated closer to the new Hume Highway. This move aimed to boost visitor numbers. Now, it sits near the freeway interchange at a service station. Inside the Big Merino, you can visit a gift shop. You can also see a display on Australia’s wool history. Don’t forget to check out the observatory in the ram's eyes.

It was built to honor the region's wool industry and its contributions. This industry is worth over AU$32 billion to the Australian economy.

#2. The big prawn

The Big Prawn is located in Ballina, New South Wales, Australia. It's a prominent roadside attraction, easily visible as you drive into Ballina. The Big Prawn is a 9-meter-tall (30 ft), 35-tonne concrete structure.

In 1989, there was talk about demolishing it because it was looking a bit worse for wear. A hardware store located next door provided AU$400,000 to rescue it, and the big prawn lives on.

It was originally erected to celebrate the contribution of the Exmouth prawn industry. Exmouth tiger prawns are recognized all over the country as a seafood delicacy.

#3 The big banana

The Big Banana is located in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. This was one of Australia’s first big things. The 13×5 (43×16 ft) meter-long walk through the banana is part of a theme park located on the edge of a banana plantation.

#4 The giant/big koala

It just wouldn’t be right if Australia didn't have one of its iconic wildlife animals as a "big thing."

Australia has two: a big koala and a giant koala. The big koala is a fiberglass sculpture. It stands 2.5 meters (8 ft) tall. You can find it in the Cowarra State Forest, close to Wauchope on the New South Wales Coast. This sculpture is part of the award-winning Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. It represents the indigenous place called "Guulabaa", the ‘Place of Koala’, a tourism and education area.

Not to be outdone, the Giant Koala is located in Dadswells Bridge, Victoria. This is a 14-meter-tall (45 ft) bronze sculpture near the Grampians National Park. Visitors can enter the sculpture for souvenirs and refreshments. The Grampians used to be a stronghold for these amazing animals. Sadly, they now face extinction because of habitat loss and disease. Experts warn that koalas might not survive in the wild by 2050.

I studied koalas and how they digest eucalyptus leaves for seven years. So, this "big thing" means a lot to me.

#5 The big golden dog

The big golden dog stands 4 meters tall and 6 meters long (13 x 20 ft), guarding the town of Glereagh in the Clarence Valley region of New South Wales. Built in 2011, it is on the grounds of the Golden Dog hotel.

The hotel was rebuilt after bushfires destroyed it. The hotel's name is tied to local legends from the gold rush era, with one story suggesting that a miner found a gold nugget resembling a dog, which led to the pub's renaming.

The feature of the big dog is not so much the statue, but rather the intricate mosaic artwork created by Pamela Denise as part of a bushfire recovery project. It is only 30 kilometers from the Big Banana (these guys must have an inferiority complex or something!).

#6 The Mandurah Giants

I had to include these as they are right on my doorstep where I live. There are five of these supersized wooden sculptures. Each one is a standalone unique sculpture created by the Danish artist Thomas Dambo.

The Mandurah Giants are crafted from old wood, found objects, and local materials. They reflect the sculptor's belief that beauty can arise from trash. His giants have appeared in many cities around the world, including Denmark, France, Chile, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, and the US.

This one “Santi Ikto” is about a mile from my place. It is seven meters tall. These have turned into a popular tourist spot. Visitors are invited to find the giants as part of a fun game. You can only find the last one by collecting tokens from the first four. Then, take those tokens to the tourist center to get a secret map.

Australia's big things attract a lot of attention from locals and visitors. They’ve become a cult phenomenon. Visiting and photographing these structures is a popular activity. Many enthusiasts embark on road trips to see as many famous landmarks as possible.

So if you come to Australia, check out some of the big things. Don’t forget those big grasshoppers; they are unique as well.

As for the big things Texas has to offer, that is a different story.

Till next time,

Calvin