The Northern Territory is best known for its breathtaking natural scenery and First Nations history, but you’ll also find some of Australia’s most intriguing Big Things when travelling through the Top End.
The majority of Big Things in the NT are inspired by the local wildlife, while several also pay homage to the 65,000-year-old culture of the country’s first inhabitants, the Indigenous Australians.
If you’re interested in taking a snap with the Northern Territory’s best Big Things, we’ve put together this easy-to-read guide for your enjoyment.
The Big Boxing Crocodile
Humpty Doo
You’d think a town named Humpty Doo might have a big egg on display, but this small settlement just south of Darwin has an enormous crocodile positioned near a service station just off the Arnhem Highway.
The Big Boxing Crocodile was the idea of Marcel Britnal and Ray Whear and was constructed as a tribute to Australia’s America’s Cup win in 1983, which used a boxing kangaroo as its logo.
It’s rumoured the Big Boxing Crocodile cost a whopping $137,000 due to the statue needing to be cyclone-proof. It stands 13 metres tall, sports a pair of red gloves and was officially unveiled in 1988.
This is one of several Big Crocodiles you’ll find across Australia. There’s also the Big Jumping Crocodile close to the Adelaide River in the NT and three more Big Crocs found throughout Queensland.
The Big Beer Can
Ghan
The Big Beer Can is stationed out front of Kulgera Roadhouse, the self-proclaimed ‘most central pub in Australia’. This Big Thing is a replica of a XXXX Gold tinnie, Queensland’s official favourite cold brew.
Interestingly, the original Big Beer Can was wrapped in a West End Draught design, which was once the favourite beer of South Australians until Coopers took a stronghold on the market.
Nearby is a headless cut out of a man and woman in beach attire which visitors can stand behind and get their photo taken for a bit of amusement.
The Anmatjere Man
Aileron
Take a 150 km drive north of Alice Springs and you’ll come across the Aileron Hotel & Roadhouse. While worth a stop for a cold froth and a peek at the Aboriginal Art Gallery, the reason most people pass through is to grab a snap of the Anmatjere Man.
Crafted by local sculptor Mark Egan, the Anmatjere Man, also known as the Big Aboriginal Hunter, was unveiled to the public in 2005. Standing 17 metres tall and weighing 8 tonnes, the statue is of a giant Indigenous Australian on a hill holding a spear while looking out over his land.
The local Anmatjere people have named the statue after rainmaker Charlie Quartpot who once lived in the area.
There’s also a Hollywood-style sign adjacent to the Anmatjere Man spelling out the town’s name that took around 18 months to complete.
The Anmatjere Woman and Child
Aileron
Wanting to add to his original creation, Mark Egan constructed the Anmatjere Woman and Child close by to the Anmatjere Man.
The statue is of an Indigenous Australian woman with her child at her side prodding a perentie, commonly referred to as a goanna, with a stick.
Both the Anmatjere Man and Anmatjere Woman and Child are constructed from a steel frame, wire mesh and cement, but while the Anmatjere Man took a year to finish, Egan managed to whip up the Anmatjere Woman and Child in just four months.
The Big Fish
Wanguri
This colourful sculpture is found on the grass out front of the local primary school in the town of Wanguri. The Big Fish was created by local artist Techy Masero as a way to celebrate the Larrakia and Wanguri people who both have a close relationship with the sea.
The Big Fish measures 4 metres long and features a fetching mosaic pattern.
A competition was run to name the fish, with the winning student deciding to call the sculpture Damibilia, which is the Aboriginal word for barramundi.
This is the second Big Fish in NT, with the Big Barramundi found on top of Rod & Rifle Tackleworld in Katherine.
The Big Dinosaur
Yarrawonga
Tom Finlay purchased the Big Dinosaur, known locally as Big Kev, from the Philippines for a tidy $100,000 in 2007 and had it on display as part of his stonemason business in Yarrawonga.
Two years later he sold the property housing the Big Dinosaur to Bunnings, who planned to expand their store on the land.
The locals worried Bunnings would do away with the fibreglass statue, but understanding what it meant to the community, they decided to move Big Kev to a new location and refurbish him.
The massive statue of the brachiosaurs was taken apart in several sections—neck, head, body, tail and legs—and positioned just outside the revamped Bunnings in Palmerston and can be seen from the Stuart Highway when driving past.
The Big Books
Alice Springs
You won’t need to bring your reading glasses when visiting the Big Books. Head to the local library in Alice Springs and you’ll find eight giant books lined up against the wall near the entrance.
The Big Books were constructed when the library underwent a redevelopment in 2018 and consist of titles by British novelist Nevil Shute, who moved to Australia during the latter period of his life.
An aeronautical engineer by trade, Shute wrote novels on the side, including the successful On the Beach and A Town Like Alice, both of which feature as part of the Big Books.
The Big Turtle
Lyons
Colin the Turtle is another creation from the mind of Techy Masero.
Officially known as the ‘Rock Waterhole and Sea Turtle’, the Big Turtle was established in 2004 with help from local Larrakia Nation artists.
Built to commemorate a new development in Lyons, the sea turtle is roughly 1.5 metres tall and 4 metres long and is decorated with a mosaic design.
The Big Hand
Alice Springs
There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the Big Hand, besides being an interesting piece of art people enjoy visiting.
Rising out of the ground, this Big Thing stands out front of the Central Second Hand Shop.
What makes it unusual, besides its size, is a small hand growing out of the Big Things’ index finger.
The Big Buffalo
Winnellie
This less-than-stellar sculpture of a buffalo sits in a car yard in the small town of Winnellie.
Originally built as a float for a local parade, the Big Buffalo has had many different homes over the years, with the once grey buffalo now painted pink.
Fun fact: The Big Buffalo goes by the nickname Lefty due to its left testicle being larger than its right. Fascinating stuff.
The Big Stubbie
Larrimah
The outback town of Larrimah was once a major army transit camp during World War II. Now it’s home to a population of around 50 people and one of the Northern Territory’s most famous Big Things, the Big Stubbie.
Positioned near the Larrimah Hotel, which is known for having the tallest bar in the Territory, the Big Stubbie is modelled after the 2,270 ml bottle of beer known as NT Draught.
The NT brewery first began producing these giant stubbies in 1956 but sadly ended production in 2015.
If the Big Stubby isn’t enough to get you excited, there’s also a statue of the Pink Panther sitting in a chair beside it.
Other Notable Big Things in New South Wales
- The Big Boomerang, Curtain Springs
- The Big Echidna, Erldunda
- The Big Wine Bottle, Daly Waters
- The Giant Jellyfish, East Point
- The Big Owl, Darwin
- The Big Stockwhip, Fly Creek
- The Big Frilledneck Lizard, Erldunda
- The Big Battery, Pinelands
- The Big Gold Nugget, Douglas-Daly
- The Big Frogs, Darwin
