Our search for each state’s wildest and wackiest Big Things continues. Having already written about our favourite Big Things you can visit in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, it’s time to head West.
Western Australia has a healthy supply of Big Things worth discovering, including the Big Camera in Meckering and The Big Periodic Table in Joondalup, which may just be the most educational Big Thing in the country.
So if you’re interested in exploring Western Australia’s most popular Big Things, read our guide below.
The Big Croc
Wyndham
Australia is home to a host of dangerous creatures, none more so than the Saltwater Crocodile.
These sharp-toothed predators stalk the rivers and waterholes across WA, so much so that there are signs posted all over the place warning tourists of their presence. In a bid to ram that point home, the small town of Wyndham in WA’s far north built a massive croc as a reminder of the danger these reptiles present.
The Big Croc is made from concrete and measures 20 metres long and 3 metres high, with its evil smile welcoming visitors when they enter the town.
The Big Wheelbarrow
Port Hedland
Port Hedland’s Big Wheelbarrow was constructed to help attract more tourists to this small mining town in northern WA. This Big Thing is made from used parts of a Haul Pack, the enormous yellow trucks that work in the mines.
Found near the entrance to the Wedgefield Industrial Area, the big yellow wheelbarrow also acts as a tribute to the local mining community.
The Big Frilled Neck Lizard
South Perth
One of the most recent additions to the South Perth foreshore is the Big Frilled Neck Lizard.
The aluminium lizard is 21 metres long, 9.2 metres wide and 9.7 metres high. Weighing an impressive 9,000 kilograms, the Big Frilled Neck Lizard was erected in 2019 opposite the Big Numbat, another Big Thing constructed to add vibrancy to the redeveloped area.
Both the Lizard and Numbat feature angular panels painted yellow and grey, with the Aussie animals greeting visitors who arrive in South Perth via the Swan River ferry.
The Big King Neptune Sculpture
Two Rocks
Just an hour out of Perth sits the Big King Neptune Sculpture, the last remnants of the now-destroyed Atlantis Marine Park.
Opened in 1981, the theme park was a fun attraction for holidaymakers until its closure nine years later after developer Alan Bond suffered money trouble.
The 10-metre-tall creation, which was given a makeover in 2022, features a smiling Neptune holding his trident and is all that remains of the aquatic-themed adventure park that once stood there.
For many years locals feared the destruction of the sculpture after developers planned to build a shopping precinct on the land, but the local government has stepped in. The land has been listed as a heritage site and added to the State Register, keeping King Neptune safe for the foreseeable future.
The Giant Emu
Nannup
The Giant Emu may only be 3 metres tall but it’s one of the more important Big Things found in WA.
The creation of the Emu came about via the Living with Emus project, a collaboration between the town of Nannup and the Road Safety Commission.
The Shire of Nannup is surrounded by 87% state forest, with wildlife the cause of many of the traffic accidents that occur in the area. To warn drivers—especially those who are young—against the dangers of the area, the Giant Emu was constructed.
Local artist Lewis Horne designed the sculpture with students from Nannup District High School, creating it out of repurposed parts from cars involved in accidents in the area.
The Big Cricket Bat
Narrikup
When former builder Tony Poad moved to the rural town of Narrikup, he knew Jack squat about cricket. But after his kids started playing for the local club, Poad soon became heavily involved in the game and the community.
He took over the abandoned general store and turned it into a cricket museum, playing a major role in the construction of the Big Bat, with the intention of the structure to attract more tourists to Narrikup.
The original wooden Big Bat was erected in 2015 but was taken down six years later due to damage. A new bat was constructed in 2022, this time made from aluminium, that now stands proudly by the local cricket oval.
The Big Marron
Denmark
Native to WA, marron is a freshwater type of crayfish that resemble yabbies, although they are much bigger and arguably tastier.
There are said to be two species of marron, the critically endangered Cherax tenuimanus, and thriving C. cainii, which is fished and sold across the nation.
Like many Big Things, the Big Marron was constructed to boost tourism, but it also serves as a tribute to the local fishing industry that keeps the town alive.
The Big Periodic Table
Joondalup
The Big Periodic Table is the only Big Thing combining sightseeing with learning.
Constructed in 2019 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the periodic table’s creation by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev, this Big Thing is plastered on the side of Building 15 at Edith Cowan University.
At an impressive 662 square metres, the periodic table is four times the size of the world’s previous biggest which was built in 2017 at Spain’s University of Murcia.
The University is very proud of the Big Periodic Table, with vice-chancellor Profession Steve Chapman, the man who came up with the idea for it, telling ABC News: “This should be on the list of Australia’s Big Things and in my humble opinion I think this is the most intellectual of Australia’s Big Things.”
The Big Orange
Harvey
South Australia isn’t the only state with a big orange. Harvey in WA is also known for its orange orchards, so much so that the folks there decided to build the Big Orange.
Perched atop a 10-metre tower, you can climb to the top of the Orange and gaze upon the surrounding orchards. Inside is a museum with a stack of photos and a detailed history of the area.
Located on the grounds of Harvey River Estate, once you’ve had a picture with the Big Orange, stop in at the nearby cellar door and enjoy a tasty beverage or three.
The Giant Ram
Wagin
Similar to the Big Merino in Goulburn, NSW, the Giant Ram in Wagin pays homage to the area’s rich wool industry.
Unveiled in May 1985, Bart, as he is affectionately known, was built using steel with a fibreglass cover by sculptor Andrew Hickson.
Standing 9 metres tall, 6 metres wide and 13 metres long, Bart weighs a hefty 4 tonnes and like the Big Merino, is anatomically correct.
The Big Camera
Meckering
The Big Camera is just a building painted to look like a 35-millimeter film camera with a round lens-shaped entryway, but it still counts as one of Australia’s unique Big Things.
Inside is WA’s only dedicated camera museum, with more than 3,000 working cameras on display along with related photography equipment.
Opened in 1995, the museum tells the history of photography along with companies such as Kodak. There’s also a small section of the museum dedicated to the Meckering earthquake that destroyed the town in 1968.
The Big Snail
Bremer Bay
Based on the South Coast Land Snails that are native to WA’s coastal regions, the Big Snail is a unique sculpture crafted by local artist Peter Hill. It’s a whopping 10,000 times the size of a regular snail, hence its place on this list.
The Big Snail is found on the Bremer Bay Snail Trail, a pleasant 8.5-kilometre track that takes you through local fauna and flora where you might encounter the odd kangaroo or two.
Other Notable Big Things in Western Australia:
- The Big Humpty Dumpty, Carnarvon
- The Big Whale, Eucla
- The Big Bin, Kalgoorlie
- The Big Redback, Nanup
- The Big Marble, Geraldton
- The Big Western Rock Lobster, Dongara
- The Big Dog, Corrigin
- The Big Numbat, Williams
