That’s Larry.

It took us a few laps around town but eventually we came upon good ol’ Larry the Lobster. The idea for Larry was first conceived in the mid 1970s and after six months of construction he was completed in 1979. Standing at 17 meters, Larry is reportedly one of the more impressive of Australia’s Big Things. The story goes that he was never meant to be quite so large. The plans were marked out in feet but the developer began building according to meters. Who knows if that’s the truth but it’s a funny story, nonetheless.

Now you can visit Larry and have a meal at his nearby seafood restaurant. The food is supposed to be pretty good if you like that sort of thing. Just don’t try to use the bathroom without making a purchase or leaving a donation. There are plenty of signs letting you know it’s not appreciated.

Big Thing: The Big Lobster aka Larry the Lobster
Location: Kingston, South Australia
Rating: 

I grabbed a juice.

xo, jill

If only.

Believe it or not, this big mango was one of the “big things” I was looking forward to seeing even before arriving in Australia. My friends Shirley and Tom have photos of themselves with the mango, and so does Mike (from a previous trip). I decided that I needed to have one too! So when we had a day to spare in Airlie Beach, I convinced Mike we should drive a few (78) more kilometers up to Bowen.

Yes, it was worth it. I don’t love this photo of myself (it was laundry day), but I have it!

The Bowen Mango was completed in 2002 and is of the local Kensington Pride variety. There seems to be a bit of debate as to whether or not the big mango is upside down. It is displayed with the stem on the bottom, which is how farmers pack the fruit, instead of how it would hang from a tree with the stem at the top. Have you ever wondered what it costs a to build a big mango? $90,000.

Big Thing: Kensington Pride Mango
Location: Bowen, Queensland
Rating: 
(mainly for sentimental reasons)

I definitely wouldn’t mind having a mango that big to eat…

xo, jill 

An old pro.

Matilda the Kangaroo is 13 meters high and sits near a pond at a Matilda Fuel Supplies travel center in Queensland. Before her current stint as a “Big Thing,” she was the star of the show at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games. She also lived at a Gold Coast theme park for awhile. No doubt, this girl has seen and done a lot!

We got out of the car to greet Matilda and to grab a snack. Unfortunately, the food at this travel center was expensive and not all that appealing. Fortunately, just seeing Matilda blink was worth the stop. (Yep, she can move!)

Big Thing: Matilda the Kangaroo
Location: Gympie, Queensland
Rating: 

Here’s to Matilda’s long career! 

xo, jill 

The comeback prawn.

Today’s big thing, The Big Prawn, narrowly escaped destruction. In 2009 the Ballina Shire Council voted to demolish the prawn that had been a fixture of the West Ballina transit center and restaurant for 20 years. The community did not appreciate their pragmatism. Luckily, Bunnings Warehouse* heard the cries of the community and stepped in to save the day. Last year the prawn was moved to its new home at a future Bunnings Warehouse construction site. Of course, when we visited the prawn we didn’t know the history. We just thought it was an old, faded, and forgotten big thing living amongst a lot of litter and construction.

Big Thing: The Big Prawn
Location: Ballina, NSW
Rating: 

Glad to know he’s actually just gearing up for his comeback.

xo, jill

*A hero to Mike and me as well. That’s where we bought our beloved jumper cables that have gotten us out of several jams. It’s like Home Depot. 

Little rock.

Today’s Big Thing is a little bit of a cheat. Instead of a larger version of something small… it’s a smaller version of something large! This smaller version of Uluru sits atop a service station near the highway.

We really only stopped because we had driven past this spectacle so many times on our way up and down the road. There’s a good chance we won’t make it to Uluru, so sadly, Little Uluru will have to do.

Big Thing: Uluru aka Ayers Rock
Location: 8km North of Tea Gardens, NSW
Rating:

You’ll have to excuse the bum shots. Obviously, that lady was bending over and digging around in her car for ages. It couldn’t be avoided. 

xo, jill