He’s huge, he’s handsome, he’d probably taste great slathered in a few litres of garlic butter. Please put your pincers together for the loveable, legendary, and oh-so-large Larry the Lobster! Jut watch out – he can be a bit crabby! At 17 metres tall, 15.2 metres long and 13.7 metres wide, and weighing in at four tonnes, Larry casts an imposing shadow over Kingston SE. … Continue reading Larry the Lobster, Kingston SE, SA
Hallelujah! Your prayers have been answered, because Brother Bigs is here to introduce you to a clam of biblical proportions. And, best of all, it doubles as a church, so you won’t have to take a break from worshipping Big Things in order confess your sins to a man of the cloth. It’s a miracle, baby. A dadgum miracle! The Clam rises divinely above Long … Continue reading The Clam, Long Jetty, NSW
Somebody once told me the world is gonna love meI run the best Big Things site you’ve readOne day I was having fun eating tacos in the sunWhen I saw a Big Starfish up ahead Well, the tears start coming and they don’t stop comingDodging the traffic, I hit the ground runningDidn’t make sense not to run, run, runTowards Fuente del Ceviche, yum, yum, yum! … Continue reading Fuente del Ceviche, Cancún, México
Just when you thought it was safe to go back for another mango and jalapeño margarita, along swims a Big who’ll leave your JAWS hanging wide open in horror. Please put your pectoral fins together to welcome Paco el Sharko – and this time, it’s personal! Serving as an ostentatious anomaly betwixt the swaying palms and braying hawkers of Puerto Escondido’s beachside entertainment precinct, Paco … Continue reading Paco el Sharko, Zicatela, México
Those who wade unwarily into the windswept waters beneath Murray Bridge risk being ravaged by something truly frightening. Frighteningly fantastic, that is, because Bertha the Bunyip is both an ancient indigenous spirit guardian who devours those foolish enough to take a dip in the Murray River, and a proud, brave trans woman. Meanwhile, I have a doozie of a time keeping up with two Netflix … Continue reading Bertha the Bunyip, Murray Bridge, SA
For time immemorial, word has been passed down from father to son about an eel-like creature of immense proportions lurking in the depths of Lake Bumbunga. Once in a generation, when the silvery moon shines just right upon the lagoon, a terrified local may catch a glimpse of the Loch-Eel Monster and run frantically into the hinterland. Then, once more, nothing. Deciding that the good … Continue reading The Loch-Eel Monster, Lochiel, SA
Don’t be a hermit, scurry along to the sun-soaked sanctum of Terrigal to see this ever-tilish mosaic crab, who comes with his own oversized sea shell. Known as The Odyssey of Life, this salt-encrusted wonder takes pride of place outside the Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre and is sure to pinch a piece of your heart! The Odyssey of Life he was lovingly created by … Continue reading The Odyssey of Life, Terrigal, NSW
It’s common to catch crabs in Cancún and, with cuties like Clawdia, that’s cause for shellebration. Just look at her melon-heavy cephalothorax – who wouldn’t want to drizzle lemon juice all over it 🥵 The leggy Latina lives atop Ferry’s Cantina, which is famous throughout México for its fresh fish tacos and all-you-clam-eat lobster burritos. I’m on a low-crabohydrate diet, so went with a nip … Continue reading Clawdia, Cancún, México
A single, trembling chela drew me closer. A set of bulbous eyes crawled across my lithe body. Shivers ran down my spine and, for the briefest of moments, I contemplated following my deepest carnal urges. Then reason returned and I struggled against the advances of the massive crustacean. Klaws Kinski, with his movie star good looks and bad boy swagger, was the sort of enormous … Continue reading Klaws Kinski, Tweed Heads, NSW
Liam Hemsworth. Luke Wilson. Dewey Schwarzenegger. Being the lesser-known brother of a beloved celebrity can be a heartbreaking struggle – just ask wannabe actor Bronson Pinchot (née Bardot), who will go to any lengths to step out of my shadow. And so it is for the Big Prawn at Tweed Heads, who will forever be compared to his much larger sibling in nearby Ballina. This … Continue reading The Big Prawn, Tweed Heads, NSW
Believe it or not! The Gold Coast is home to the largest octopus in the whole dang world! Ladies and jellyfish, please welcome Ring-O, starr of the glitter strip! The nine-metre-wide Big Octopus wiggled into Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise, in Octo-ber 2020, making a home for himself above the popular Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! odditorium. He was cephala-produced by local company Pico-Play, and I … Continue reading The Big Octopus, Surfers Paradise, QLD
There’s a killer on the loose at the Vancouver waterfront, but nobody’s blubbering about it! Looking like he’s jumped out of a 1980s video game and into your heart, Digital Orca was created by the dashing Douglas Coupland and made a splash when fin-stalled in 2009. Flanked by the pristine waters of Vancouver Harbour and framed by the majestic North Shore Mountains, there are few … Continue reading Digital Orca, Vancouver, BC
The old man’s hands belied their age as he nimbly manoeuvred the thawing prawn onto the hook; in through the head and out through the belly, as always. I feigned disgust, of course, but the process fascinated me. “Next time, Bigs, you’ll be baiting your own hook,” he said in his usual brusk tone, then handed over the rod and reel. Our eyes and smiles … Continue reading The Big Marlin, Iluka, NSW
Ohh MarlinMy Marlin you’re so fineOhhhh-hhh-hhh Don’t know if words can sayBut Marlin I want to playWith you in the endless turquoise seaBut it isn’t meant to be‘Cos you’re a work of wooden artAnd in the ocean you will fall apart Oh Marlin’I dream about you often my pretty Marlin’(Marlin’ you’re so fine)I love the way you lure tourists into Ohana Island CreationsWhere they can … Continue reading The Big Marlin, Kahuku, Hawai’i
McLatchy Park, home to a happy-go-lucky turtle and a rag-tag selection of oversized fruit and junk food, seems like the happiest place on Earth. It’s hard to imagine that this tranquil slice of Californian suburbia was the site of one of history’s most tragic events. Joyland Amusement Park opened to a flabbergasted public in 1913, boasting a giant racer, swimming baths, and a zoo. There … Continue reading Howie the Turtle, Oak Park, California
“(Sittin’ With) the Crab for the Day” Sittin’ in the San Fran sunThe Crab’ll be snippin’ when the evenin’ comesWatching Bigs Bardot roll inThen he’ll make an excuse and scuttle away forever, yeah I’m sittin’ with the Crab for the dayWondering which way he sways, oohBecause it’s scientifically proven crabs can be gayCrustacean time! I left my home in GosfordHeaded for the Frisco Bay‘Cause I’ve … Continue reading The Big Crab, San Francisco, California
H2-oh-my-gawd-it’s-awesome! The mesh-merizing Big Drip stands a pants-wetting 4.5 metres tall and can be found by the banks of the mouthwatering Cowarra Dam. The Drip made a splash when she was unveiled to a curious public in 2005, and has been making waves in the community ever since. Designed by aqueous artiste Peter Allison and crafted from rainless steel, the Drip is one of the … Continue reading The Drip, Cowarra, NSW
“Gimme Fish Head” by The Stingray-diators Gimme fish head babyGimme fish head like you did just last nightAh, ah, ah! Even when Khancoban‘s a hundred degreesThere you are smiling at me amongst the treesYou stink in the sun, but are still funWith no body, you must be dead, are you dead?But I don’t care, I love you, Big Fish HeadYou’re a fish headYou’re a fish … Continue reading The Big Fish Head, Khancoban, NSW
Howdy pardners, I’m Biggie the Kid, but you can go right ahead and call me the Kutest Kowboy in Khancoban. That’s KKK for short, although for some reason the locals get mighty worked up when I tell ’em that. Yee-haw! Yours truly has been steppin’ out with the best-looking girl in the nearby village of Bringenbrong. Naw, not Mary-Sue Nowinski – she never has been … Continue reading Gabby the Yabby, Bringenbrong, NSW
Tintaldra is an indigenous word that roughly translates to ‘a young man by the water’. I’m not sure what the indigenous word for ‘a young man by the water, admiring a predatory perch of epic proportions, before retiring to the nearby historic hotel for a glass of economically-priced pinot noir and a portion of the famous fish and chips’, but it might be time to … Continue reading The Big Murray Cod, Tintaldra, Vic
“The Big Octopus’s Garden” I’d like to beRight by the seaIn the Big Octopus’s gardenWearing suede He’d let me inTo see his collectionOf shells and coral and evenA model railway I’d ask my friendsTo come and seeThe Griffith’s Sea Shell MuseumWith me I’d like to danceThrough Lakes EntranceTo the Big Octopus’s gardenWithout my pants His cuddles have charmsBecause he has eight armsAfter admiring him for … Continue reading The Big Octopus, Lakes Entrance, Vic
Call me Bigs Bardot. Some weeks ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my Dolce & Gabbana clutch purse, and nothing particular to interest me on Netflix during those dark days between the final episode of Squid Game and the premiere of Tiger King 2, I thought I would ride my super-cute carnation pink Vespa about a little … Continue reading Moby Big, Nelson Bay, NSW
She’s a sexy humpbackThem other Bigs don’t know how to actI think she’s special, what a large humpback!Go visit Nala and don’t forget a snack Have a whale of a time and a blowhole lot of fun with Nala, the 22-tonne pride of Hervey Bay! The town is one of the best places on Earth for whale watching, but now you don’t need to risk … Continue reading Nala the Big Whale, Hervey Bay, QLD
BREAKING NEWS: It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of the beautiful, whimsical Big Prawn. Our fearless friend was found dismembered on the morning of August 5, 2023, his head and legs sawn off by an angle grinder and stolen. Police believe they could turn up on the black market. Next time you pick up a bag of frozen prawns, please, please … Continue reading The Big Prawn, Crangan Bay, NSW
Our next Bigs are spineless, brainless, and most unwelcome at pool parties – and that’s just how they like it. Please put your tentacles together for Jerry and Janine, the Giant Jellyfish! The bloodthirsty blubbers can be found floating menacingly along the waterfront at the entrance to Darwin’s sprawling East Point Reserve. Despite appearances, they’re actually very approachable and fun to play around with. They’re … Continue reading The Giant Jellyfish, East Point, NT
Although he may seem shy at first, Colin is a turtle-y awesome dude once he comes out of his shell. And what a glorious exoskeleton it is, because it’s covered in shiny rep-tiles and features plenty of intricate details. This proud Territorian is one of the most beautiful Bigs around, and ready to splash his way into your heart! Colin was built in 2004 to … Continue reading Colin the Turtle, Lyons, NT
Want to tackle another Big? Then allow me to lure you towards the dusty outpost of Katherine, where there’s a fish so large you’ll be swimming in tears of pure joy when you encounter her! The Big Barra can be found perched pleasantly atop the Rod & Rifle Tackle World shop (open Mundi to Saturdi). At three metres long, she’s certainly some-fin special and still … Continue reading The Big Barramundi, Katherine, NT
Next time you’re cray-ving a succulent seafood sandwich whilst driving along the Bruce Highway, nip in to the Shell service station at Miriam Vale. Not only will you encounter the most sensational food in the Gladstone region, but you can get up claws and personal with the lovable Big Crab! He’s around two-metres wide and hasn’t scuttled off the roof of the servo since arriving … Continue reading The Big Crab, Miriam Vale, QLD
I remember herring rumours of a big fish in Manilla – the lovely country town that’s just half-an-hour from Tamworth’s Big Golden Guitar, not the capital of The Philippines – for years, and was hooked on the idea of tracking it down Continue reading The Big Fish, Manilla, NSW
There’s something fishy going on in North Queensland, and it has to do with this titanic tin of sardines! Continue reading The Big Sardine Can, Home Hill, QLD
this Taree icon is a bit of a seafood basketcase, and maybe that’s why I love him so much – because I am too Continue reading The Big Oyster, Taree, NSW
The princely prawn is one of the most famous and celebrated roadside attractions on the planet, and for good reason – he’s massive, looks fantastic, and has an unbelievable tale… or is that tail? Continue reading The Big Prawn, Ballina, NSW
