You will find the Big Ant in Broken Hill, an inland mining city in New South Wales, Australia. The sculpture sits atop a wooden structure near the city’s Tourist Information Center.
A Brief History Of The Big Ant in Broken Hill
The Big Ant sculpture was built in 1980 by Australian-born artist Kevin Charles, fondly referred to as ‘Pro’ Hart. The celebrated artist was a native of Broken Hill and a skilled inventor and painter from a young age, which earned him the nickname ‘Professor’ (Pro).
It was designed in the shape of a bull ant, Australia’s native ant known for its longer and bigger jaws. Initially mounted at the Stephens Creek Hotel, the sculpture moved to its new location in 1990.
Real-life bull ants are pretty common in the Australia.
The ant sculpture symbolizes the hard work and commitment that Broken Hill miners had to each other. Like ants, the miners relied on teamwork while working at the mines. Consequently, Broken Hill became Australia’s backbone for metal and minerals, supporting the country during the World Wars and the Great Depression.
Broken Hill is also considered the oldest mining city in Australia. In 1883, the world’s largest ore of silver, zinc, and lead, worth $100 billion, was discovered in the region.
Thanks to the hardworking and committed miners, Australia’s economy thrived around that time. This discovery also led to the growth and construction of Broken Hill into a city.
Other Big Things in New South Wales
New South Wales is also home to other symbolic Big Things such as the Big Lamb, Big Potato, Big Prawn, among many others. To learn more about Australia’s Big Things, specifically from this region, please head over to our blog’s New South Wales section.
