The Big Ant in Poochera
Another Big Ant in Australia is located in Poochera, South Australia, at the Poochera Roadhouse on Highway 1. Poochera is a small town with a population of 59 people, according to a census conducted in 2016.
Despite being a tiny town, Poochera is famously known by entomologists and evolutionary biologists for its rare ant species called the Nothomyrmecia macrops or the dinosaur ant. With the Big Ant’s construction in 2008, the town sought to attract researchers and tourists from all over the world.
The dinosaur ant species in Poochera dates back to more than 70 million years ago, making it a special breed for research. However, Poochera locals fear that the town could be easily forgotten because of its small population, closing businesses, and the Poochera Roadhouse’s closure, where travellers would stop by for a few supplies before proceeding with their journey.
As a result, the locals want the enormous ant sculpture to be moved into the town to attract visitors. Poochera has been a central point for exchanging grains between the local farmers in the region. But after the roadhouse’s closure, which also served as the local post office, the Poochera Hotel is the last major business in the town.
The Big Ant in Poochera is not the only one of its kind in Australia; another one sits in Broken Hill, a small mining town in New South Wales. The Big Ant in Broken Hills depicts the bull ant, commonly found in NSW, Australia.
Other Notable Big Things In South Australia
South Australia is home to some notable Big Things of Australia. Examples include the Big Scotsman in Adelaide (the oldest Big Thing in Australia), Big Santa in Adelaide, Big Bee in KingCosta, the Big Orange, and the Big Galah.
Please visit the South Australia section of our blog for more details on these and many other Big Things in this region.
