The Story of The Big Map of Australia
The Big Map of Australia is an outstanding display of public art found in Goondiwindi, Queensland. It was made from old machinery, pipes and recyclable items from farm rubbish dumps.
The huge Australian map was built in 2014 by a local Goondiwindi artist and is strategically located at the entrance to Goondiwindi from the Cunningham Highway. It’s also famously referred to as The Australian Coat of Arms.
Artist Angus Wilson is the brains behind the Big Map of Australia. His love for recycling old materials led him to collect scrap metals from farms around his area for the project. As a result, he collected enough materials to create an enormous map measuring 5 x 5 metres.
The map is complete with segments of the country’s States and capital cities and particularly shows the exact location of the Goondiwindi region. The Southern Cross galaxy has also been embedded across the structure as a final aesthetic touch.
In 2019, Wilson added another masterpiece to his recycled metals artwork besides the famous Australian Coat of Arms structure. The new art reads ‘once upon a time,’ accompanied by several models of birds and a truck hoisted in the air. This time, his inspiration came from the town’s name, an aboriginal meaning of ‘resting place of the birds.’
The Big Map of Australia aside, Queensland is home to some of the most famous Big Things. Examples include:
- Matilda The Kangaroo in Kybong
- The Big Mandarin in Mundubbera
- The Big Hard Rock Guitar in Surfers Paradise
The Big Ned Kelly in Maryborough
