The Story of The Big Teddy Bear
Located in Minlaton, a small town in Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, The Big Teddy Bear is an oversized sculpture of a teddy bear. It measures 4 metres high and 3 metres wide. You’ll find this Big Thing 7 kilometres north of Minlaton, along Spencer Highway, Koolywurtie.
Unlike many Big Things in Australia, consisting of either a steel frame, fibreglass, concrete or both, The Big Teddy Bear is made from round and square bales of hay. The round bales form the bear’s face, ears and legs, while the square ones form the arms and torso.
While the reason behind the construction of this enormous toy structure is not so clear, it’s safe to assume that it was constructed to celebrate Minlaton as the ‘Barley capital of the world.’ The town is known worldwide for its rich production of barley.
The Big Teddy Bear aside, South Australia is home to some of the most iconic Big Things. Here are some of the most popular:
The Australian Farmer in Wudinna
This is a statue of an Australian farmer created to commemorate the early settlers of the region. It measures 8 metres tall and weighs at least 70 tonnes.
The Big Kangaroo in Border Village
Nicknamed ‘Rooey II’ this massive kangaroo statue was built to draw attention to the town during the 1986 America’s Cup. It measures 5 metres high and 2 metres wide.
The Big Lobster in Rosetown
The Big Lobster in Rosetown is probably the largest lobster sculpture you’ll ever encounter. It measures 17 metres high, 15 metres long, and 13 metres wide.
The Big Orange
Located in Berri, this fibreglass sculpture was designed by John Twopenny, who also designed The Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. The oversized fruit measures 15 metres tall, 15 metres wide, and comes with a lookout on the fourth floor.
