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The Big Things of Australia come in different shapes, sizes, and forms. The Big Trout, for example, is one of the biggest and earliest Big Things under the fish category. Here is all you need to know about this gigantic fish sculpture.
Location of the Big Trout
You’ll find the Big Trout in the town of Adaminaby, New South Wales, Australia. It sits atop a stone pedestal in the middle of a shallow pond at a public park.
History of the Big Trout
To understand the history of the Big Trout, let’s take a look at the town of Adaminaby. The town, sitting approximately 1,017 metres above sea level, is one of the leading winter sports destinations in Australia. It is also one of the most popular trout fishing spots in the nation.
In 1973, a local fishing enthusiast Andy Lomnici built the Big Trout to celebrate fishing as a sport and bring attention to the town. However, the original idea behind this huge fish came from Leigh Stewart in 1971. In May 2006, the Lake Eucumbene Chamber of Commerce officially recognized the Big Trout as a symbol of Adaminaby, and a marketing and promotional ‘brand.’
The construction of the Big Trout
Using a frozen trout as a guide, Andy Lomnici built the Big Trout with fiberglass, mesh, and a steel frame. To create the artificial scales, the structure was covered in mesh, and a final layer was introduced. The mesh was then removed before it was set, and the result was a scale-like appearance on the body of the huge Oncorhynchus.
The Big Trout is at least 10 meters high (33 feet) and weighs 2.5 tonnes. To understand just how big this structure is, a typical trout measures 40 centimetres. To further put this into perspective, one of the world’s biggest trout was captured by Canadian angler Sean Konrad. It measured at least 106 centimetres long, and 81 centimeters in girth.
Big Trout receives a major facelift
In 2007, the Big Strout was repainted and restored by Skins Alive, a project funded by the Snowy River Shire Council. In 2012, the Big Trout was also refurbished by a group of well-wishers called the ‘Friends of The Fish’. The refurbishing project, initiated to mark 100 years of the Snowy River Shire, focused on repainting the structure to restore its pink glow. After its renovation, the artificial trout appeared even more realistic.
In 2019, the Big Strout was one of the finalists of the Capture Mag Head on Photo Awards. The image selected for the award portrayed the huge trout against a beautiful evening background at its current location. Capture Mag described the image of the trout as the ‘balance between nature and man’s intervention.’
The town of Adaminaby is one of the best places to visit in New South Wales. According to the 2016 census, this town had a population of about 301 people. However, despite the low population, Adaminaby is one of the most visited places in this part of Australia. The statue of the trout aside, here is a list of other fun things to do and see in Adaminaby.
At the current location of the Big Trout, there are lots of barbecue facilities, kids’ playgrounds, shops, and eateries to explore.
For outdoor recreation, you may visit the Snowy Scheme Museum, Lake Eucumbene, and the Yarramba Trail Rides. To enjoy some good rest after a busy day exploring the outdoors, the San Michele Resort, Snowy Mountains Resort and Function Centre, Bredbo Inn Hotel, Snow Season Motor Inn, Bunkhouse Motel, and the Swiss Motel are viable options.
There are also plenty of places to enjoy some good food in Adaminaby. Some examples include the Bake House Adaminaby for breakfast, Adaminaby Bowling for bowling enthusiasts, the Big Trout takeaway for seafood lovers, among others.
Basically, whether you are just passing by or visiting officially, you can never run out of things to do in Adaminaby. While at it, remember to take cute photos of yourself with the historic Big Trout in the background.
If you enjoyed this article we think you’d love read our article about The Giant Koala!
We also have a Big Things store featuring T-shirts on some of the most famous big things in Australia. These include The Big penguin, The Big Kangaroo, The Big Jumping Crocodile and The Giant Koala. They are available in baby sizes all the way up to adult sizes.
