Big Prawn

Supersized statues or ‘big things’ have been an iconic part of Australia since the 1960s. One such attraction is the impressive Big Prawn, which has stood proudly on River Street, Ballina, since 1989. It originally lived on top of a service station and was a tribute to the thriving prawning industry of Ballina.

When the service station closed in 2010, the council voted to destroy the prawn; however, thousands of locals signed a successful petition to keep it. In 2013 the now faded prawn was removed from the service station, and treated to some restoration and the addition of a tail, making it what it is today at a cost of $400,000.

Standing 9 metres high, and weighing 35 tonnes, this prawn is certainly big, and it’s available to view and be photographed at any time. In fact, no visit to Ballina is really complete without a photo beside the beloved Big Prawn.