The Big Penguin.

The story

The town of Penguin sits on Tasmania's north coast, between Burnie and Devonport, named after the colonies of little penguins (Eudyptula minor, also known as fairy penguins) that have nested along the foreshore for thousands of years. The town was founded in 1875, and in 1975 — to mark its centenary — the local Lions Club commissioned a three-metre fibreglass penguin to stand on the foreshore.

Fifty years on, the Big Penguin is the town's official mascot and one of Tasmania's most beloved Big Things. He's modest by the standards of the genre — at three metres, smaller than most Big Things by a significant margin — but he punches well above his weight in personality. Locals regularly dress him up for occasions: a footy jersey when the Tassie Devils have a milestone, a Santa suit at Christmas, high-vis for safety week, Tigers stripes during the AFL grand final. He's one of Australia's most photographed small Big Things.

The town of Penguin has leaned into the theme harder than perhaps any other Big-Thing-host town in Australia. Penguin-themed bins, penguin-themed park benches, penguin-themed shop signs, and a thriving tourism trade built around the penguin association. The actual little penguins still come ashore on the foreshore at dusk during nesting season (October to March), making the town one of the few places in Australia where you can see the real birds on the same foreshore as their oversized fibreglass tribute.

Penguin (the town) sits on the Bass Highway, the main north-coast route between Burnie and Devonport — both of which are common entry points for travellers arriving by the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. The Big Penguin is almost unavoidable on any north-coast drive, which is exactly the point.

"Small but mighty. The Big Penguin is what happens when a town really commits to its mascot. Half the streetscape is penguin-themed, the bins are penguin-shaped, and at 3 metres tall the actual Big Penguin manages to be both completely ridiculous and deeply charming." — Adapted from Discover Tasmania commentary

The Big Penguin has been refurbished several times — most recently in 2015 by the Central Coast Council, who took him offsite for several weeks for a full repaint and structural review. The town held a "welcome home" ceremony on his return. The Big Penguin has, by any honest measure, more civic engagement than most small-town councillors.

Visiting the Big Penguin

The Big Penguin stands on the foreshore on Main Road in the centre of Penguin — completely free to visit, no opening hours, no tickets. Penguin is on the Bass Highway between Burnie (15 minutes west) and Devonport (25 minutes east), so it's on the natural route between the Spirit of Tasmania ferry terminal at Devonport and the north-west wilderness regions.

What's at the site

• The Big Penguin himself — 3 metres of cheerful fibreglass, regularly dressed up by locals. Photos work best with the foreshore as backdrop.
• Penguin foreshore walk — sealed walking path along Bass Strait, several kilometres of coastal views.
• The town of Penguin — penguin-themed everything (bins, benches, signs), local cafés, gift shops with penguin merchandise.
• Penguin Sunday Market — weekly market in the centre of town (Sundays), great regional produce.
• Little penguin nesting sites — real fairy penguins come ashore at dusk on the same foreshore during nesting season (Oct–Mar).

What else is nearby

Penguin sits on Tasmania's north coast, between the two main north-coast cities of Burnie and Devonport. The classic north-coast drive runs from Devonport west to Stanley (the famous Nut), via Penguin, Burnie, Wynyard, and Boat Harbour. After the Big Penguin, easy add-ons include the Penguin Sunday Market (if it's Sunday), the Burnie Regional Museum, and the genuinely impressive Stanley Nut (1.5 hours west). See our full Tasmania North Coast travel guide for the comprehensive itinerary.

For other Tasmania Big Things, the closest is the Big Platypus at Latrobe (25 minutes east), the Big Tasmanian Devil at Mole Creek (1 hour southeast), and the Big Spud at Sassafras (30 minutes east). The most ambitious Tasmanian Big Thing — The Wall in the Wilderness by sculptor Greg Duncan — is 3 hours south at Derwent Bridge.

Trivia worth knowing

• The town of Penguin was founded in 1875, and the Big Penguin was built in 1975 to mark the town's centenary. The Lions Club of Penguin commissioned the sculpture.
• Penguin is one of only a handful of Australian towns named after a non-domestic animal — and one of the few that built a Big Thing of its namesake.
• The actual little penguins (Eudyptula minor, also called fairy penguins) still come ashore on the Penguin foreshore at dusk during nesting season (October to March).
• Locals regularly dress the Big Penguin up for occasions — footy jerseys, Santa suits, high-vis vests, Tigers stripes during the AFL grand final. The community informally manages the costume schedule.
• The town has leaned hard into the theme — penguin-shaped rubbish bins, penguin-themed park benches, penguin streetscape signage. Few Big-Thing-host towns are as committed to the bit.
• The Big Penguin was refurbished in 2015 by the Central Coast Council, with a "welcome home" ceremony on his return.

When to visit

Tasmania has cool to mild weather year-round — winters can drop below freezing on the north coast but are rarely extreme. Best months for visiting are October to April (the Tasmanian summer and shoulder seasons). October to March overlaps with little-penguin nesting season, making it the ideal time to combine the photo with real-penguin viewing at dusk. The town is busiest in January (school holidays + summer) and quietest in winter — both have their charms.