The Big Tap.

The story

The Big Tap is the genre's most photographed optical illusion. From the right viewing angle, a giant brass garden tap appears to be suspended impossibly in mid-air, with water pouring out of its spout and into a pool below — with nothing holding the tap up. The trick is that the apparent "stream of falling water" is actually a transparent reinforced column carrying water up to a hidden pipe inside the tap, then back down. The tap is supported by the water; the water is just falling around its own internal pipe. It's a piece of optical-illusion engineering that's been delighting visitors since the early 2000s.

The Big Tap sits at the entrance to A Maze'N Things, a long-running tourist attraction on Phillip Island that's been operating since the mid-1990s. The park itself is a collection of optical illusions, mazes, mini-golf, magic-themed experiences, and the "Magic Manor" walk-through illusion house. The Big Tap is the park's signature outdoor exhibit and works as both an attraction and as the park's roadside marketing — anyone driving past on Phillip Island Road sees the tap and (often) immediately stops to investigate.

Versions of the "floating tap with water pouring out" illusion exist in several countries — the Brindavan Garden tap in India is probably the most famous globally, and similar installations exist in Belgium, Spain, and various aquariums. The Cowes Big Tap is Australia's contribution to the tradition, and arguably one of the better-engineered examples: the water flow is consistent, the column is well-disguised, and the photograph angles work from a reasonable distance.

It's worth distinguishing this Big Tap from the only other widely-known Big Tap in Australia — a much smaller, static structure on private farmland 20 minutes north of Forster-Tuncurry on the NSW Mid North Coast, which has no water flowing and is viewable only from the road. The Cowes Big Tap is the larger, more photographed, and more famous of the two. (There is no Big Tap in Western Australia, despite occasional confusion — Western Australia's Wheatbelt tribute to water is more typically represented by Toapin Weir at Quairading and the various silo-art water-themed murals across the region.)

"The Big Tap stands out as a delightful tourist attraction that showcases the charm of Australia's iconic big things. This quirky structure, shaped like a gigantic tap, is not just a feast for the eyes but also a fantastic spot for some memorable photo opportunities." — Evendo, on the Cowes Big Tap

Visiting the Big Tap

The Big Tap is located at the entrance to A Maze'N Things, 1805 Phillip Island Road, Cowes. The tap itself is visible from the road, and you can get a photograph of it from outside the park entrance without paying admission. However, getting close — and seeing the optical illusion work properly — requires A Maze'N Things admission ($26 adult / $20 child as of 2025; family tickets available). Once inside, the Big Tap is one of dozens of optical illusions and interactive exhibits.

What else is at the site

• A Maze'N Things park — the broader attraction. Includes the Big Maze, Magic Manor (walk-through illusion house), Tilted House, Magic Tee Mini-Golf, optical illusion gallery, and the Puzzle Pavilion.
• Cafe and gift shop — light meals, coffee, kids' snacks, and the obligatory Big Tap souvenirs.
• Phillip Island Visitor Information Centre — 10 minutes east on Phillip Island Road.

About Phillip Island

Phillip Island sits about 140km southeast of Melbourne, connected to the mainland by a bridge at San Remo. It's one of Victoria's most-visited holiday destinations — famous for the nightly Penguin Parade (where Little Penguins waddle ashore at sunset), the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (host of the MotoGP since 1989), surf beaches at Smiths Beach and Cape Woolamai, and a working Koala Conservation Reserve. Cowes is the main township on the island's north coast, facing back to the mainland across Western Port.

For families, the island offers a remarkable density of attractions in a small geographic area — the Big Tap and A Maze'N Things, the Wildlife Park, the Chocolate Factory at Pannys, the Maru Koala and Animal Park, the Nobbies, the Penguin Parade, and Churchill Island heritage farm. A weekend or three-day stay is ideal; trying to do it all in a single day is exhausting.

What else is nearby

Phillip Island is its own world. After the Big Tap, the natural day-trip combination is the Phillip Island Wildlife Park (5 minutes), the Koala Conservation Reserve (10 minutes), the Chocolate Factory at Pannys (10 minutes), and the headline evening event at the Penguin Parade (15 minutes). See our full Phillip Island travel guide for the comprehensive itinerary.

For other Big Things, the closest is the Giant Worm at Bass (45 minutes northeast, in South Gippsland) and the Big Penguin in Tasmania (a ferry plus a long drive away).

Trivia worth knowing

• The Big Tap is an optical illusion — the apparent "falling water" is a transparent reinforced column carrying water both up and down. The tap is supported by the structural column.
• It sits at the entrance to A Maze'N Things, a long-running Phillip Island tourist attraction founded in the mid-1990s.
• Versions of the "floating tap" illusion exist worldwide — the most famous globally is at the Brindavan Garden in Mysore, India. The Cowes Big Tap is Australia's contribution to the genre.
• There's also a separate Big Tap on private farmland 20 minutes north of Forster-Tuncurry, NSW — a smaller static structure with no water. The Cowes Big Tap is the more famous one.
• Despite occasional confusion, there is no Big Tap in Western Australia.
• Phillip Island as a whole receives approximately 3.5 million visitors per year, most for the Penguin Parade — making it one of Australia's most-visited tourist destinations.