The Giant Koala.

The story

Standing 14 metres tall in the tiny township of Dadswells Bridge, the Giant Koala has been watching over the Western Highway since 1989. It's an unusual entry in the Big Things canon — most are concrete or fibreglass, but the Giant Koala is bronze on a steel frame, the work of Dutch-born sculptor Ben van Zetten, who was commissioned in 1988 to design and build it.

Van Zetten gave the koala an unusual finish — a fibreglass-and-bronze mix sprayed and worked to create a rough, hairy exterior. The result is a sculpture that looks subtly different from every angle and weathers in interesting ways. At 14 metres tall, 8 metres wide and 12 tonnes, the Giant Koala is one of the largest Big Things in Australia and one of the most distinctive in its construction.

For two decades the Giant Koala was just the Giant Koala — a roadside attraction with a gift shop in the belly. Then came February 2009 and the Black Saturday bushfires, the deadliest in Australian history. Among the millions of images that emerged was one of a koala being given water from a bottle by firefighter David Tree near Kinglake. The koala — later named Sam — became an international symbol of hope amid the devastation. In late 2009, the owners of the Dadswells Bridge attraction renamed their koala "Sam" in tribute, intending to raise awareness of Australia's declining koala population.

Sam the real koala died shortly afterward from complications of chlamydia — a disease that affects around half the wild koala population in Australia, and one of the major threats to the species. Sam the sculpture has carried the name ever since. The site itself has been through several ownership changes since 2009 and the gift shop has opened and closed multiple times, but the 14-metre bronze koala is always there, visible from the highway, drawing every passing traveller in for the obligatory photo.

"Sam the koala became an international symbol of hope after Black Saturday. The decision to rename the Dadswells Bridge sculpture in her honour was a small but meaningful gesture in a year of unimaginable loss." — Adapted from Wimmera Mail-Times coverage, August 2009

Today the Giant Koala is the unofficial mascot of the Wimmera region and a beloved stopover for anyone driving the Western Highway between Melbourne and Adelaide — a 727km journey that absolutely deserves a 20-minute Big Things break in the middle.

Visiting the Giant Koala

The Giant Koala sits at 5829 Western Highway, Dadswells Bridge — about 27 kilometres northwest of Stawell, in the tiny township that's effectively the gateway to the Grampians National Park (45 minutes south). The Giant Koala himself is visible from the highway and accessible 24/7. The on-site gift shop and café have had variable operating hours over the years — call ahead or check social media if you want to time it with the shop open.

What's at the site

• The Giant Koala himself — 14m of bronze-finish koala, distinctive from every angle. Best photo from underneath the chin looking up.
• Gift shop (operating hours vary) — souvenirs and koala-themed merchandise. Check current opening times before relying on it.
• Café — when operating, basic café fare for highway travellers.
• Truck and coach parking — the site has long served as a major rest stop on the Western Highway between Melbourne and Adelaide.
• Bushland setting — surrounded by native Australian flora; well-shaded picnic area.

What else is nearby

Dadswells Bridge is the gateway to the Grampians (Gariwerd) — one of Victoria's most spectacular national parks, all sandstone ranges, wildflowers, ancient Aboriginal rock art sites, and serious bushwalking. Halls Gap is the main accommodation centre, 45 minutes south. See our full Grampians travel guide for the comprehensive 3–5 day itinerary. Stawell (27km southeast) is the closest larger town; Horsham (50km north) is the main regional centre.

For other Big Things, the closest is the Big Bottle of Wine at Rutherglen (3 hours northeast), the Big Murray Cod at Tocumwal (3.5 hours northeast on the NSW border), and the Big Wool Bales at Hamilton (1.5 hours south). The Big Ned Kelly at Glenrowan is 4 hours east via Bendigo.

Trivia worth knowing

• The Giant Koala was renamed "Sam" in 2009 after the famous koala photographed being given water by firefighter David Tree during the Black Saturday bushfires near Kinglake.
• Sam the real koala recovered from third-degree burns at the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter but died later from chlamydia complications — a disease affecting around half the wild koala population.
• Sculptor Ben van Zetten is Dutch-born; he was commissioned in 1988 to design and build the sculpture.
• The Giant Koala's construction is unusual for a Big Thing — bronze and fibreglass spray on a steel frame, rather than the more common concrete or pure fibreglass.
• At 14 metres tall and 12 tonnes, it's one of the larger Big Things in Australia by both metrics.
• The site has had several ownership changes since 2009, and the on-site gift shop has opened and closed multiple times. The sculpture itself, however, has always remained.

When to visit

The Wimmera region has hot dry summers and cool winters — Mediterranean-ish, but more continental. Best months for visiting are April–May (autumn colours in the Grampians) and September–November (spring wildflowers). Avoid January–February for the heat, although the Giant Koala himself is comfortable year-round being made of bronze. Western Highway drives during winter are sometimes affected by fog or rain; not dangerous but slower.