Australia

Queensland's roadside attractions showcase quirky big icons unexpected sculptures and charming oddities scattered across country towns and highways offering travellers memorable photo stops fascinating local history and a fun sense of discovery during any road trip across the state.

The Curtain Fig Tree is a magnificent strangler fig in Queensland's Atherton Tablelands, where cascading aerial roots form a dramatic natural curtain, offering visitors an accessible boardwalk and an unforgettable glimpse into the ancient rainforest's quiet power.

Standing proudly near Wongaling Beach Shopping Centre, the Giant Cassowary Statue in Mission Beach celebrates the region's famous flightless bird with a striking, larger-than-life tribute that makes a perfect, fun photo stop for visitors exploring Tropical North Queensland.

The Giant Gumboot in Tully is a striking roadside landmark celebrating the town's status as Australia's wettest place, standing almost eight metres tall with a tree frog, rain gauge and internal staircase leading to a scenic lookout platform.

Standing ten metres tall beside the Bruce Highway, Bowen's Big Mango is a beloved fibreglass landmark celebrating the town's famous Kensington Pride mangoes, offering travellers photo opportunities, mango sorbet, and Whitsunday coast views since 2002

The Story Bank in Maryborough Queensland is a heritage listed former bank building that showcases the region's fascinating history through engaging displays celebrating pioneers community life and the town's significant contribution to Queensland's colonial development.

The Cistern Chapel is a free, ornately muralled public toilet block beside Maryborough City Hall in Queensland, where chandeliers, classical music and floor to ceiling artwork have transformed an everyday comfort stop into one of Australia's most celebrated pieces of public art.

Jarod the Big Whale is an 8.3 metre sculpture in Pialba Hervey Bay honouring Nala the humpback whale, built from steel and timber and unveiled in 2012 as a beloved local landmark and photo stop.

The Whale Statue at Hervey Bay Marina is a beloved landmark at Urangan Boat Harbour, celebrating the region's humpback whale heritage and marking the departure point for whale watching cruises across the Fraser Coast's renowned marine waters.

Matilda the giant kangaroo is a thirteen metre tall winking sculpture built as the mascot for the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games and now standing proudly beside the Bruce Highway near Gympie Queensland.

Built by Bill and Lyn Taylor on a Woombye pineapple farm in 1971, the Big Pineapple has grown into a heritage-listed landmark offering a zoo, zipline, train rides and panoramic views across the Sunshine Coast.

Pelican Pete is a beloved giant pelican sculpture on the Noosa River foreshore in Noosaville built in 1977 and now a cherished local landmark loved by families visitors and photographers exploring the Sunshine Coast.