The Big Barra
Height
4 meters
Year Built
2000
Address
Daintree Village, QLD 4873
The Lowdown
The Big Barra at Daintree Village celebrates the barramundi - Australia's most sought-after sport and eating fish. This impressive sculpture captures the power and beauty of the barra, with its distinctive profile and scales rendered in gleaming detail. Originally part of a tourist complex that included a restaurant, timber museum, and information centre, the Big Barra remains as a roadside attraction even though the associated businesses have closed. Barramundi are found in the tropical waters of northern Australia, from the Daintree River to the Kimberley coast. They're prized by recreational anglers for their fighting spirit and by seafood lovers for their firm, white flesh.
Did you know?
"Aboriginal Australians have fished for barra for thousands of years"
History
The Big Barra was installed as part of a tourist complex in Daintree Village that included al fresco dining, a timber museum and gallery, birdwatchers corner, and an information centre. The restaurant served tropical Australian cuisine including barramundi, crocodile, kangaroo, and prawns. While the businesses have since closed, the Big Barra sculpture remains as a beloved roadside attraction celebrating the region's fishing heritage.
More Fun Facts
- •Barramundi can grow over 1.5 meters long
- •They start life as males and become females as they age
- •Barra are found across tropical Australia and Southeast Asia
- •They can live in both fresh and salt water
- •Aboriginal Australians have fished for barra for thousands of years
Visiting Tips
- 💡The original tourist complex is now closed, but the sculpture remains
- 💡Book a fishing charter for the real barra experience
- 💡The Daintree River has crocodiles - be careful!
- 💡Daintree Rainforest is a World Heritage area
- 💡Take a river cruise to spot wildlife
Opening Hours
Outdoor sculpture accessible at all times.
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Big Barramundi
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Big Cows
Big Cows in Newhaven is a group of large cow sculptures located in Newhaven on Phillip Island, Victoria, celebrating the island's agricultural heritage.