Height
8 meters
Year Built
1988
Address
Hume Highway, Tarcutta, NSW 2652
The Lowdown
The Big Giraffe at Tarcutta stands as a whimsical landmark at one of Australia's busiest highway rest stops, greeting the thousands of truck drivers and travelers who pass through daily on the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne. This distinctive spotted sculpture stretches its long neck skyward, visible from kilometers away to weary drivers looking for a break. Tarcutta has been a vital rest stop since the early days of road transport, and the Big Giraffe has become a beloved marker of the halfway point between Australia's two largest cities. The giraffe's connection to trucks comes from the early days when roadtrains needed extra-long animal transport vehicles, though today it simply represents a quirky Australian sense of humor.
Did you know?
"The giraffe is visible from kilometers away on the flat highway"
History
The Big Giraffe was erected around 1988 to make Tarcutta's truck stop memorable for the thousands of heavy vehicle drivers who use the Hume Highway daily. Tarcutta has been a rest stop since the earliest days of road transport, and the giraffe has become a much-loved landmark that drivers look forward to on the long Sydney-Melbourne haul. The somewhat bizarre choice of a giraffe only adds to its appeal.
More Fun Facts
- •Tarcutta is roughly the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne
- •Thousands of trucks pass through Tarcutta daily
- •The Hume Highway is Australia's busiest freight route
- •Tarcutta has been a rest stop since the early 1900s
- •The giraffe is visible from kilometers away on the flat highway
Visiting Tips
- 💡Great rest stop roughly halfway between Sydney and Melbourne
- 💡The truck stop has food, fuel, and facilities
- 💡Chat with truck drivers for real outback stories
- 💡Check fatigue driving guidelines - Tarcutta is a good break point
- 💡The Dog on the Tuckerbox monument is nearby at Gundagai
Opening Hours
The Big Giraffe can be viewed at any time.
More Big Things Nearby
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Big Potato
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Big Trout
A 10-metre tall, 2.5-tonne fibreglass rainbow trout sculpture celebrating Adaminaby's fishing heritage.