The Big Kookaburra
Height
5.5 metres
Year Built
2025
Address
Donald, VIC 3480
The Lowdown
The Big Kookaburra of Donald is Victoria's newest Big Thing, a magnificent 5.5-metre tall sculpture of Australia's beloved laughing kookaburra unveiled in 2025. Located in the rural town of Donald in Victoria's Wimmera region, this oversized bird celebrates one of Australia's most recognizable native species - the kookaburra, famous for its distinctive laughing call that echoes through bushland at dawn and dusk. The sculpture has quickly become a landmark for the small farming community of Donald, drawing visitors to this friendly wheat-belt town on the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Mildura.
Did you know?
"Donald is a farming town of around 1,500 people in Victoria's wheat belt"
History
The Big Kookaburra was unveiled in Donald in 2025, making it one of Australia's newest Big Things. The laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) has long been an Australian icon, with its distinctive 'laugh' used as a sound effect in countless films and television shows to represent the Australian bush. The bird was chosen as a symbol for the town of Donald as part of efforts to boost tourism in the Wimmera region and create a landmark attraction on the Sunraysia Highway.
More Fun Facts
- •This is one of Australia's newest Big Things, unveiled in 2025
- •The kookaburra's famous 'laugh' is actually a territorial call
- •Kookaburras are the largest members of the kingfisher family
- •Their call was trademarked by the Australian company that owns the sound recording
- •Donald is a farming town of around 1,500 people in Victoria's wheat belt
Visiting Tips
- 💡Donald is on the Sunraysia Highway between Ballarat and Mildura
- 💡Visit the Donald Historical Museum while in town
- 💡The nearby Richardson River offers walking trails
- 💡St Arnaud and Horsham are nearby larger towns with more facilities
Opening Hours
Outdoor sculpture accessible at all times.
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