Height
6 meters
Year Built
2000
Address
John Street, Singleton, NSW 2330
The Lowdown
The Big Sundial in Singleton celebrates both the town's abundant sunshine and its position as a center of time-honored industries - from cattle raising to coal mining. This enormous functioning sundial uses the sun's shadow to tell time, connecting visitors to the ancient human practice of marking the passage of hours. Singleton sits in the Hunter Valley, a region known for sunny days perfect for wine grapes and solar power generation. The Big Sundial combines art, science, and history, inviting visitors to understand how our ancestors told time before clocks and to appreciate the reliable Australian sun that has driven agriculture and industry in the Hunter for over two centuries.
Did you know?
"Singleton receives over 250 sunny days per year"
History
The Big Sundial was installed around 2000 as part of Singleton's millennium celebrations. Sundials were the primary method of telling time for thousands of years before mechanical clocks, and this modern interpretation connects visitors to that ancient tradition. Singleton's position in the sunny Hunter Valley makes it an ideal location for a functioning sundial.
More Fun Facts
- •Sundials have been used to tell time for over 3,500 years
- •The oldest known sundial is from Egypt, dating to around 1500 BCE
- •Sundials work because the Earth rotates once every 24 hours
- •Singleton receives over 250 sunny days per year
- •The gnomon (shadow-casting piece) must point toward the celestial pole
Visiting Tips
- 💡Check if your watch matches the sundial time
- 💡The Hunter Valley wineries are nearby for tastings
- 💡Singleton has interesting colonial heritage buildings
- 💡The town is gateway to the Upper Hunter wine region
- 💡Visit the Singleton Historical Society Museum for local history
Opening Hours
The Big Sundial can be viewed at any time (works best on sunny days).
More Big Things Nearby
Big Golden Guitar
A 12-meter tall fibreglass guitar monument celebrating Tamworth's status as Australia's Country Music Capital, opened by Slim Dusty in 1988.
Big Lizzie
Australia's largest traction engine at Red Cliffs, VIC, a working piece of pioneering history.
Big Potato
A 10-metre fibreglass potato built in 1977, modelled on a Sebago potato, sitting in a field in Robertson.