Height
10 meters
Year Built
1978
Address
Eyre Highway, Penong, SA 5690
The Lowdown
The Big Windmill in Penong celebrates the Southern Cross windmill - the iconic pumping mechanism that has provided water for outback Australia since the 1870s. This enormous steel windmill towers over the landscape as a tribute to the engineering marvel that made pastoralism possible in regions where no reliable water source existed. The Southern Cross windmill, invented in Australia, uses wind power to pump groundwater to the surface, allowing sheep and cattle stations to operate hundreds of kilometers from any river. Penong has embraced the windmill as its symbol, with the Big Windmill standing alongside the town's remarkable collection of over 100 smaller windmills. The sculpture celebrates the determination of outback Australians who built communities in the harshest environments.
Did you know?
"Penong has a collection of over 100 windmills"
History
The Big Windmill was erected in 1978 as Penong embraced its identity as the 'Windmill Town.' Southern Cross windmills have been manufactured in Australia since 1876, and they revolutionized pastoral development by allowing stations to pump groundwater from deep underground. Without windmills, large-scale sheep and cattle farming in the inland would have been impossible.
More Fun Facts
- •Southern Cross windmills have been made in Australia since 1876
- •Penong has a collection of over 100 windmills
- •Some outback windmills pump water from 50+ meters underground
- •The Southern Cross brand name comes from the constellation visible in Australian skies
- •Many remote stations still rely on windmills for water supply
Visiting Tips
- 💡Explore Penong's incredible windmill collection around town
- 💡Penong is a good rest stop before or after the Nullarbor crossing
- 💡Nearby Cactus Beach has world-famous surfing
- 💡Stock up on fuel and supplies - remote country ahead
- 💡The Point Sinclair whale watching platform is nearby
Opening Hours
The Big Windmill can be viewed at any time.
More Big Things Nearby
Big Galah
An impressive 8-metre tall pink and grey galah sculpture marking the halfway point across Australia between Sydney and Perth.
Big Lizzie
Australia's largest traction engine at Red Cliffs, VIC, a working piece of pioneering history.
Big Orange
Australia's largest big fruit at 15 metres tall and 12 metres wide, a former cafe and viewing platform celebrating the Riverland's citrus industry.