Dadswells Bridge - The Giant Koala
About 27 km north-west of Stawell you will pass the 'Giant Koala' on the left in the tiny township of Dadswells Bridge.
In 1988 a sculptor named Ben van Zetten was commissioned to design and construct a giant koala. The Big Koala stands 14 metres high, it weighs 12 tonnes and is made of bronze set on a steel frame with a fibreglass-bronze mixture being used to create the rough and hairy exterior.
Stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner or just drop in for some takeaway food, a hot drink or a nice cold ice cream.
There is a children's "Petting Zoo" where they can pat animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, baby turkeys, chickens.
Review:
It's hard to drive past a giant koala, especially if you have kids. Stop and admire the huge koala which was constructed in 1998. It's a great photo opportunity and a chance to tick off another one on the "Big Thing" list.
The Giant Koala has had a number of owners over the years. In 2013 the owners put the tourist attraction on eBay, with bidding starting at $450,000. The website described the item's postage as free local pick-up only. There were no takers and it was sold via more traditional means the following year.
There is a souvenir shop under the koala (a bit expensive) and associated cafe which is a bit rundown and not exactly inviting with an indoor area plus some tables outside.
There is a native and farm animal display which has an entry fee of $5 for adults and is free for children. The entrance fee includes a bag of animal feed. The animal display included some chickens, ducks, a koala, goats, wallaby, a sulphur crested cockatoo (which says hello and goodbye) and sheep (the animals on display can vary over time). The display is open from 9am to 4:30pm. This represents pretty good value if one adult takes in all the munchkins into the zoo.
I found all the signs in the toilets warning you to behave properly very off-putting. I ended up feeling like I was intruding into their toilet space.
Photos:
Location
5829 Western Highway, Dadswells Bridge 3385 Map
✆ (03) 5359 5230
