The Big Pineapple

New York may be called “The Big Apple” but Nambour, Queensland is home to “The Big Pineapple.” At 16 meters tall, this giant structure is the largest pineapple-shaped building in the world. Built in 1971, The Big Pineapple stands in front of a massive pineapple plantation. It attracts tourists to the plantation where visitors can enjoy rides and look at animals and botanical displays. Inside the building is a guide to the delicious tropical fruit which will entertain your kids and dazzle them with pineapple fact and information.

Big Bull

Wauchope in New South Wales is home to the Big Bull, a massive structure that stands in commemoration of all things dairy-related. The building was home to a milking display, a nursery for animals, and a place for kids to watch a day in the life of cows. It has been an education destination for years, but the building — located just a few kilometers outside of the town — has officially closed.

The Australian Farmer

This eight-meters-tall statue was unveiled in 2008 after 17 years of developing, designing and carving it out of solid granite.

Located in Wudinna, South Australia, this statue is a commemoration of the farmers that lived in the region long ago. It took 70 tonnes of local granite to make the Australian Farmer, but it was worth it to produce the monument.

Charlie Quartpot Statue or Anmatjere Man

Located just behind the Aileron Roadhouse, this 17-meter-high statue has been dominating the landscape of the Northern Territory since 2005.

The town, where the Anmatjere people have lived for centuries, is just 130 kilometers to the north of Alice Springs. The people have named the statue Charlie Quartpot, in honour of a rainmaker that called the area home long ago.

The Big Thing

In Western Australia, Denmark is home to The Big Thing — a massive barometer that stands nearly 4 meters high. It officially holds the Guinness Book of World Records title of “The Largest Barometer in the World”. It was actually built in the Netherlands, but was donated to the Western Australian town in 2007. The barometer is engraved with the name of its original owner, Bert Bolle. Even more impressive than the size is that the barometer actually works!

The Big Easel

Imagine painting on a canvas seven meters wide and 10 meters tall — that would take a lot of paint! The Big Easel was erected in November of 1999 as part of the Van Gogh Project, which is a series of Van Gogh paintings done on enormous canvases and on even bigger easels. Seven sites were chosen to display these huge pieces of art including Emerald Australia. The canvas depicts some of Van Gogh’s very famous sunflowers and rests on an easel 25 meters high.

The Big Orange

Australians like their fruit, but who knew they liked them this much? The massive orange stands 15 meters tall, 12 meters wide and weighs upwards of 85 tonnes. The building is divided into four floors: the first floor is an event room, the second floor a café and gift shop, the third floor is covered by a mural of the surrounding area, and the fourth floor serves as a lookout point. This massive building is absolutely fascinating, and your kids will love it!

Big Golden Guitar

The 12 meter-tall guitar is located in Tamworth, New South Wales, and it stands at the entrance to the Country Music Gallery of Stars Wax Museum. It weighs over 1.5 metric tonnes, and it has been around since 1988. Smaller replicas of the massive statue are handed out as awards at the Country Music Awards every January!

Many people searching for comfortable accommodations in Australia will look for rooms with a view of these massive structures, or will at least make it a point to visit them at one point or another.

The post Think Big: Australia’s Unique Sculpture Landmarks appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

There is a solution, but it needs to be worked into your plans at the very beginning. Travel insurance is not just for those travelling internationally. Even when tripping around Australia, for work or pleasure, it’s a wise decision to invest in travel insurance to cover you should the unexpected occur.

Domestic travel insurance will provide you the means of paying for unforeseen expenses such as accommodation or hospital fees, but only if you remember to take it out and ensure that your policy includes those kinds of things.

Benefits may be payable for expenses sustained such as additional accommodation and transport costs arising as a result of sickness, natural disasters, strikes and protests, and missing travel documentation. For example if you arrive at the airport and the luggage handlers are on strike, preventing the plane from loading and taking off, then you may be covered for accommodation so you can make alternative arrangements. If you or a member of your party falls ill, then costs may be covered for another form of transport (a coach instead of a plane). If sickness, an accident or adverse climate affects your travel plans and you need to rearrange or cancel part or all of your trip, you may be reimbursed from your travel insurance. Some insurers may also cover you for unexpected misfortunes such as retrenchment or death.

Insurance doesn’t only cover plans, it can also cover belongings. Should your luggage or personal items become lost or damaged, the cost of replacing or repairing items will be refunded. This could include cameras, glasses, computers or jewellery.

If for some reason you can’t return your rental vehicle (illness, hospitalisation etc) or it is stolen or damaged during your rental term, insurance could cover the excess you would normally have to pay. And if a claim is made against you by someone that is injured or incurred property damage, you may also be covered for legal liability.

Some insurance companies also include niceties such as 24/7 phone help. Ask what they offer by way of assistance while you’re travelling.

It pays to research the insurer you plan to engage and thoroughly investigate the cover they offer. If they cover for eventualities that might never occur, then see if you can save yourself some money and opt out of that part of the policy. Read up on their benefit limits –$3000 might not cover a protracted hospital stay, but it could easily buy another laptop. Purchasing travel insurance should be an integral part of your trip planning as booking a hotel or flight. It doesn’t pay to skip it.

The post Benefits of Domestic Travel Insurance for Australians appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.