Published on Monday, 10 August 2026 at 3:40:38 PM
Big Things in Carnarvon: Quirky, iconic and out of this world
Australia loves a big thing. From oversized fruit to giant animals and larger-than-life roadside attractions, finding them has become part of the great Australian road trip.
And in Carnarvon, we like to do things BIG too.
From giant characters hiding among banana plantations to a towering rocket, an enormous satellite dish and soon, a giant banana playground, there are plenty of reasons to pull over, grab the camera and explore.
Meet Humpty Dumpty on the Fruit Loop
Carnarvon's famous Fruit Loop Drive Trail takes you beyond the town centre and into the plantations that make this part of the Gascoyne so unique.
Carnarvon is renowned for its tropical fruit and fresh produce, and the Fruit Loop is a great way to experience it, stopping at farm gates, roadside stalls and local businesses along the way.
But there are a few larger-than-life locals waiting to meet you too.
Humpty Dumpty has become one of Carnarvon's most recognisable roadside characters. Standing proudly among the plantations, he's an essential photo stop on your Fruit Loop adventure.
Find the Minions
Keep exploring the Fruit Loop Drive Trail and make a stop at Ken Jen’s new roadside stop, where some larger-than-life Minions are waiting to greet you.
Bright yellow, quirky and definitely BIG, they’ve added another fun photo opportunity to Carnarvon’s famous Fruit Loop and are a great reason to pull over and explore.
The Fruit Loop winds its way along North and South River Roads through the heart of Carnarvon’s horticultural area, taking visitors past working plantations, roadside stalls and places to pick up fresh local produce and treats along the way
Blast off at the Space Museum
From bananas to space travel - Carnarvon's next big thing takes the road trip to a completely different level.
Standing at the entrance to the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum is a spectacular 25-metre-tall, full-size mock-up of a Mercury Redstone rocket, built to honour Alan Shepard, the first American in space.
It's an impressive sight, but the story behind it is even bigger.
Carnarvon played an important role in the Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs, and today the museum celebrates the town's extraordinary contribution to the history of space exploration and satellite communications.
Look up at the OTC Dish
Then there's the biggest of them all.
Towering above Carnarvon is the iconic OTC Dish.
At 29.6 metres across, the huge steerable antenna was constructed in 1969 and forms part of Carnarvon's remarkable communications history. Today, it remains one of the most distinctive landmarks on the Carnarvon skyline.
You don't have to be a space enthusiast to appreciate its scale. Stand underneath it and suddenly the word BIG feels very appropriate.
Coming late 2026: Home of the Banana Playground 🍌
And Carnarvon isn't finished yet.
Coming in late 2026, Carnarvon will become home to a giant Banana Playground.
Inspired by one of the crops most synonymous with Carnarvon, the new playground will bring another larger-than-life attraction to town — and another must-stop experience for families travelling the Coral Coast Highway.
Climb it. Explore it. Photograph it.
Most importantly, add it to the growing list of Big Things in Carnarvon.
How many can you find?
Whether you're travelling with the kids, touring in the caravan or simply love discovering Australia's quirky roadside attractions, make a little extra time for Carnarvon.
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