Posted on by Amiekay

New Zealand’s Weird and Giant Roadside Attractions

When you think wacky roadside attractions, chances are you think of the United States. Due to its vastness and size, the USA is a country made for road trips, and therefore, roadside attractions like the Giant Ball of Twine. You wouldn’t be wrong for thinking it was the place to see this kind of stuff, because well, that was my belief as well until I saw the giant carrot.

Sure, I had noticed some other weird things on my drive to Okahune, but it was the carrot and adjacent playground that really did it for me. You see, it’s not just bizarre, it is also unexpected: the giant carrot is the first man-made thing you see after miles and miles of pure, untouched landscape, so it sort of stands out.

After seeing this strange and hilarious statue, I started taking note of the other strange things I saw on the road here in New Zealand. So, here’s a list of funky and “giant” roadside attractions I’ve seen on the North Island, all thanks to Okahune’s giant carrot.

Note: I have only personally seen the first 6 of these attractions. The rest were compiled using internet research and gathering photos from other travelers.

1. Giant Carrot – Okahune

Okahune claims its giant carrot is the world’s largest model
Carrot Adventure Park features mascots of the vegetable variety

The giant carrot of Okahune has been greeting visitors to Okahune on the North Island since 1984. Originally used as a prop in a commercial, the town purchased the fiberglass prop as a way to honor farmers in the area who grow most of the country’s carrot crop.

But if you’re going to stop and look at the carrot, you’re going to want to park and check out what’s behind it: the Carrot Adventure Park. In addition to the slides and swings, this playground features a number of fun crop-inspired characters with ridiculous names to match, such as “Muncho Manchester” the carrot.

2. Giant Gumboot – Taihape

Taihape doesn’t make gumboots but considers itself to be the “Gumboot Capital of the World”
I mimicked some kids in the area and climbed on the boot. There are no signs around discouraging people from doing this

Although it’s corrugated iron is painted in bright colors, the Gumboot of Taihape is a bit easier to miss than Okahune’s carrot. Not only is it smaller, but it is also not in as obvious a location, especially when driving North. Still, it has just as strange a story behind it: The town erected the statue after it became known as the “Gumboot Capital of the World.” The thing is, the town doesn’t make or really have anything to do with gumboots, it got the moniker thanks to a fictional gumboot-wearing character named Fred Dagg who came from Taihape.

3. Giant Bull – Bulls

When I was in Bulls, this giant statue was decorated for Christmas
The town’s ador-a-bull and punny sign

To be fair, there is way more bull to see in Bulls than just the giant one, even though the town doesn’t get its name from the animal. Instead, Bulls was named after James Bull, an English settler who owned and operated the town’s first general store. Still, in recent years the town has taken to celebrating the animal that shares its name by erecting giant bull statues all around town, including a big wooden one that stands in its center.

While the bull on wheels itself is impressive, what really got me was the sign of bull puns next to it. The sign points you towards some of the town’s sights, including the Bulls Library, which is described as”read-a-bull,” The Mothered Goose Cafe, which is apparently “select-a-bull,” and the information center which is, unsurprisingly, “inform-a-bull.”

4. Giant De Molen Windmill – Foxton

Foxton, New Zealand is home to a Dutch windmill
The windmill offers visitors a chance to buy Dutch treats and souvenirs because nothing says I visited New Zealand like clogs?
The windmill is fully functional and built to specifications directly from the Netherlands

This is just so out of place and random that my first thought when I went inside the windmill was “only in New Zealand!” The fully-operational windmill opened in 2003 and is a full-scale replica of the traditional windmills found in the Netherlands. (It even grounds flour you can buy!) The ground floor is a shop that sells goods imported from the Netherlands, but you can also see the working parts of the windmill for a small donation.

5. Cuba Street Bucket Fountain

Some people say Elijah Wood peed in this fountain

While I saw the other 4 on a single road trip out of Wellington, this strange and splashy statue resides in the city I currently call home. It’s a pretty average looking bucket fountain, and honestly, I don’t understand why this silly statue is on so many people’s “must see” lists. Not only is it strange, the fountain is also broken and splashes unsuspecting visitors. Local lore has it the fountain does this because no one remembered what order the buckets were supposed to go in after being taken apart for maintenance.

6. Big Dog and Sheep – Tirau

Tirau’s giant sheep dog building houses its I-Site center. Photo Courtesy: Saskia Boerboom
Tirau’s Big Dog and Sheep Buildings. (Photo courtesy: Phillip Capper/Wikimedia) 
While I have actually seen these unique buildings from the car, I didn’t think to get out and take a photo at the time.

 

You can’t miss these massive, corrugated iron buildings as you drive by, and if you have time you might as well pull over, take a picture and go inside them! The sheep building houses a wool and craft shop while the sheep-herding dog’s insides are home to the town’s information center.

 

Tirau is also home to a giant ram, and a bunch of other corrugated iron sculptures including a cow, a shepherd, and a praying mantis.

 

7. Giant L&P Bottle – Paeroa
One of the two giant L&P bottles you can find in Paeora. (Photo Courtesy: Emma Jeffreys)
The potentially more “famous” L&P Bottle. (Photo Courtesy: Paul Moss Photographer Artist NZ/Wikimedia)
A soft drink that is “World Famous in New Zealand,” L&P is a Kiwi staple in the summertime.

 

Known for its wacky advertising, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the town where L&P get’s its name has not one, but two giant bottles paying tribute to it! The original and potentially more “famous” L&P bottle features the brand’s original design and is located in Ohinemuri Park. But if you’d like some L&P to go with your L&P visit, there is also one outside an L&P Cafe.

 

L&P stands for “Lemon and Paeroa,” which comes from the drinks original recipe: carbonated water from the town of Paeroa mixed with lemon. (It tastes a bit lemony and peppery.)

 

8. Catlin’s Teapot Land – Owaka
This garden of teapots sits alongside the main road in Wanaka. (Photo Courtesy: Bethany Gordan)

 

The teapot’s featured in the garden come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (Photo courtesy: Bethany Gordan)
Having never been to the South Island myself, this attraction came as a complete surprise to me when a fellow traveler shared it in a group, so I figured it was worth featuring.

 

Teapot Land has a weird origin story. The man who owns it, Graham Renwick, tells Stuff.co.nz, that one day he found a teapot in his garden and popped it on his fence. He then added a few more from his own collection, and the rest is history. He now he has over 1300 teapots in his garden from all over New Zealand and the world.

 

9. Bradrona – Cardrona
You might not want to wear your favorite bra the day you choose to visit Bradona. (Photo courtesy: Julia Menn of curioustravelertravelogues.com)
Amongst the beautiful scenery of central Otago, there stands a fence adorned with thousands of bras.

 

Yes, bras.

 

The fence allegedly began in 1999, when four bras were found hanging from a fence on Cardrona Valley Road. Locals weren’t too keen on it, but the collection of bras steadily grew as more and more travelers added their own undergarments.

50 Replies to “New Zealand’s Weird and Giant Roadside Attractions”

  2. This is a really fun and interesting post! Neat that there are these type of attractions, I never would have thought! I’ve never been to New Zealand (closest is Australia!). But would love to visit sometime. Now I’m even more intrigued to go check these attractions out!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much! Yes, I found this to be a surprising thing about New Zealand as well, as most people come for nature and not a giant carrot.

      Reply

    1. Thanks! I liked the carrot a lot too; he was the inspiration for the entire post! I think that park behind it really did it for me.

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    1. I think the bra fence is my favorite too, even though I’ve never been there! I wish I knew what prompted those original bras all those years ago, but I guess that’s part of the intrigue.

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    1. They are SO wacky. And yes, I think it would be fun to add to the fence myself. I’ll make sure to write about the experience if I make it there before I leave. 🙂

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    1. Yeah, I definitely don’t think I would personally go too far out of my way to see some of the giant attractions, but they are fun to spot when you’re driving somewhere! The teapot land does look especially cute though. 🙂

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    1. Teapot Land was the biggest surprise to me! It’s not on a lot of sites that list these sorts of things and seems so random. They do drink quite a bit of tea here though, so maybe not.

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    1. The bra fence is SO weird, isn’t it? And yeah, definitely won’t be wearing my favorite if I go either! I think I’d have to participate!

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    1. The carrot is one of my favorites as well, it’s just so…random. And apparently, there was some controversy over its shape, which I find odd because like… it’s a carrot.

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  13. I loved this! I am so use to reading the nature posts about New Zealand, so this was cool to read. I really want to visit New Zealand and would love to see some of these weird attractions!

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    1. Yeah, New Zealand’s biggest attraction really is it’s natural beauty but it also has a strange and wacky sense of humor. The great news is if you come here to visit and do a road, most of these attractions will be on your route!

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  14. New Zealand is really a wacky place! Even though I’ve been to both the North and South Islands, I wasn’t able to see any of these weird roadside attractions which you’ve recommended here. Would love to visit again and see what other treasures I can find! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Well, most people come to New Zealand for the beautiful scenery so I don’t think anyone blames you for not seeing these attractions, haha. They are cool to spot if you do come back and do a road trip though!

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  16. Love this. Roadside attractions are the most random but amazing. That dog and sheep is epic. Reminded me of when I found a Land Rover on a pole in Australia, random but great!

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  17. Oh wow… love this . I actually go in search of these quirky things on the road and when discovering places . My favourite is the carrot 🥕 and the boot 👢
    Definitely wanna make time , and plan these during my trip to NZ planned year end Godwilling .

    Reply

    1. Well if you like quirky things, New Zealand has a lot of those! The good news is most of this stuff is on main roads so if you’re coming and doing a road trip you’ll likely pass some of them. 🙂

      Reply

  25. Lol, well… these look interesting! Certainly something I’ve not seen around 😀 would love to do some!! All the more reason for me to visit New Zealand 🙂

    Reply

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