Australia has over 150 large structures across the country, each representing some point in history or simply a part of the Australian culture. These ‘big things’ are a huge tourist attraction, found along highways that connect major destinations. So, they are essentially the perfect spots to stop along your Aussie road trip. From a giant banana to a kangaroo named Matilda, here are a few of the most popular sculptures that are worth the pit stop.

The Big Banana, New South Wales

One of the more popular Big Things in Australia is The Big Banana located in Coffs Harbour. The sculpture stands outside an amusement park that has indoor skiing and is one of FOUR big bananas in Aussie land.

Matilda The Big Kangaroo, Kybong, Queensland

Matilda was built following the 1982 Commonwealth Games, and can be found at a petro station off of the Bruce Highway. It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but is a good place to stop and refuel and to snap a pic beside her.

The Big Merino, New South Wales

You can actually climb to the top of this giant merino for a view of the city from the eyes of the ram! There’s also a gift shop where you can purchase amazing wool products (because who doesn’t need a wool sweater whilst traveling around Australia, right?).

The Big Boxing Crocodile, Northern Territory

No joke, this giant croc is actually standing in a town called Humpty Doo. It was built after Australia won the America’s Cup in 1983, and believe it or not, this guy is one of four big crocodiles in the country.

Sam the Giant Koala, Victoria

It wouldn’t be Australia without a giant koala, would it? There are actually two big koalas in Victoria, although this one is the more popular choice since it’s right off of 5829 Western Hwy.

The Big Lobster, South Australia

This size of this lobster was said to be an error, with the misinterpretation of measurement making it a heck of a lot bigger than it was supposed to be. There are also two big lobsters in the country, but this one is by far the largest.

The Big Golden Guitar, New South Wales

After the Country Music Awards of Australia honored artists with the Golden Guitar trophies, this 12-meter-tall structure was built.

The Big Avocado, New South Wales

A place called ‘Tropical Fruit World’ exists (yes, really), and includes a giant avocado. And of course, the land of avocado toast has to include a big avocado to the list.

The Big Pineapple, Queensland

This big guy scored the title of the world’s largest pineapple, beating the original holder in Hawaii. You can find this giant fruit along the Sunshine Coast, where you can explore the 165-hectare pineapple farm.

The Big Prawn, Ballina, New South Wales

And last but not least, this big prawn was built outside of a Bunnings Warehouse, a short drive outside of Byron Bay. The structure was almost torn down in 2009, until Bunnings saved the day and bought it out.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

If you have a knack for sports and would like to study it at degree level – or you’re already studying a sports degree at university and are unsure about where it’ll lead you after you graduate – then you’re in the right place. Since you’ve picked a sports degree as your major, chances are you enjoy the subject and will be pleased to know that sports jobs are plentiful and varied.

Read on to find out about the variety of sports jobs out there to help decide which one is for you.

Typical sports jobs

Physical education teacher

As a physical education teacher, you’ll work in a primary or secondary school, conducting lessons in physical education to children and adolescents. While your lessons will be in line with the national curriculum, your role will allow you to utilize your creative and interpersonal skills to interact and engage with pupils by helping them to participate in a variety of sports, teaching them the essence of fitness and providing a fun and healthy learning environment.

To become a physical education teacher, you’ll typically need to have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education or a relevant discipline, followed by postgraduate teacher training. You’ll also need to be able to demonstrate a number of skills, including excellent communication with both your pupils and your colleagues, patience and a caring and understanding nature, plus strong organizational skills – among many others.

Sports coach

A career in sports coaching will allow you to assist either passionate sports individuals or teams to hone their abilities and achieve their highest potential in a particular sport. You may work closely with either professional or semi-professional sports individuals and teams, planning and implementing suitable training programs to help boost the participants’ fitness levels and maximize their performance. 

To become a sports coach, you may benefit from a sports-related academic qualification; however, a relevant coaching qualification is deemed more important for this career.  

As a sports coach, you’ll have the choice to work on either a public or private platform; this will provide you with the opportunity to potentially set up a business (working as a personal sports coach), or to seek employment from organizations such as schools/colleges and universities, public gyms, hotels, etc. Working hours will vary, though many sports coaches work on a part-time basis whilst combining their coaching work with other jobs.

Sports therapist

A sports therapist’s role is to ensure that people performing sports or involved in any form of exercise are training and competing as safely as possible. They’re typically the first to respond to occurrences of sport and exercise-related injury, and employ a vast range of techniques to help rehabilitate the patient back to full health and strength.

Although relevant academic qualifications may prove useful for a career in sports therapy, sufficient work experience, professional training and an appropriate coaching qualification will typically hold more value.

Sports jobs in this role can be found either in sports injury clinics or directly with individuals or teams, both professional or amateur. As a sports therapist, you’ll be expected to work amid a team of trainers, managers and doctors, and should be prepared to work outdoors no matter the weather, working irregular hours and traveling both nationally and potentially internationally – particularly if you’re working with a sports team. 

Sport and exercise psychologist

Sports and exercise psychologists work largely with both professional and amateur athletes, coaches and referees. They offer services based on the role of psychology in sport and its impact on performance, and help to prepare sporting professionals for the challenges and wide-ranging demands of their careers.

For a career in sports psychology, you’ll need to obtain a good degree classification, such as a minimum 2:1 honors degree in the UK, in an accredited sport psychology course, psychology or a joint degree in related subjects, as well as relevant work experience and a postgraduate degree in sports and exercise psychology.

Sports and exercise psychology jobs can be found with sports teams, organizations, universities and colleges, and working hours will depend on your client as well as the nature of the sport. 

Personal trainer

Personal trainers create individual-based fitness programs for clients to assist them in achieving their full fitness, weight-loss or muscle gain and strength goals, using a range of fitness equipment and classes, either in a gym environment or outdoors.

Unlike fitness/gym instructors, a personal trainer is typically more qualified in terms of fitness knowledge and expertise, and may offer tailored health and exercise advice to clients.

To become a personal trainer, you’ll need to hold a recognized diploma or degree in a relevant discipline, in addition to a wide range of personal skills and enough work experience. Once your career commences, you’ll be inclined to work irregular hours in order to meet your clients’ demands, though this may depend on whether you’re working for a gym or are self-employed.

Other careers for sports graduates

If you’ve completed – or are looking to complete – an undergraduate sports degree, but you feel like a conventional sports career isn’t for you, there are many other jobs in which your degree might be useful, such as: a university lecturer, an event manager, a health promotion specialist (or health improvement practitioner), a healthcare scientist (or clinical scientist), and countless other roles. It’s also important to note that many employers accept applicants with any degree subject, so you have a wide-ranging pool of career options available to you.  

--

‘What Can You Do With a Sports Degree?’ is part of our ‘What Can You Do With…’ series. We have also covered art, biology, business, communications, computer science, English, engineering, fashion, finance, history, geography, law, marketing, mathematics, management, philosophy, performing arts, politics, psychology, sociology, chemistry, economics and physics.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.

Sponsored by IE Business School

Whether it’s a BA or an MBA you’re hoping to pursue, Madrid offers a whole bunch of reasons why you should consider it your number one study destination for business. From its welcoming culture and warm climate, to its accolade of leading business schools and industry experience opportunities, find out what else you’ll experience if you choose to study business in Spain’s bustling capital. 

Be a part of Madrid’s highest-ranked business school

With so many academic options to explore it can be hard to know where to look first. Spain definitely deserves your attention though as it’s home to some of the world’s leading business schools, many located in the capital, Madrid.

One of these is IE Business School; an internationally focused business school which offers an extensive range of business programs for students from all over the world to study. In the latest QS World University Rankings: Global MBA Rankings 2019, IE Business School’s Global MBA placed eighth in the world and first in Spain, while it’s Business Analytics master’s took second spot in the country in the QS Masters in Business Analytics Rankings 2021.

You’ll have an education that prepares you for the world of tomorrow

As the traditional business landscape continues to evolve and adapt to the challenges and opportunities that come with novel digital technologies, business schools and universities are also having to adjust –not just what they teach, but how they teach.

IE Business School is also ranked in the top ten universities around the world for its innovation in technology and teaching, making it the ideal study destination for those who wish to not only improve their knowledge of business realities and trends, but to be able to apply what they know in the real world.

IE students are able to put theory into practice by working on genuine cases and managing their own projects which showcases their ability to think independently and creatively, as well as demonstrating a strong aptitude to collaborate and liaise with their fellow cohort.

A bachelor’s in business or MBA from IE Business School will help develop your technical skills, as well as improve your soft skills – a trait highly valued by employers around the world.

You can customize your degree to suit you

Although it’s vital you’re able to demonstrate a clear understanding of business fundamentals, being able to specialize in an area that appeals most to you is also critical.

Whether it’s a dual degree in business administration and data with business analytics, or an actual specialization within an MBA program, at IE Business School you’ll be able to choose a track that’s designed to help you prepare you for the challenges and opportunities of the real business world.

You’ll be encouraged to take your ideas and turn them into a reality

Business is all about encouraging the inner entrepreneur in you and demonstrating your theoretical knowledge by applying it to the real world using both your technical and soft skillset.

This is why IE Business School is home to its very own Venture Lab for students to develop their innovative mindset and help accelerate their startups.

Promising career opportunities

Thanks to today’s globalized world, talented business professionals with international experience are in high demand. Considering how Spain is one of the “EU’s fastest growing economies” attracting business from all over the world, the country’s capital makes an ideal starting point for a career.

IE Business School graduates possess an impressive business acumen and international study experience, making them first in line for global companies seeking to recruit fresh business talent, such as Nike, Amazon and Coca-Cola.

You’ll improve your professional networking skills…

… while making international friends all at the same time. You’ll work alongside students from all walks of life in lectures, on assignments and group presentations with some becoming lifelong friends.

In 2018, Spain attracted almost 50,000 students from all over the world. What’s even more impressive, is that IE Business School’s cohort is over 75 percent international with over 130 nations represented, making it a genuinely international student community.

Get to grips with a new language

Of course, moving to any new country means it’s more than likely there’s also a new language to learn.

Fortunately, Spanish is the third most widely spoken language in the world and is one of the main languages of international business, so your time spent picking up the local language will be of massive benefit later on, and not just because you’ll be able to order a meal in a restaurant or ask for directions!

Its warm weather and cool culture

Famous for its legendary gastronomy (tapas galore!), eclectic nightlife (party until sunrise!), characterful Mediterranean history (hello, Royal Palace of Madrid), and not forgetting its world-class football clubs, Madrid is a culturally rich and diverse city. So, it’s no wonder the vibrant capital sits comfortably in the top 50 of the QS Best Student Cities 2018 rankings.

This article was originally published on March 20th, 2019.

IE School of Architecture and Design

IE School of Human Sciences and Technology

IE Law School

IE School of Global and Public Affairs