Ploddy the Dinosaur is one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks and the country’s very first giant roadside icon. Built in 1963 by Australian Reptile Park founder Eric Worrell, the 26-metre, 100-tonne concrete Diplodocus has been a beloved fixture for generations of Australian families. In 1996, Ploddy made the ten-kilometre journey from the Park’s original Wyoming home to its current Somersby location, with over 10,000 people lining the streets of Gosford to watch her go. She now sits atop a hill beside the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, seen by more than 40 million passing vehicles every year.
Eric Worrell commissioned the design and construction of a 26-metre concrete replica of a Diplodocus dinosaur, hence the name Ploddy. Weighing in at almost 100 tonnes, she was built over two months and more than 1,100 man-hours. From the moment she was completed, Ploddy became Australia’s very first giant roadside icon, predating the Big Banana, the Big Pineapple and every other oversized landmark that followed.
Moving a 26-metre, 100-tonne concrete dinosaur is not straightforward. It took a team of specialised people to execute her move. To celebrate, she was given a full street parade through the main streets of Gosford. Local school children painted giant Ploddy footprints along the route. Over 10,000 people lined the streets to watch her journey.
Ploddy was far from the only one making the journey. Around 1,000 animals were relocated from Wyoming to Somersby, including the Park’s entire alligator population, Miss Piggy the pig-nosed turtle, Galapagos tortoises Hugo and Dippy, and Terminator the alligator snapping turtle. The Park’s life-saving antivenom program also made the move, along with the keepers and staff who had devoted themselves to its work. Among them was Ranger Mick, who had joined the Australian Reptile Park four years earlier and would go on to dedicate more than 30 years to the Park.
“For so many Coasties, seeing Ploddy on the hill means they are nearly home. She has watched the Park grow and change over the past 30 years, but she has remained that familiar, much-loved symbol. This anniversary is about celebrating where we have come from, the animals and people who made the move possible, and the exciting future still ahead,” said Managing Director Tim Faulkner.
Throughout the month, every visit to the Park comes loaded with free activities included with entry. Each day, a unique wildlife show telling the story of how we moved a zoo from Wyoming to Somersby in 1996, including some of the very animals that made that journey. Families can also follow Ploddy’s free Scavenger Hunt around the Park, tracking down the animals, people and programs that came with Ploddy to Somersby 30 years ago.
On weekends, the celebrations step up a gear. Free face painting and a Dinosaur Walk bring one of Ploddy’s friends out to meet visitors in person, giving families an extra taste of the excitement before the main event.
Australian Reptile Park
www.reptilepark.com.au
Pacific Highway, Somersby, NSW, 2250
