Thanks to the conceptual artist Mark Wallinger, Ebbsfleet, Kent may soon boast a 164ft (49m) tall sculpture of a horse that Britain can truly be proud of. But, as in so many areas, we lag a long way behind Australia. One big horse - admittedly breathtakingly big - compares poorly with the portfolio of more than 150 supersized sculptures that are dotted across the bush, deserts and jungles of Oz.

Australia has been cultivating its collection of big sculptures since 1964, when John Landi, a New South Wales plantation owner, built something eye-catching to tempt passers-by to his roadside banana stall. He opted for The Big Banana, which still enjoys over 500,000 visitors a year. That banana was the first of a big bunch. It includes a Big Cod (Swan Hill, Victoria), a Big Penguin (Penguin, Tasmania), a Big Merino (Goulburn, NSW), a Big Pineapple (Nambour, Queensland), Big Ned Kelly (Glenrowan, Victoria) and a Giant Worm (Bass, Victoria).

In Gumeracha, South Australia, they've stolen a march on Wallinger. They have a more child-friendly Big Rocking Horse, with three Eiffel Tower-style observation decks too.

To beat the Australians, Ebbsfleet's mega-horse needs to be the catalyst for a golden age of UK Big Attractions. There are plenty of subjects: how about The Big Pork Pie, The Big Estate Agent's Sign, The Big iPod or The Big Wheelie Bin? Or we could just let the Australians win. After all, Wallinger's horse may cost £2 million - A Big Waste of Money?

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