The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions

Australia's Big Things

The Big Things of Australia are a loosely related set of large structures or sculptures. There are estimated to be over 150 such objects around the country, the first being the Big Scotsman in Medindie, Adelaide, which was built in 1963....

 that can be found around Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales

Tamworth, New South Wales

Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...

, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England

New England (Australia)

New England or New England North West is the name given to a generally undefined region about 60 kilometres inland, that includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The region has been occupied by Indigenous...

 New South Wales. It is also a major attraction during the Tamworth Country Music Festival

Tamworth Country Music Festival

The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this period the city of Tamworth comes alive, with...

.

History

The Golden Guitar was erected in front of the famous Longyard Hotel on the Sydney Road in 1988. It was unveiled by Australia's most popular country music artist, Slim Dusty

Slim Dusty

David Gordon "Slim Dusty " Kirkpatrick AO, MBE was an Australian country music singer-songwriter and producer, with a career spanning nearly eight decades. He was known to record songs in the legacy of Australian poets Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson that represented the Australian Bush...

. Its location in Tamworth is symbolic of the city's recognition and celebration of Australian country music

Australian country music

Australian country music is a part of the music of Australia. There is a broad range of styles, from bluegrass, to yodelling to folk to the more popular. The genre has been influenced by Celtic and English folk music, by the traditions of Australian bush balladeers, as well as by popular American...

, and its artists.

An award ceremony takes place every year where miniature Golden Guitars are given as awards to artists and musicians in recognition of their achievements and contributions in the genre of country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

. An estimated 3.6 million photographs have been taken of the site since its opening.

Design

The Golden Guitar stand approximately 12 meters (40 feet) high and weighs over 500 kilograms (over 1000 pounds). It is constructed out of fibreglass and wood, with steel reinforcements. The Golden Guitar has no strings because it was modeled directly on the Golden Guitar trophies given to winners at the Country Music Awards of Australia

Country Music Awards of Australia

The CMAA Country Music Awards of Australia is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They are wholly owned and staged by the Country Music...

ceremony night during the Tamworth Country Music Festival.